Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 439
The Community-Partnered Nursing Research Centers (P20 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 25-439) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant designed to help create or strengthen nursing-focused research centers that are built around genuine partnerships with communities. The central aim is to expand nursing-led, community-partnered research programs that tackle persistent and ongoing health challenges, with an emphasis on developing durable capacity rather than only funding a single standalone study. The program encourages Schools or Colleges of Nursing to serve as the hub for these efforts, so that nursing expertise and community priorities are tightly connected in how research questions are chosen, how studies are designed, and how findings are put into practice.
A key theme of this initiative is infrastructure building. Applications are expected to lay out a clear center strategy for improving research capacity by establishing or expanding centralized resources within a School or College of Nursing. In practice, that can include shared cores, methods support, data and analytics capacity, participant engagement infrastructure, training and mentoring systems, administrative support for community partnerships, and other center-level resources that make community-engaged research easier to do, more rigorous, and more sustainable over time. The idea is that a funded center should leave an institution better positioned to conduct high-quality, community-partnered nursing research well beyond the award period.
Another major expectation is the development and strengthening of nurse-led interdisciplinary teams. This means the center should not operate as a set of isolated projects, but as a coordinated program that brings nurses together with other relevant disciplines (for example, public health, behavioral science, medicine, social work, informatics, or community organizations) while keeping nursing leadership central. The grant is also intended to help build expertise specifically in community-partnered research, including the practical skills needed to share power with community stakeholders, co-develop research agendas, navigate ethical and operational challenges in real-world settings, and maintain trust and accountability across the life of a project.
Pilot research is an important component of the center model. Applicants are expected to propose pilot studies that build community-partnered research experience and produce early evidence that can support future, larger grant applications. These pilots should align with the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) mission and apply NINR research lenses, meaning the work should reflect NINR priorities and perspectives for understanding and addressing health challenges. While the opportunity is labeled “Clinical Trial Optional,” it allows but does not require clinical trials, giving centers flexibility to propose the most appropriate study designs for their community priorities and scientific aims.
Community engagement is not treated as an accessory; it is positioned as a core requirement across all center activities. Strong applications should describe how community partners will be meaningfully involved throughout the entire process, such as setting priorities, shaping methods, assisting with recruitment and retention approaches, interpreting results, and planning dissemination that is useful and accessible to the community. The overall intent is to ensure the center’s research agenda and operations are grounded in real community needs and that benefits flow back to participating communities, not just to academic outputs.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The announcement also specifically highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized), and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly excludes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the Education and Health activity category (CFDA 93.361). The listed award ceiling is $500,000. The opportunity’s original closing date is May 7, 2028, indicating a multi-year window during which applications may be accepted according to NIH submission cycles and the specific instructions in the full funding announcement. Overall, the program is best understood as an NIH-supported pathway for nursing schools and their partners to build lasting, community-centered research capacity, generate pilot data, and position nursing-led teams to compete for larger-scale funding focused on persistent health challenges.Apply for PAR 25 439
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community-Partnered Nursing Research Centers (P20 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.361.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-09-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-05-07.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Community-Partnered Nursing Research Centers (P20 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity?
It is an NIH grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 25-439) designed to create or strengthen nursing-focused research centers that are built around genuine partnerships with communities. The overall intent is to expand nursing-led, community-partnered research programs addressing persistent and ongoing health challenges, with a focus on building durable institutional capacity rather than supporting only a single standalone study.
What does "community-partnered" mean in the context of this program?
In this opportunity, community engagement is treated as a core requirement across all center activities. Strong applications are expected to show meaningful involvement of community partners throughout the process, such as setting priorities, shaping methods, supporting recruitment and retention, interpreting results, and planning dissemination that is useful and accessible to the community.
What is the primary goal of this NIH center grant?
The central aim is to expand nursing-led, community-partnered research programs that tackle persistent and ongoing health challenges by developing and strengthening long-term research capacity. The program emphasizes infrastructure building and sustainable center resources that continue to benefit the institution and its community partnerships beyond the award period.
