Part 1. Overview Information

Participating Organization(s) National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Funding Opportunity Title Limited Competition: Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence: Expansion/Sustainability Phases (COBRE-E/S) (P30 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Activity Code P30 Center Core Grants

Announcement Type Reissue of PAR-23-063

Related Notices

• Check for any recent Notices of NIH Policy Changes that may impact application requirements.
• January 23, 2026 - NIH Pause on New Submissions to the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry and Request for Information on Reducing Reliance on Human Embryonic Stem Cells in NIH-Supported Research. See Notice NOT-OD-26-031.

Funding Opportunity Number (FON) PAR-27-055

Companion Notice of Funding Opportunity None

Number of Applications See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Assistance Listing Number(s) 93.859

Notice of Funding Opportunity Purpose The Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program supports biomedical research capacity building in states that have historically received low levels of NIH funding. The Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence: Expansion/Sustainability Phases (COBRE-E/S) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports the expansion and sustainability of biomedical research centers in IDeA-eligible institutions. These centers will focus on building research capacity in broad scientific areas of strategic importance for the institutions. The goal of COBRE-E is to expand research capacity by growing the institutional faculty base and supporting research projects and core facilities in the new area. The objective of COBRE-S is to sustain the infrastructure by continuing the growth of the faculty base and consolidating research cores. This is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a Limited Competition that will invite application(s) from eligible organization(s) to apply. Please see Section III. Eligibility for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the application(s) will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious application(s) will be considered.

Funding Opportunity Goal(s) The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) supports basic research that increases our understanding of biological processes and lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. To ensure the vitality and continued productivity of the research enterprise, NIGMS provides leadership in supporting the training of future scientists and developing research capacity throughout the country.

Key Dates

Posted Date June 18, 2026

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) August 25, 2026

The following table includes NIH standard due dates marked with an asterisk.

Application Due Dates	Review and Award Cycles	AIDS - New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision, as allowed	Scientific Merit Review	Advisory Council Review	Earliest Start Date
September 25, 2026 *	September 25, 2026 *	Not Applicable	March 2027	May 2027	July 2027
January 25, 2027 *	January 25, 2027 *	Not Applicable	July 2027	October 2027	December 2027
May 25, 2027 *	May 25, 2027 *	Not Applicable	November 2027	January 2028	April 2028
September 25, 2027 *	September 25, 2027 *	Not Applicable	March 2028	May 2028	July 2028
January 25, 2028 *	January 25, 2028 *	Not Applicable	July 2028	October 2028	December 2028
May 25, 2028 *	May 25, 2028 *	Not Applicable	November 2028	January 2029	April 2029
September 25, 2028 *	September 25, 2028 *	Not Applicable	March 2029	May 2029	July 2029
January 25, 2029 *	January 25, 2029 *	Not Applicable	July 2029	October 2029	December 2029
May 25, 2029 *	May 25, 2029 *	Not Applicable	November 2029	January 2030	April 2030

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

Expiration Date May 26, 2029

Due Dates for E.O. 12372 Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions It is critical that applicants follow the Multi-Project (M) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

1. Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online.
2. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants.gov and eRA Commons to track your application. Check with your institutional officials regarding availability.

Table of Contents

• Part 1. Overview Information
• Key Dates
• Part 2. Full Text of Announcement
• Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description
• Section II. Award Information
• Section III. Eligibility Information
• Section IV. Application and Submission Information
• Section V. Application Review Information
• Section VI. Award Administration Information
• Section VII. Agency Contacts
• Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description

Authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1993, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program to build biomedical research capacity in 23 U.S. states and Puerto Rico (See Section III for IDeA state eligibility), which had historically low NIH grant funding success rates. IDeA funding programs collectively support biomedical research in basic, clinical, behavioral, and translational science in IDeA-eligible states by developing faculty investigators, providing research opportunities to students, and enhancing research infrastructure. This is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a Limited Competition that will invite application(s) from eligible organization(s) to apply. Please see Section III. Eligibility for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the application(s) will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious application(s) will be considered.

One of the components of IDeA is the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) program, which supports the establishment and development of innovative biomedical research centers of excellence in an area of strategic importance to the organization and in alignment with the mission and priorities of the NIH.

