Contraception Research Centers Program (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA HD 19 023

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 19 023

The Contraception Research Centers Program (U54 Clinical Trial Optional), funding opportunity number RFA-HD-19-023, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement designed to create and support a multidisciplinary Contraceptive Research Center focused on developing new contraceptive methods and improving existing ones for both men and women. The core idea is to bring together complementary scientific and clinical expertise under a single center structure so that discovery, early development, and readiness for later-stage testing can move faster and more effectively than they typically would in isolated projects. Because this is a U54 cooperative agreement, the award mechanism generally implies substantial NIH program involvement and coordination compared with a standard research grant, with an emphasis on building a coordinated, high-functioning center rather than funding a single independent study.

The scope of work supported by this program includes a wide range of research activities that feed the contraceptive development pipeline. It explicitly encourages projects that are translational in nature, meaning studies that help bridge the gap between preclinical research and clinical application, with the goal of improving the odds that promising candidates will succeed when they reach clinical evaluation. In addition to product-development science, the FOA also allows behavioral and social science research projects aimed at understanding contraceptive use and non-use, whether related to currently marketed methods or to products still in clinical development. This inclusion recognizes that successful contraception is not only a biomedical issue, but also depends on acceptability, access, decision-making, adherence, partner dynamics, and other real-world factors that influence whether a method is actually used consistently and correctly.

A central program expectation is that the funded Center functions as a national resource for training and developing early stage investigators who want to build careers in contraceptive research. In practice, this means the Center is expected to cultivate new talent, provide mentorship and professional development opportunities, and create an environment where junior investigators can contribute meaningfully to high-impact, team-based contraceptive science. The intent is not just to generate research outputs, but also to strengthen the field by expanding the pipeline of researchers equipped to sustain and advance contraceptive innovation over time.

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding within the Health, Income Security and Social Services activity area, under CFDA number 93.865. It lists a broad set of eligible applicants, reflecting the program's interest in engaging many different kinds of institutions and organizational structures. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. Nonprofits are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education), and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses are also eligible. The FOA further highlights additional eligible groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), indicating a deliberate openness to diverse institutional participation.

Administratively, the FOA was created on December 14, 2018, and the original closing date listed is February 13, 2019. The title includes "Clinical Trial Optional," which signals that applications may include clinical trials but are not required to do so; applicants can propose appropriate work spanning preclinical, translational, behavioral/social, and potentially clinical components depending on readiness and scientific goals. Overall, the opportunity is structured to build a coordinated center that accelerates contraceptive method innovation, supports the transition of promising candidates toward clinical success, and addresses the human factors that ultimately determine whether contraceptive technologies achieve real-world public health impact.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Contraception Research Centers Program (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): 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-12-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-02-13. (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 HD 19 023

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