Is this grant intended to fund one research study or a broader program?
It is intended to support a coordinated center program rather than isolated projects. The emphasis is on building a nursing-focused, community-partnered research center with shared resources and pilot research that collectively strengthen the ability to conduct high-quality community-engaged nursing research over time.
Who is encouraged to serve as the hub for these research centers?
The opportunity encourages Schools or Colleges of Nursing to serve as the hub, connecting nursing expertise directly with community priorities so that research questions, study design, and translation of findings are aligned with real community needs while keeping nursing leadership central.
What kinds of infrastructure are applicants expected to build or strengthen?
Applications are expected to outline a clear center strategy to improve research capacity by establishing or expanding centralized resources within a School or College of Nursing. Examples described include shared cores, methods support, data and analytics capacity, participant engagement infrastructure, training and mentoring systems, administrative support for community partnerships, and other center-level resources that make community-engaged research easier, more rigorous, and more sustainable.
Why is infrastructure building emphasized so strongly in this program?
The program is designed so that a funded center leaves an institution better positioned to conduct high-quality, community-partnered nursing research well beyond the award period. In other words, the goal is long-term capacity and sustainability, not only short-term project outputs.
What is expected regarding interdisciplinary collaboration?
The center is expected to develop and strengthen nurse-led interdisciplinary teams. The program describes a coordinated approach that brings nurses together with other relevant disciplines (for example, public health, behavioral science, medicine, social work, informatics, and community organizations) while maintaining nursing leadership as central.
Does the program require expertise in community-partnered research?
The grant is intended to build expertise specifically in community-partnered research. It highlights practical skills such as sharing power with community stakeholders, co-developing research agendas, navigating ethical and operational challenges in real-world settings, and maintaining trust and accountability throughout a project.
Are pilot studies required as part of the center model?
Pilot research is described as an important component. Applicants are expected to propose pilot studies that build community-partnered research experience and generate early evidence that can support future, larger grant applications.
How should pilot studies align with NIH priorities?
The pilots should align with the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) mission and apply NINR research lenses, meaning the work should reflect NINR priorities and perspectives for understanding and addressing health challenges.
Are clinical trials required under this opportunity?
No. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," which means clinical trials are allowed but not required. This provides flexibility for centers to propose the study designs that best match community priorities and scientific aims.
How should community partners be involved in research activities?
Community partners are expected to be meaningfully involved across the entire process. The opportunity provides examples including setting priorities, shaping methods, helping with recruitment and retention, interpreting results, and planning dissemination that is accessible and useful to the community.
What does the program mean by ensuring benefits "flow back" to communities?
The intent is that the center's research agenda and operations remain grounded in real community needs and that participating communities benefit in ways that go beyond academic publications, including dissemination and outcomes that are useful and accessible to the community.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad range of U.S.-based organizations: state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
Are there specific organization types the announcement highlights as eligible?
Yes. It specifically highlights additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); faith-based or community-based organizations; Hispanic-serving institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); regional organizations; eligible federal agencies; Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized); and U.S. territories or possessions.
Are non-U.S. entities eligible to apply?
No. The opportunity excludes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy.
What is the maximum award amount for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $500,000.
What type of grant is this?
It is described as a discretionary grant in the Education and Health activity category.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing provided is 93.361.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR 25-439.
When is the closing date for this funding opportunity?
The original closing date is listed as May 7, 2028. This indicates a multi-year window during which applications may be accepted according to NIH submission cycles and the instructions in the full funding announcement.
What is the program trying to help applicants do after the award period?
The program is positioned as a pathway for nursing schools and their partners to build lasting, community-centered research capacity, generate pilot data, and position nursing-led teams to compete for larger-scale funding focused on persistent health challenges.
What makes a strong application according to the opportunity description?
Based on the description provided, strong applications are expected to: present a clear center strategy for building research capacity through shared infrastructure; demonstrate genuine and meaningful community partnership across center activities; strengthen nurse-led interdisciplinary teams; and include pilot studies aligned with the NINR mission and NINR research lenses, with flexibility to include clinical trials if appropriate.
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