Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Program (P30 Clinical Trials Optional) | RFA ES 25 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 25 002

The Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Program (P30 Clinical Trials Optional), announced by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-ES-25-002 (CFDA 93.113), supports the creation or continued operation of Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCCs). These centers are meant to function as major intellectual hubs for environmental health science research, bringing together groups of investigators and giving them shared infrastructure that makes their individually funded and collaborative work stronger, faster, and more cost-effective. The program positions EHSCCs as field-leading entities expected to help drive progress aligned with the NIEHS 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, with an emphasis on staying ahead of emerging environmental health issues and shaping the direction of the broader research community.

At its core, the program is about building and sustaining high-value, shared research capacity rather than funding a single standalone research project. EHSCCs provide critical shared facilities, services, and resources (often referred to as "cores") that investigators can access to support environmental health sciences research. The overall scientific goal is to improve understanding of how environmental exposures interact with human biology to influence disease and health outcomes. A key expectation is that centers will be able to identify and capitalize on new or rapidly developing issues in the field, helping research teams pivot toward important questions as evidence and public health needs evolve.

Community engagement and translation to public health impact are highlighted as central approaches within this program. In practical terms, that means EHSCCs are expected not only to support rigorous environmental health research, but also to strengthen the pathways that connect science to real-world outcomes, including communication with communities affected by environmental exposures and efforts that move findings toward prevention, interventions, or policy-relevant knowledge. The "clinical trials optional" designation indicates that clinical trials may be included when appropriate, but they are not required for an application to be responsive.

Eligibility for this discretionary grant program is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly notes other 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 (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign eligibility is restricted in a way that is typical for NIH center programs. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S.-based applicant may include certain well-justified foreign collaborations or activities within the project structure when they meet NIH policy requirements.

Key administrative details included in the notice are that the opportunity was created on November 14, 2024, the original closing date is January 29, 2027, and the funding instrument is a grant using the P30 center mechanism. The award ceiling and expected number of awards were not specified in the provided source data. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a way for NIEHS to invest in durable, shared research ecosystems that elevate environmental health science, expand capacity for cutting-edge exposure-biology-disease research, and strengthen community-engaged and translational pathways that can ultimately improve public health.

• The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Program (P30 Clinical Trials Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-29.
• 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 ES 25 002

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