Biomedical Research Environment and Sponsored Programs Administration Development (BRE-SPAD) Program (UC2- Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 24 268

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 268

The Biomedical Research Environment and Sponsored Programs Administration Development (BRE-SPAD) Program (PAR-24-268) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity designed to help expand participation in biomedical research by strengthening institutions that have historically had limited research resources. The focus is not only on supporting research activities themselves, but also on improving the overall research environment and building the internal administrative capacity needed to successfully manage and grow externally sponsored research. In practical terms, the program is meant to help eligible organizations become more competitive and sustainable in the biomedical research ecosystem by investing in both the research side and the grants management infrastructure that makes research possible.

This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (UC2), which generally means NIH expects to have substantial involvement during the project period compared with a standard grant. The notice specifies "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," signaling that applicants must propose activities that do not include clinical trials as defined by NIH. The funded work is therefore expected to center on non-clinical-trial research and capacity-building efforts, such as strengthening institutional research systems, improving infrastructure and processes that support investigators, and enhancing sponsored programs administration functions (for example, pre-award and post-award support, compliance capabilities, and institutional policies and workflows that enable effective grant management).

The program is explicitly targeted to domestic, resource-limited organizations, particularly those with few biomedical doctoral students and limited research capacity. While the detailed eligibility rules are in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the summary highlights several categories of institutions that are specifically included among eligible applicants, reflecting the program's emphasis on broadening participation and supporting under-resourced educational and research environments. These include 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), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). The broader eligible applicant types listed also include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status), as well as other entities as allowed under the NOFO.

Strict geographic and organizational restrictions apply. Non-U.S. (foreign) organizations are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. In addition, foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed, which reinforces that the proposed programmatic activities must be carried out without foreign components and within allowable domestic settings.

Key administrative details indicate this is a discretionary funding opportunity from NIH, categorized under education and health-related activities, and associated with multiple CFDA/Assistance Listing numbers (93.121, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.310, 93.846, 93.853, 93.859, 93.866, 93.867), reflecting NIH institute and center participation across several biomedical domains. The opportunity was created on 2024-10-30, and the original closing date is 2027-01-27, giving prospective applicants a relatively long planning horizon (though applicants should confirm application due dates, cycles, and any submission windows or renewals in the NOFO). The listed award ceiling is $500,000, indicating the maximum amount expected per award under this announcement, although final budgets and project scopes must align with NIH rules and the specific requirements laid out in the NOFO. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided data.

Overall, BRE-SPAD is aimed at helping eligible U.S.-based institutions strengthen their ability to conduct and sustain biomedical research by investing in both the research environment and the sponsored programs administration backbone that supports proposal development, compliance, award management, and long-term growth in external research funding, without supporting clinical trials under this UC2 mechanism.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biomedical Research Environment and Sponsored Programs Administration Development (BRE-SPAD) Program (UC2- Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.310, 93.846, 93.853, 93.859, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-10-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-01-27.
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others.

Apply for PAR 24 268

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