Enhancement and Management of Established Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 23 237

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 237

The NIH funding opportunity PAR-23-237, titled "Enhancement and Management of Established Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)," supports ongoing operation and improvement of biomedical data repositories and knowledgebases that are already established and have a proven record of scientific value. It is meant for resources that can clearly show they are being used, that they have made a measurable impact in their field, and that they are well positioned to keep delivering benefits that align with the mission of one or more participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Because the award mechanism is a U24 cooperative agreement, recipients should expect substantial involvement from NIH program staff, with coordinated stewardship goals and shared expectations around performance, quality, and continued relevance. Clinical trials are not allowed under this NOFO, which keeps the focus on data resources and knowledge infrastructure rather than interventional human studies.

A central theme of the announcement is that applicants must demonstrate real scientific impact for the communities they serve, not just the existence of a database. NIH is looking for repositories and knowledgebases that actively enable discovery, accelerate research, and strengthen reuse of data in ways that are visible through demand and outcomes. In practical terms, that means showing who uses the resource, how they use it, and what difference it makes, such as supporting publications, enabling secondary analyses, powering tools or standards, improving reproducibility, or serving as a trusted hub for a research domain. The resource should be more than a static storage site; it should function as an actively maintained, community-relevant platform with clear value to biomedical research.

The NOFO places heavy emphasis on strong data management practices grounded in the FAIR Data Principles: findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. Applicants are expected to promote and implement good repository practices, including alignment with NIH expectations for the desirable characteristics of repositories. That implies attention to metadata quality, persistent identifiers, clear access pathways, documentation, provenance, and policies that support appropriate reuse. It also signals that NIH will scrutinize how well the resource supports standards, interoperability, and consistent data/metadata practices that make datasets understandable and reusable over time, including by researchers outside the immediate community.

Operational excellence is another major requirement. NIH is not only funding scientific content; it is also funding the ability to run the resource efficiently and reliably. Applications are expected to describe quality control, service levels, user support, uptime and sustainability practices, release cycles or update schedules, and processes that ensure data integrity. Review will consider whether the resource is well managed, whether its workflows are efficient, and whether it can scale appropriately while maintaining quality. In other words, a strong application needs to show that the repository is run like critical infrastructure, with mature operations, measurable performance, and continuous improvement rather than ad hoc maintenance.

User community engagement is treated as essential rather than optional. NIH expects repositories and knowledgebases to interact with their user base, systematically gather feedback, and demonstrate that community needs drive development priorities. This could include user surveys, advisory boards, help desk metrics, training and outreach, community-led standards efforts, or other mechanisms that show active two-way communication. The underlying expectation is that the resource remains responsive to changing research practices and continues to deliver what users actually need, rather than what maintainers assume users need.

Long-term stewardship is also a defining feature of this opportunity. Applicants must support a process for data life-cycle analysis, long-term preservation, and trustworthy governance. This points to planning that goes beyond short-term hosting and includes curation and preservation strategies, versioning, deprecation policies, risk management, and clear governance structures that establish accountability. NIH is signaling that it values repositories that can be trusted over the long haul, with transparent decision-making, credible stewardship, and policies that protect the integrity and continuity of the resource.

Review and evaluation will focus on several concrete dimensions: the extent of usage, the utility and impact of the resource, the quality of the data and services provided, and the efficiency of operations. Reviewers will also weigh how well the project identifies and addresses community needs, how effectively it engages its user community, and how trustworthy its stewardship and governance practices are. Taken together, these criteria reward repositories that can demonstrate both scientific importance and mature operational and governance capabilities, supported by evidence rather than broad claims.

Eligibility for this opportunity is broad, reflecting NIH's interest in supporting key data infrastructure wherever it is competently managed. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, federally recognized tribal governments, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. It also includes nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other organizations. The NOFO explicitly notes additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide eligibility list makes the program accessible to many organizations that operate or host established biomedical data resources.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is run by the National Institutes of Health under a discretionary funding category, using a cooperative agreement funding instrument (U24). The opportunity number is PAR-23-237, and the original closing date listed is 2026-01-25. The NOFO is associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning NIH institutes and programs, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of biomedical data infrastructure support. While the award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, applicants should interpret the NOFO as a competitive process where demonstrated impact, robust FAIR-aligned practices, strong community engagement, and credible long-term governance are the decisive factors.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhancement and Management of Established Biomedical Data Repositories and Knowledgebases (U24 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): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.213, 93.233, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.310, 93.394, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.853, 93.859, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-08-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-01-25. (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 PAR 23 237

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