Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 21 008
The Limited Competition: Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) opportunity (RFA HL-21-008) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) cooperative agreement designed to continue and expand the coordinating infrastructure that supports sickle cell disease (SCD) research in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a limited competition, meaning it is intended specifically for the current Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center (SADaCC) to apply for continued support rather than opening the competition broadly to new coordinating centers. The overall goal is to sustain and strengthen the operational backbone for a renewed and expanded Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), which will collectively function as the Sickle Cell Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Network.
The network structure described in the announcement includes a clinical coordinating center (CCC) based in Tanzania, three established SPARCO sites in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania (with additional satellite sites), and the potential addition of up to three new consortium sites in other sub-Saharan African countries. By connecting these components under a shared framework, the program aims to create a durable, high-quality resource for SCD-related research that can support epidemiologic studies, translational research, and clinical studies over time. The emphasis is not only on running individual studies, but on building a sustainable multi-country platform that can reliably generate, manage, and analyze data and facilitate collaborative research at scale.
The core purpose of the SADaCC award is to provide centralized coordination and technical leadership across the network. The application is expected to lay out a feasible and high-quality plan for overall project coordination and administration, as well as comprehensive data management and biostatistical support. In practice, this means the coordinating center would be responsible for harmonizing study operations across countries and sites, supporting common data elements and data standards, ensuring reliable and secure data systems, overseeing data quality and integrity processes, and enabling timely statistical analysis and reporting. Because this is a cooperative agreement, NHLBI is expected to have substantial involvement, so the coordinating center must be prepared to work closely with NHLBI program staff and comply with collaborative governance and oversight expectations that typically come with this mechanism.
A key requirement highlighted in the description is effective integration of SADaCC activities with the broader SPARCO enterprise and its partners. The FOA explicitly calls for coordination among SADaCC, SPARCO leadership, the consortium sites, NHLBI, and relevant review and monitoring bodies. This points to an expectation that the coordinating center will help align scientific priorities, operational workflows, reporting requirements, and oversight processes across multiple institutions and countries. It also implies ongoing support for network-level communications, meetings, documentation, and consistent procedures so that data and study results can be compared and combined across sites, and so that research can be carried out efficiently and ethically.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary health funding opportunity issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through NIH. The program uses the U24 cooperative agreement mechanism and is listed under CFDA 93.839. The announcement anticipated a single award, with an award ceiling of $925,000. The original posting indicates a creation date of March 12, 2020, and an original closing date of June 8, 2020. While the general NIH eligibility list includes a wide range of domestic organizational types (such as governments, nonprofits, universities, and businesses), the limited competition nature of this FOA is the controlling factor: the intent is to fund the existing SADaCC to continue serving as the central data coordinating hub for the SCD in SSA Network.Apply for RFA HL 21 008
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.839.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 12, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 08, 2020. (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 $925,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
FAQs: Limited Competition - Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) (RFA HL-21-008)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the "Limited Competition: Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)" (RFA HL-21-008), a cooperative agreement funding opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
What is the purpose of the award?
The purpose is to continue and expand the coordinating infrastructure that supports sickle cell disease (SCD) research in sub-Saharan Africa. The award is intended to sustain and strengthen the operational backbone for a renewed and expanded Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium (SPARCO), which will collectively function as the Sickle Cell Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Network.
What does "limited competition" mean for this FOA?
"Limited competition" means the funding opportunity is intended specifically for the current Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center (SADaCC) to apply for continued support, rather than being broadly open to new data coordinating centers.
Which NIH institute is sponsoring this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by NIH through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
What funding mechanism is used?
The program uses the U24 cooperative agreement mechanism.
What does a U24 cooperative agreement imply about NHLBI involvement?
Because this is a cooperative agreement, NHLBI is expected to have substantial involvement. The coordinating center should be prepared to work closely with NHLBI program staff and comply with collaborative governance and oversight expectations associated with this mechanism.
Is a clinical trial required?
The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," meaning clinical trial activities may be included but are not described as mandatory in the provided information.
What is SADaCC expected to do under this award?
The core purpose is to provide centralized coordination and technical leadership across the network. The application is expected to include a feasible, high-quality plan for overall project coordination and administration, plus comprehensive data management and biostatistical support.
What types of coordination activities are emphasized?
Activities emphasized include harmonizing study operations across countries and sites, supporting common data elements and data standards, ensuring reliable and secure data systems, overseeing data quality and integrity processes, and enabling timely statistical analysis and reporting.
What is the overall research and platform goal of the network?
The aim is not only to run individual studies, but to build a sustainable multi-country platform that can reliably generate, manage, and analyze data and facilitate collaborative research at scale over time.
What kinds of research is the network intended to support?
The network is intended to support epidemiologic studies, translational research, and clinical studies related to sickle cell disease.
What is the network structure described in the announcement?
The structure includes a clinical coordinating center (CCC) based in Tanzania, three established SPARCO sites in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania (with additional satellite sites), and the potential addition of up to three new consortium sites in other sub-Saharan African countries.
Where is the Clinical Coordinating Center (CCC) located?
The CCC is based in Tanzania.
Which countries currently have established SPARCO sites?
The established SPARCO sites are described as being in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania, with additional satellite sites.
Are new consortium sites expected to be added?
The announcement describes the potential addition of up to three new consortium sites in other sub-Saharan African countries.
Why is centralized data coordination important for this program?
