NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA RM 20 022

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 20 022

The NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health funding opportunity designed to change the culture of NIH-funded extramural research institutions by building a durable, self-reinforcing community of scientists who actively support diversity and inclusive excellence. The central idea is that institutions can create sustained cultural transformation by intentionally recruiting and supporting a cohort of early-career faculty who are not only strong researchers and competitive for advertised research tenure-track (or equivalent) roles, but who have also shown a clear, meaningful commitment to advancing diversity and inclusive excellence in the scientific enterprise. In practice, the program emphasizes cohort-building and community as a mechanism for long-term institutional change rather than isolated, one-off hires.

This opportunity uses the cooperative agreement mechanism (U54), which generally means NIH expects to have substantial involvement with awardees compared to a standard grant. The “Clinical Trial Optional” label indicates that proposed projects may include clinical trials but are not required to do so; applicants can propose research and related activities that fit their institutional goals and the FOA requirements without being forced into a clinical trial framework.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and falls under the health activity category, with CFDA number 93.310. The funding opportunity number is RFA-RM-20-022, and it was created on December 8, 2020, with an original closing date of March 1, 2021. The public listing provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the fields shown, so those details would typically need to be confirmed in the full funding announcement or related NIH materials.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. entities and, notably, certain non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city/township, and 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; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (when not institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The opportunity also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); eligible agencies of the federal government; faith-based or community-based organizations; Hispanic-serving institutions; historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized; tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs); regional organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations).

At its core, the FIRST Cohort program is about institutional transformation through people and community: recruiting a diverse set of promising early-career faculty into real, advertised research faculty positions, and leveraging that cohort to help embed inclusive excellence into the institution’s research culture over time. The emphasis on demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence signals that NIH is looking for faculty who can contribute both through their scholarship and through leadership, mentoring, and participation in efforts that broaden participation and improve the research environment.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-12-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-03-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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.

Apply for RFA RM 20 022

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