Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AT 24 006
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is soliciting applications for a cooperative agreement to create and operate a Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research under a U24 mechanism, with clinical trials not allowed under this specific opportunity. The core goal is to build a centralized, sustained support hub that helps the broader research community overcome practical and scientific hurdles that commonly slow cannabis and cannabinoid studies. In plain terms, NIH is looking to fund a center that makes cannabis research easier to launch, more consistent across labs and institutions, and more rigorous in how evidence is produced, spanning both basic science and clinical research domains (without the Resource Center itself running a clinical trial as part of this award).
A central theme of the opportunity is reducing barriers that are unique to cannabis research. That includes obstacles tied to sourcing and standardizing cannabis materials, navigating complex regulatory and compliance environments, and addressing methodological issues that make results hard to compare across studies (for example, differences in product composition, dose reporting, routes of administration, outcome measures, and data standards). The Resource Center is expected to function as a focal point for investigators entering the field, meaning it should act like an on-ramp for new researchers and a problem-solving partner for experienced teams. The intent is that the center will help the community generate stronger, more reproducible evidence by promoting better tools, clearer guidance, and shared approaches that can be adopted widely.
Because this is a U24 cooperative agreement, NIH anticipates substantial involvement from the agency in shaping and overseeing the work, rather than a fully investigator-directed model. The award is meant to support development and ongoing maintenance of the Center, implying both initial build-out (infrastructure, staffing, resources, and processes) and sustained operations (updates, user support, dissemination, and continuous improvement). The Center is also expected to drive progress through coordinated, synergistic interactions among experts across commercial, basic science, clinical, and regulatory spheres. In practice, that signals a strong preference for multidisciplinary leadership and active collaboration with the extramural community, not a closed or purely internal operation.
The NOFO emphasizes enabling more rigorous scientific evidence across a variety of research areas. While it does not list every deliverable in the excerpt provided, the framing strongly suggests activities such as developing and sharing research tools, recommending best practices, creating templates or guidance that improve study design and reporting, supporting study start-up workflows, and helping harmonize measures so findings can be compared or pooled. The Center is positioned not just as a help desk, but as an entity that can materially improve the overall research landscape by raising standards, smoothing access to reliable resources, and fostering coordination among stakeholders who influence how cannabis research is conducted.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or 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; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity is also open to nonprofits (both with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. The NOFO explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
Foreign eligibility is restricted in a way that is typical for many NIH opportunities with a U.S. infrastructure focus. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S.-based applicant organization may include certain foreign elements in the project when justified and permitted under NIH policy, even though a foreign organization cannot be the direct applicant.
Key administrative details from the posting include the title "Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)," funding opportunity number RFA-AT-24-006, and the sponsoring agency as NIH. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument. The activity category is listed under education and health, and the CFDA numbers associated with the announcement are 93.213, 93.279, 93.393, and 93.866. The original closing date was April 16, 2024, and the award ceiling is listed as $850,000. The notice was created on October 26, 2023.
Taken together, this NOFO is essentially NIH investing in shared infrastructure for the cannabis and cannabinoid research community: a standing resource that helps investigators navigate the unique scientific, operational, and regulatory complexities of the field, promotes stronger and more comparable research practices, and accelerates progress by connecting expertise across academia, clinical research, industry-relevant knowledge areas, and regulatory know-how, all under close coordination with NIH through the cooperative agreement model.Apply for RFA AT 24 006
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research (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): 93.213, 93.279, 93.393, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-10-26.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-16. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $850,000.00 in funding.
- 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this NIH funding opportunity?
This opportunity is an NIH cooperative agreement to create and operate a Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research using the U24 mechanism. The Center is intended to serve as a centralized, sustained support hub for the broader research community and to reduce practical and scientific barriers that slow cannabis and cannabinoid studies.
What is the official title and funding opportunity number (NOFO)?
The official title is "Resource Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." The funding opportunity number is RFA-AT-24-006.
Who is the sponsoring agency?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of award is this?
This is a cooperative agreement (U24). Cooperative agreements typically involve substantial NIH involvement in shaping and overseeing the work, rather than being entirely investigator-directed.