Centralized data coordination is intended to help ensure that data and study results can be compared and combined across sites, and that multi-country research can be carried out efficiently and ethically. It also supports consistency in procedures, data standards, quality controls, and reporting.
How is SADaCC expected to integrate with SPARCO and other partners?
Effective integration is highlighted as a key requirement. The FOA calls for coordination among SADaCC, SPARCO leadership, consortium sites, NHLBI, and relevant review and monitoring bodies, with alignment across scientific priorities, operational workflows, reporting requirements, and oversight processes.
What kinds of network-level support are implied beyond data systems?
The description implies ongoing support for network-level communications, meetings, documentation, and consistent procedures across multiple institutions and countries.
Which U.S. government department issues this opportunity?
This is a discretionary health funding opportunity issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through NIH.
What is the CFDA listing for this program?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.839.
How many awards were anticipated?
The announcement anticipated a single award.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $925,000.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The original posting indicates a creation date of March 12, 2020, and an original closing date of June 8, 2020.
Is the general NIH eligibility list applicable here?
While NIH often lists a wide range of eligible domestic organizational types (such as governments, nonprofits, universities, and businesses), the limited competition nature of this FOA is the controlling factor described: it is intended for the existing SADaCC to apply for continued support as the central data coordinating hub.
What is the intended long-term outcome of funding SADaCC?
The intended long-term outcome is a durable, high-quality resource and coordinating backbone for sickle cell disease research across sub-Saharan Africa, capable of supporting multi-country studies and producing reliable, comparable data over time.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: National Public Health Surveillance for Chemical and Radiologic Exposures and Emerging Drug Threats
Previous opportunity: BLM-CO Strengthening Partnerships for Wildlife Resource Management on Colorado's Public Lands
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA HL 21 008
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA HL 21 008) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium Collaborative Sites (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA HL 21 009 Funding Number: RFA HL 21 009 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Limited Competition: Sickle Pan-African Research Consortium Clinical Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA HL 21 007 Funding Number: RFA HL 21 007 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Improving Health Security and Building International Health Regulations core capacities in the Republic of Uganda Apply for CDC RFA GH20 2124 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH20 2124 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| National Public Health Surveillance for Chemical and Radiologic Exposures and Emerging Drug Threats Apply for CDC RFA EH20 2003 Funding Number: CDC RFA EH20 2003 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCEH Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| NHGRI Technology Development Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA HG 20 019 Funding Number: RFA HG 20 019 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Strengthening Public Health Systems and Services through National Partnerships to Improve and Protect the Nations Health Apply for CDC RFA OT18 18020202SUPP20 Funding Number: CDC RFA OT18 18020202SUPP20 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - OSTLTS Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Strengthening environmental health capacity (EHC) to detect, prevent, and control environmental health hazards through data-driven, evidence-based approaches Apply for CDC RFA EH20 2005 Funding Number: CDC RFA EH20 2005 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCEH Category: Health Funding Amount: $640,000 |
| Protecting and Improving Public Health in Pakistan: Strengthening and Sustaining Public Health Impact, Systems, Capacity, and Security Apply for CDC RFA GH20 2099 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH20 2099 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Strengthening sustainable public health capacity in the Eastern Mediterranean Region for polio eradication and routine immunization activities Apply for CDC RFA GH16 16010501SUPP20 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH16 16010501SUPP20 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) Methods and Analysis for Populations of Diverse Ancestry Coordinating Center (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA HG 20 002 Funding Number: RFA HG 20 002 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| COVID-19 Response Supplement: Tribal Public Health Capacity-Building and Quality Improvement Umbrella Cooperative Agreement. Apply for CDC RFA OT18 18030202SUPP20 Funding Number: CDC RFA OT18 18030202SUPP20 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - OSTLTS Category: Health Funding Amount: $3,500,000 |
| Strengthening Access to and Delivery of Quality Public Health Services for Prevention, Care and Treatment of HIV, STIs, and TB, Addressing Diseases of Public Health Importance, and Advancing Global Health Security in Jamaica under PEPFAR Apply for CDC RFA GH20 2136 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH20 2136 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BOLD Public Health Centers of Excellence to Address Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Apply for CDC RFA DP20 2005 Funding Number: CDC RFA DP20 2005 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCCDPHP Category: Health Funding Amount: $800,000 |
| BOLD Public Health Programs to Address Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Apply for CDC RFA DP20 2004 Funding Number: CDC RFA DP20 2004 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCCDPHP Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Rigorously Evaluating Approaches to Prevent Adult-Perpetrated Child Sex Abuse (CSA) Apply for RFA CE 20 005 Funding Number: RFA CE 20 005 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA Category: Health Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| SOR Apply for TI 20 012 Funding Number: TI 20 012 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,420,000,000 |
| Reducing the burden of parasitic infections in the United States through evidence-based prevention and control activities Apply for CDC RFA GH20 2083 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH20 2083 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - CGH Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Apply for CDC RFA CE20 2001 Funding Number: CDC RFA CE20 2001 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCIPC Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS): Impact in Population Health Apply for CDC RFA DP20 2007 Funding Number: CDC RFA DP20 2007 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCCDPHP Category: Health Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| USAID Zambia Accessible Markets for Health (ZAM-Health) Activity Apply for 72061120RFA00003 Funding Number: 72061120RFA00003 Agency: Agency for International Development, Zambia USAID-Lusaka Category: Health Funding Amount: $38,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA HL 21 008", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.