National Centers for Translational Research in Reproduction and Infertility (NCTRI) (P50 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA HD 24 010

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 24 010

The National Centers for Translational Research in Reproduction and Infertility (NCTRI) funding opportunity is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) program run by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), specifically through its Fertility and Infertility (FI) Branch. It supports a limited number of specialized, multidisciplinary research centers focused on reproductive science, reproduction, and infertility. The centers are meant to bring basic (laboratory) researchers and clinical investigators into the same organized program so they can build strong translational pipelines, meaning discoveries can move from bench to bedside and, just as importantly, clinical observations can guide new laboratory work. The overall intent is to improve human reproductive health by accelerating practical, clinically meaningful advances through research excellence, coordination, and innovation.

This announcement is a re-competition of the existing NCTRI program, meaning NICHD is renewing and recompeting the network of centers rather than starting an entirely new concept. Awards are made using the P50 Specialized Research Center mechanism, which is designed for large, multi-project center grants rather than single-project research awards. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," which generally means applicants may propose clinical trials if they are scientifically justified, but clinical trials are not required for a competitive application. The NCTRI program is structured as a national network, so beyond funding the work at each individual center, NICHD is explicitly encouraging collaboration and coordination across sites to speed progress, share expertise, and standardize or align approaches where it helps the field.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The notice also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign eligibility is limited in a way that is typical for NIH center programs. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which usually means a U.S. applicant can include certain project activities performed outside the U.S. when there is a strong scientific justification and when the arrangement meets NIH policy requirements. In practice, this is often used when unique populations, specimens, expertise, or resources exist outside the U.S. and are important to the research goals, while the main center remains U.S.-based and led.

Key administrative details in the source information include the Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HD-24-010 and a creation date of August 17, 2023. The original closing date listed is November 29, 2023. The award is categorized as a discretionary grant in the Health, Income Security and Social Services activity area, under CFDA 93.865. The listed award ceiling is $1,100,000, which is commonly interpreted as an annual cap per award unless otherwise specified in the full funding announcement (the detailed NOFO typically clarifies whether this is per year, direct costs versus total costs, and how budgets should be structured across multiple projects and cores within a P50).

In practical terms, the program is looking for center applications that convincingly show how an integrated team will tackle important problems in reproduction and infertility with a translational focus, how the center will create meaningful interaction between basic and clinical disciplines, and how its structure will support productivity beyond what separate individual grants could do. Because the centers are intended to operate as a coordinated national network, competitive applications usually need to demonstrate not only strong science and leadership locally, but also a clear plan and willingness to engage with the broader NCTRI community to amplify impact across the field.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Centers for Translational Research in Reproduction and Infertility (NCTRI) (P50 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-08-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-11-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,100,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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