RFA-RM-21-025: NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of National Institutes of Health notices from 2021.
National Institutes of Health offered grants to nonprofits and colleges and universities. It expected to make $70.5 million in total. Applications closed on September 24, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed July 12, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Total funding$70.5 million
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeU54
- Clinical trialsOptional
- Funded byNCI
- Median yearly award$420,740
- Typical project length5 years
- U54, Specialized Center Cooperative Agreement. A research center with several projects and shared cores, with substantial NIH involvement. Other open U54 notices.
Projects funded under RFA-RM-21-025 were run by National Cancer Institute (NCI, 5 projects). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read RFA-RM-21-025 in the NIH Guide.
Other notices with this title
| Notice | Posted | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFA-RM-22-008 | February 17, 2022 | Closed July 12, 2022 | Closed |
Key dates
| Posted | July 12, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | September 24, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | October 30, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits and colleges and universities.
- 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 (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the program's money (72% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The purpose of the FIRST Cohort is to transform culture at NIH-funded extramural institutions by building a self-reinforcing community of scientists committed to diversity and inclusive excellence (defined below). Implementing and sustaining cultures of inclusive excellence within the program has the potential to be transformational for biomedical research at the awardee institutions and beyond. This community will be built through recruitment of faculty who are competitive for an advertised research tenure-track or equivalent faculty position (positions must be at the Assistant Professor (or equivalent) level), have not held a position at this level, and have demonstrated strong commitment to promoting diversity and inclusive excellence.
Funded under RFA-RM-21-025 so far
NIH funded 5 projects under RFA-RM-21-025 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 5 institutions. The median yearly award was $420,740.
| Project | Institution | Fiscal year | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC San Diego FIRST Program | University of California, San Diego | 2026 | $1.7 million |
| Administrative Core-UM First | University of Maryland Baltimore | 2026 | $4.3 million |
| UNM FIRST: Administrative Core | University of New Mexico | 2026 | $4.7 million |
| Administrative Core | University of South Carolina at Columbia | 2024 | $4.0 million |
| Faculty Development Core | Northwestern University | 2024 | $149,519 |
Who has won Trans-NIH Research Support grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Trans-NIH Research Support (93.310) awarded $5.9 billion across 4,433 grant awards, an average of $1.3 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University | North Carolina | 66 | $219 million |
| The Leland Stanford Junior University | California | 104 | $176 million |
| University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education | Pennsylvania | 82 | $154 million |
| The Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 95 | $152 million |
| Yale Univ | Connecticut | 85 | $149 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is RFA-RM-21-025 still open?
No. It closed on September 24, 2021.
Who can apply for NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)?
National Institutes of Health accepted applications from nonprofits and colleges and universities. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closed September 24, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
About $70.5 million in total.
Who has been funded under RFA-RM-21-025?
NIH RePORTER lists 5 projects funded under RFA-RM-21-025 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 5 institutions. The most were at University of California, San Diego, University of Maryland Baltimore, University of New Mexico.
Who has won Trans-NIH Research Support grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Duke University, The Leland Stanford Junior University, University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education. The program made 4,433 awards worth $5.9 billion in that time.
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