The COBRE program has two tracks that provide grantees with the means to build biomedical research capacity. The COBRE D-E-S track (three phases, maximum 15 years of support) is targeted toward institutions without any existing research capacity in the proposed broad area of research. The COBRE E-S track (two phases, maximum 10 years of support) is intended for institutions with an existing degree of research capacity amenable to expansion and growth in the proposed area of research. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports applications to both the COBRE-E and COBRE-S phases of the program. The five-year phases of the COBRE program are as follows:

• COBRE-D (Development Phase): Supports a long-term institutional vision leading to the creation of a center in a broad area of biomedical research that is currently not supported at the applicant organization through the recruitment of early career faculty, establishment of research facilities, and enhancement of research administration.
• COBRE-E (Expansion Phase): Expands research capacity by growing the institutional faculty base, research projects, and core facilities.
• COBRE-S (Sustainability Phase): Sustains the expanded research infrastructure by continuing to grow the faculty and consolidating research cores to maintain research excellence beyond COBRE support.

COBRE-E and COBRE-S Program Requirements

For COBRE-E, the applicant organization should have already established a level of research capacity infrastructure to drive and expand research toward the proposed scientific focus of the Center. The research area should be sufficiently broad to enable growth and enhancements to the applicant organization's existing biomedical research capacity. To this end, institutions must possess either:

• research capacity that can be allocated to support the proposed research area of the Center OR
• an active COBRE Phase 1 award or COBRE-D award

to be eligible to apply. Applicant organizations with a pending COBRE-E application may not submit an application with a similar scientific theme to the COBRE-D funding opportunity (PAR-27-054).

For COBRE-S, the applicant organization must hold an active COBRE Phase 2 or COBRE-E award. Submissions should demonstrate how the applicant organization will further guide early career investigators towards independence and modernize and consolidate core facilities to enable the Center's research.

Overall Plan (required): COBRE-E and COBRE-S awards provide research support and mentoring to faculty investigators as well as enhancements to the institution's research infrastructure in the Center's scientific area. The Overall Plan should demonstrate how the applicant organization will implement its strategic priorities. A COBRE-E award supports the expansion of biomedical research resources at the applicant institution and strengthening the existing faculty base. COBRE-E applications must include a Sustainability Plan to be implemented during the COBRE-S phase that should address plans and prospects for long-term sustainability of institutional enhancements resulting from COBRE funding, including how the award may be leveraged to build a broader base of support. The focus of the COBRE-S award is to solidify the research base built in previous COBRE Phases and to implement a Sustainability Plan to continue research excellence beyond COBRE funding. An Advisory Committee (AC) comprised of institutional leadership and external experts in the scientific area is required to provide advice on scientific and administrative matters critical to the success of the Center.

Applications proposing to establish a Center in a scientific area closely related to one previously supported by a COBRE award to the institution or in an area for which the institution has a strong and sustained record of institutional research capacity are of low programmatic priority.

Administrative Core, required**: The Administrative Core implements the Center's overall plan and manages its operations. Responsibilities include:

• Oversight of Center operations,
• Preparation of accurate and timely progress reports,
• Ensuring all Center activities are compliant with federal regulations,
• Management of the Center's budget and financial reporting,
• Recruitment of faculty, including those with leadership potential,
• Coordination of alterations and renovations of research space,
• Development of evaluation strategies with specific milestones, and
• Annual performance evaluations of the Center.

Scientific Research Program (SRP), required: The SRP manages the research activities of the center and ensures the continued scientific and career development of its investigators and the institution's biomedical research base. The application must include plans that specify how applicants will administer the center's research portfolio with the goal of enhancing the scientific potential and increasing the competitiveness of the center's investigators for peer-reviewed research independence. Prior to award, the applicant organization will assemble a group of investigators from an existing pool of early career investigators to be selected as SRP Investigators (SIs) to conduct research within the COBRE's proposed scope. Mid-career investigators who complement the scientific breadth of the center and are working towards the renewal of their first Research Project Grant (RPG) or "at-risk" investigators who will have no substantial research grant funding in the upcoming fiscal year may also form part of the potential pool. The existing pool of investigators will be complemented with potential faculty hires that broaden and enhance the expertise of the center and the institution. In addition, the SRP will:

• Ensure that the research activities align with the institutional strategic plan,
• Coordinate the mentoring and professional development activities of the Center,
• Implement the Career Development Plan, and
• Organize Center-wide scientific and career development activities such as seminar series, workshops, and retreats.

