The National Institute on Aging (NIA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has announced its intent to publish a funding opportunity aimed at advancing diversity in aging research through undergraduate education. This initiative is titled "Advancing Diversity in Aging Research (ADAR) through Undergraduate Education Coordinating Center" and is designated under the opportunity number NOT-AG-24-070. Although currently a forecasted opportunity, the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is anticipated to be formally released in Spring 2025. This program will establish a Coordinating Center (CC) to support the broader ADAR program, with a focus on fostering diversity within the aging research workforce.

The purpose of this grant is to create and sustain a Coordinating Center that will work in alignment with the ADAR undergraduate education program. The CC will play a pivotal role in facilitating collaboration, data management, training coordination, and overall support across multiple ADAR projects. The initiative will utilize the U24 Cooperative Agreement mechanism, which allows for substantial NIH involvement during the project lifecycle. The funding will not support independent clinical trials, consistent with the overall program scope.

The funding scope includes a total of $800,000, with a single award expected. This amount represents both the award ceiling and the estimated total program funding. There is no matching requirement for applicants, which reduces the financial burden on participating organizations. The funding will support a wide range of activities necessary to establish and maintain the Coordinating Center infrastructure.

Eligible applicants include a broad spectrum of institutions such as state and local governments, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, public and private institutions of higher education, school districts, Native American tribal organizations and governments, public housing authorities, and certain small and for-profit businesses. Specific eligibility details will be provided in the final NOFO, but the anticipated eligibility criteria are inclusive and aim to attract a diverse applicant pool.

Submission requirements, including detailed application instructions, are expected to be outlined in the full NOFO once published. Applicants should plan to prepare robust collaborative proposals and infrastructure plans that align with the anticipated goals of the program. Evaluation criteria are not explicitly detailed in this forecast notice but are likely to include considerations such as capacity to coordinate large-scale collaborations, technical infrastructure capabilities, and alignment with ADAR’s diversity and inclusion goals.

Key estimated dates include the NOFO post date of February 28, 2025, with applications due by May 25, 2025. Awards are anticipated to be issued by March 1, 2026, with project start dates beginning April 1, 2026. These dates are subject to change. This opportunity is part of a discretionary funding program and will not be awarded on a rolling basis. The initiative is expected to recur, though the timeline for future cycles has not been finalized.