The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has reissued the Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers (EHSCC) Program funding opportunity (P30 grant mechanism). This program seeks to enhance research in environmental health sciences by establishing interdisciplinary hubs that provide critical infrastructure, resources, and innovative opportunities for investigators. EHSCCs are expected to lead advancements aligned with the NIEHS 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, addressing how environmental exposures affect human biology and disease. Additionally, centers are tasked with fostering community engagement and supporting translational research to improve public health.

The primary objective of the EHSCC program is to foster understanding of environmental agents' impact on human health. This includes identifying hazardous agents, developing prevention strategies, creating technologies to mitigate environmental risks, and training scientists in environmental health research. The program emphasizes innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a focus on translational research to address emerging public health challenges. A required component of the application is the Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), which ensures inclusivity and diverse viewpoints in research.

The NIEHS anticipates committing $6 million in FY 2026 to fund up to four awards. New applicants are eligible for up to $850,000 in direct costs per year for a four-year project period, while renewal applicants may request up to $1 million per year for up to five years. Eligible institutions include public and private higher education institutions, certain nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and state, local, and tribal governments. Applicants must demonstrate a robust research base of at least $3 million annually in direct costs, primarily from NIH-funded projects, focusing on environmental health sciences. Foreign entities are not eligible, but foreign components within U.S.-based projects are permissible.

Applications require multiple components, including an overall strategic vision, administrative and translational research support cores, community engagement cores, and pilot projects. Institutions must provide evidence of institutional commitment, including dedicated space, resources, and priority access to facilities for EHSCC members. Applications that do not comply with submission instructions or fail to include a PEDP will be considered incomplete and withdrawn from review. Letters of intent are encouraged but not mandatory, and detailed eligibility and submission instructions are outlined in the funding announcement.

The review process will evaluate scientific and technical merit, with an emphasis on the center’s ability to address the NIEHS Strategic Plan, foster collaboration, and translate research into public health improvements. Applications are due March 18, 2025, with subsequent cycles in January 2026 and January 2027. Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult NIEHS staff early in the application process to ensure alignment with program goals and to participate in a January 16, 2025 informational webinar. Required registrations include SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov.

The funding opportunity underscores NIEHS’s commitment to addressing environmental health challenges through innovative, collaborative research while fostering community engagement and inclusivity. Institutions with a robust environmental health research base and the capacity to establish multidisciplinary collaborations are encouraged to apply.