Are clinical trials allowed under this award?
No. Clinical trials are not allowed under this specific opportunity. The Resource Center itself is not intended to run a clinical trial as part of this award.
If clinical trials are not allowed, what is the Center supposed to do?
The Center is expected to support and enable cannabis and cannabinoid research by helping investigators overcome common hurdles in this field. The overall goal is to make research easier to launch, more consistent across labs and institutions, and more rigorous and reproducible across basic science and clinical research domains (without the Center conducting a clinical trial under this award).
What problem is NIH trying to solve with this Resource Center?
NIH is targeting barriers that are especially common in cannabis and cannabinoid research, including difficulties with sourcing and standardizing cannabis materials, navigating regulatory and compliance complexity, and methodological inconsistencies that make results hard to compare across studies (such as differences in product composition, dose reporting, routes of administration, outcome measures, and data standards).
Who is the intended audience or user base for the Resource Center?
The Center is positioned as a focal point for investigators entering the field and as a problem-solving partner for experienced teams. In other words, it should function as an on-ramp for new researchers while also helping established investigators address practical and scientific obstacles.
What does NIH mean by making cannabis research more consistent across institutions?
The opportunity emphasizes reducing variation that can undermine comparability and reproducibility. Examples mentioned include differences in product composition, dose reporting practices, routes of administration, outcome measures, and data standards. The Center is expected to help promote shared approaches that can be adopted widely.
What kinds of activities are implied for the Resource Center?
While the excerpt does not list an exhaustive set of deliverables, it strongly suggests activities such as developing and sharing research tools, recommending best practices, creating templates or guidance to improve study design and reporting, supporting study start-up workflows, and helping harmonize measures so findings can be compared or pooled across studies.
Is the Center expected to be a simple help desk?
No. The Center is framed as more than a help desk. It is expected to materially improve the research landscape by raising standards, smoothing access to reliable resources, and fostering coordination among stakeholders who influence how cannabis research is conducted.
What does it mean that this is a "centralized, sustained support hub"?
It means NIH expects both an initial build-out (infrastructure, staffing, resources, and processes) and ongoing maintenance and operations (updates, user support, dissemination, and continuous improvement) so the Center remains active and useful over time.
How involved will NIH be in the project?
Because this is a U24 cooperative agreement, NIH anticipates substantial involvement in shaping and overseeing the work. This implies a more collaborative relationship with the agency compared to many traditional grant mechanisms.
Is multidisciplinary collaboration encouraged?
Yes. The Center is expected to drive progress through coordinated, synergistic interactions among experts across commercial, basic science, clinical, and regulatory spheres. This signals a strong preference for multidisciplinary leadership and active collaboration with the extramural community.
Is this opportunity limited to academic institutions?
No. Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities, as well as nonprofits and for-profits, including small businesses.
Which U.S. government entities are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include state governments; county, city, or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; and eligible federal agencies. U.S. territories or possessions are also listed as eligible.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are eligible.
Are Tribal entities eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) are also explicitly listed among eligible applicant categories.
Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes. The opportunity is open to nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The NOFO explicitly notes faith-based or community-based organizations as eligible applicant categories.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically eligible?
Yes. The NOFO explicitly includes 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).
Can a non-U.S. (foreign) organization apply as the main applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.
Can a non-U.S. component of a U.S. organization apply?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply.
Are any foreign components allowed at all?
Yes. Foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This means a U.S.-based applicant may include certain foreign elements in the project when justified and permitted under NIH policy, even though a foreign organization cannot be the direct applicant.
What is the funding instrument and program category?
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, and the activity category is listed under education and health.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this announcement?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.213, 93.279, 93.393, and 93.866.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is listed as $850,000.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was April 16, 2024.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on October 26, 2023.
What is the big-picture impact NIH is aiming for?
NIH is investing in shared infrastructure to strengthen the overall cannabis and cannabinoid research ecosystem. The intent is to accelerate progress by reducing field-specific barriers, promoting stronger and more comparable research practices, and connecting expertise across academia, clinical research domains, commercial knowledge areas, and regulatory know-how, with close coordination between awardees and NIH.
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