The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is reissuing the Limited Competition for National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) under funding opportunity number PAR-23-126. This program supports research that relies on nonhuman primates (NHPs) for biomedical advancements, focusing on the study of both normal and disease states in humans. The funding, managed by the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) within NIH’s Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, seeks to optimize NHP resources by consolidating specialized facilities, animal husbandry, and advanced technical and scientific expertise within centralized research centers. This program emphasizes collaboration across seven existing NPRCs to ensure these unique resources support investigators nationally.

The NPRCs facilitate research through services including NHP breeding, health maintenance, and model development for human diseases. These services are critical to studies of human biology and disease treatment development due to the genetic and physiological similarities between NHPs and humans. The program aims to support a broad range of biomedical research needs and enable rigorous, reproducible scientific outcomes through comprehensive support in experimental design, data analysis, and result sharing.

Applications for funding under this program are open to organizations that have previously received NPRC funding through PAR-17-144 or PAR-20-181, with a budget aligned with specific activity needs and a maximum award period of five years. The awards are not limited by budget but should remain consistent with historical funding levels, permitting an increase of no more than 5% in direct costs from the most recent award period. Foreign institutions and non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply. The program supports collaborations among diverse units within the NPRC, including Administrative, Governance, Animal Resource, and Pilot Research units, each serving specific roles in the research ecosystem.

The structure of the NPRC is a crucial aspect of its funding support, organized to include components such as Governance, Administration, Colony Management, and Outreach units, among others. Each unit has designated operational and scientific roles that collectively fulfill the NPRC’s mission. Notable requirements include having an experienced Center Director and governance committees such as the National Scientific Advisory Board (NSAB) and the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) to advise on research priorities and resource allocation.

Pilot research is also a key component funded under the P51 grant. Each NPRC must allocate resources to support at least one pilot project annually, with a strong emphasis on involving early-stage investigators and external researchers. Projects are selected based on their potential to generate preliminary data for future NIH R01 applications and are subject to review by an internal committee, as well as by the NSAB and RAC. Pilot projects are specifically encouraged to align with high-priority research areas, including emerging health threats requiring accelerated studies.

Applicants should prepare detailed project proposals following the NIH SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, ensuring adherence to all specific requirements outlined in this FOA. Applications must address data management and sharing plans, particularly for genomic data, while data derived from clinical care and routine animal monitoring are exempt from sharing requirements. Additionally, applicants are encouraged to utilize a robust tracking system for animal colonies to support both NPRC research and broader NIH research goals.

Applicants should submit their proposals through NIH’s ASSIST system or other system-to-system solutions by 5:00 PM local time on the designated deadlines. Key dates for submissions occur annually until May 2026, with the earliest start date for awards following each review cycle. Each NPRC must demonstrate capacity to meet public health needs, including through expedited review mechanisms for urgent research related to emerging diseases.