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National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

Limited Competition: John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program (S21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Forecast — not open yet ? · Opportunity RFA-MD-28-001 · Assistance Listing 93.307

Key facts

Deadline
Opens Mar 25, 2027 · due about May 25, 2027 (estimate)
Award size
Up to $2M
Total available
$12M · about 6 awards
Cost share / match ?
Not required · Work out your budget and match
Who can apply
Public college or university, Private college or university
Where
Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee

Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Grant-ready checklist

How this fits you

  • Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
  • No cost share required
  • Past Tennessee awards on file: 38

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

More from National Institutes of Health

Read the official notice View on Grants.gov Add dates to my calendar Sign in to save

About this grant

As authorized under section 464z-3(h) of the Public Health Service Act, the purpose of the John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program is to strengthen the research infrastructure and training capacity at eligible institutions of higher education to facilitate health disparities research. Specific strategic objectives include: 1) improving the institutional physical infrastructure and acquisition of research equipment, 2) developing research-enabling technical expertise, 3) expansion of academic science programs relevant to scientific research, and 4) merit-based recruitment of highly accomplished researchers for open faculty positions. The John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program does not directly support research projects. This is a Forecast for a Limited Competition that will invite application(s) from eligible organization(s) to apply. Please see Eligibility Section for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the application(s) will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious application(s) will be considered for funding.

Eligibility (from the notice)

Pursuant to Public Health Service Act section 464z-3(h), 42 USC 285t(h), as amended by Public Law 117-104, applicants for this program must include eligible public/private institutions of higher education that have current or former HRSA Centers of Excellence awards under Section 736 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act and current or former NIMHD Centers of Excellence awards under Section 464z-4 of the PHS Act. Eligible institutions must have an endowment that is equal to or less than 50 percent of the national median of endowment funds at institutions that conduct similar biomedical research and training of health professionals.

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Who in Tennessee has won this program

23 awards to Tennessee recipients in 3 counties since 2000. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee recipients
RecipientWhereAmountFY
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$15.5M2021
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$11.9M2016
Meharry Medical CollegeNashville, Davidson County$8M2023
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$3.5M2022
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$3.3M2021
University Of TennesseeMemphis, Shelby County$2.8M2023
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$2.8M2022
University Of TennesseeMemphis, Shelby County$2.5M2023
Rhodes College (")Memphis, Shelby County$2.5M2000
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$2.3M2017
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$2.3M2020
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$1.8M2023

Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.

Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another grantee

This federal money also reaches local groups as subawards. 15 subawards on file. Largest shown:

Tennessee subaward recipients
RecipientWhereThroughAmountFY
Meharry Medical CollegeNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University Medical Center$1.6M2025
Meharry Medical CollegeNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University Medical Center$823K2026
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyThe General Hospital Corporation$809K2025
Meharry Medical CollegeNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University Medical Center$333K2024
Meharry Medical CollegeNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University Medical Center$333K2024
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyThe General Hospital Corporation$328K2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyWashington University, the$299K2024
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyWashington University, the$261K2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyWashington University, the$239K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyRush University Medical Center$229K2024
University Of MemphisMemphis, Shelby CountyUniversity of Tennessee$171K2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyThe University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center$142K2025

Source: USAspending.gov subaward reports (prime recipients report subawards of $30,000 or more).

About the program (93.307)

Minority Health and Health Disparities Research

How applications are judged

The major elements in evaluating all new grant and renewal grant applications include assessments of the scientific merit and general significance of the proposed study and its objectives; the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; and the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project and the relevance and importance to the announced program objectives. SBIR and STTR grants: For Phase I grant applications, the criteria used are the soundness and technical merit of the proposed approach; the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; the technological innovation of the proposed research; the potential of the proposed suitability of the facilities and research environment; and where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for safeguarding human or animal subjects and/or protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment. For Phase II grant applications, the criteria used are the degree to which the Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; the scientific and technical merit of the proposed approach for achieving the Phase II objectives; the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff and consultants; the technological...

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Examples of funded projects

Not Applicable.

Program listing on SAM.gov

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