The NIH Common Fund received $30 Million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, 2020 to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally. The Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC), which manages the Common Fund is using these funds to stimulate innovative research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). OSC issued an immediate funding opportunity in Fiscal Year 2020 for active Common Fund researchers to conduct SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 research. OSC is planning new funding opportunities to support new research projects in these areas beginning in Fiscal Year 2021.
Fiscal Year 2020 Funding Opportunity for Current Common Fund Awardees
The Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC), issued a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Availability of Emergency Competitive Revisions for Research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (NOT-RM-20-015) to stimulate innovative research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease it causes, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The NOSI describes the opportunity for emergency competitive revisions to Common Fund grants and cooperative agreements to support innovative research on COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 in any area of research including behavioral/social science, health disparities, and novel therapeutics, that fits within the mission of an emergency response to provide critical expertise, resources or activities. OSC plans to use a portion of the CARES Act funds to support 10-20 high-impact, one-year, one-time, competitive revisions for Common Fund awards only in Fiscal year 2020.
Technical Assistance Webinar: OSC staff held a technical assistance webinar to answer applicant questions on May 6, 2020 at 4:00-5:00 PM ET. The webinar slides are available here.
Eligibility: This funding opportunity is only available to Principal Investigators who have an award funded by the Common Fund.
Application Due Dates: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis from April 15, 2020 through June 19, 2020, by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): A list of frequently asked questions can be found on the NOSI FAQs page.
NIH Contacts for the NOSI: For questions concerning the NOSI for Fiscal Year 2020 competitive revisions to NIH Common Fund awards, please contact [email protected]. Please note that this mailbox is specific to funding opportunities from the NIH Common Fund only.
Future Research Funding Opportunities in SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19
In future years, OSC will use CARES Act funds allocated to the NIH Common Fund for researchers to develop new research projects starting in Fiscal Year 2021. Continue to check this page for updates on future SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 research funding opportunities from the NIH Common Fund.
For a list of funding opportunities from multiple NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices — including the NIH Common Fund — please visit the COVID-19 page of information for NIH applicants and recipients of NIH funding.