Research Core(s), optional: New research cores may be proposed during the COBRE-E phase provided they are essential to support proposed research and do not duplicate existing services or facilities at the applicant organization. No new cores may be established in the COBRE-S phase. The consolidation of existing Cores for technology advancement and/or administrative efficiency and the sharing of research facilities supported by other IDeA programs (e.g., INBRE, CTR, and other COBREs) is strongly encouraged.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed New Resubmission Revision

The OER Glossary and the How to Apply - Application Guide provides details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this NOFO.

Clinical Trial? Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose clinical trials. Note: Activities involving human subjects that are not deemed clinical trials are permissible.

Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial? (link provided in original page)

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Award Budget Application budgets must not exceed $1.5 million in annual direct costs, excluding consortium facilities and administrative (F&A) costs.

Award Project Period The project period is limited to five years.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO.

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible Organizations

• Higher Education Institutions - Includes all types
  • Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
  • Private Institutions of Higher Education
• Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
  • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

Eligibility is restricted to institutions that meet all the following criteria:

• Located in an IDeA-eligible state, commonwealth, or jurisdiction (Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming) and
• Award doctoral degrees in health-related sciences or are independent biomedical research institutes/medical centers with ongoing biomedical research programs funded by the NIH or other federal agencies and
• Hold three or fewer active COBRE awards (except for COBRE Phase 3), including those in no-cost extension at the time of application submission. Applications will not be accepted from organizations that hold four or more active Phase 1, Phase 2, COBRE-D, COBRE-E, and COBRE-S awards, including those in no-cost extension.

Foreign Organizations/International Collaborations

• Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organization) are not eligible to apply.
• Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
• Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
• Unfunded foreign components are allowed with prior approval (see NOT-OD-26-084).
• Foreign PIs or organizations may use center resources as a fee-for-service, but resulting publications cannot cite or acknowledge NIH grant support.

Required Registrations Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registations as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide:

• System for Award Management (SAM) – active registration, renewed at least annually; includes Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code (or NCAGE Code for foreign organizations). Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) must be used consistently.
• eRA Commons – requires at least one Signing Official (SO) and one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account.
• Grants.gov – requires active SAM registration.

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account and be registered with ORCID.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator) Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources to carry out the proposed research as PD/PI is invited to work with their organization to develop an application. PD/PI must be an established biomedical research scientist with administrative and mentoring experience, hold a primary appointment at the applicant organization, and be the PD/PI on at least one active, peer-reviewed, externally funded research grant within the general scientific area of the COBRE (or receive funds via subcontract if the grant is a multi‑PD/PI award to another organization). For multiple PD/PI applications, all non‑contact PD/PIs must also have an active, peer‑reviewed, externally funded grant in the general scientific area.

A COBRE PD/PI may not simultaneously lead more than one IDeA (INBRE, CTR, or other COBRE) program award. Previous COBRE PD/PIs of different COBRE Centers (except interim service) are not eligible to lead a COBRE‑E or COBRE‑S application. All investigators intending to apply as PD/PI should consult with the Scientific/Research Contact in Section VII prior to preparing an application.

Eligible Individuals (Scientific Research Program) The applicant organization will identify, prior to award, individuals from a pool of existing investigators to be supported by the COBRE's Scientific Research Program (SRP). Prospective SRP Investigators (SIs) must:

• Be an Early Stage Investigator (ESI), New Investigator (NI), a mid‑career investigator working towards the renewal of their first research project grant, or an "at‑risk" investigator who will have no substantial research grant funding in the upcoming fiscal year.
• Hold an independent multi‑year faculty appointment (or equivalent at research institutes) at the applicant organization.
• Lead their own research program within the broad scientific area of the Center.

A COBRE SI cannot receive simultaneous research support from any other IDeA program award (e.g., INBRE, CTR, COBRE), but may serve as a project lead of a supplement to an IDeA award.

2. Cost Sharing

This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1.2.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct. The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time (see NIH Grants Policy Statement Sections 2.3.7.4 and 2.3.9.4).

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST or an institutional system‑to‑system solution. A button to apply using ASSIST is available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See the administrative office for instructions if planning to use an institutional system‑to‑system solution.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the Multi-Project (M) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise (in this NOFO, in a policy notice, or other notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts) and where instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide are directly related to the Grants.gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities. Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required.

Section V. Application Review Information

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Section VI. Award Administration Information

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Section VII. Agency Contacts

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Section VIII. Other Information

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