Limited Competition for the HEAL Initiative: HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study Coordinating Administrative Core and Data Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is preparing to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under a limited competition. This funding opportunity is part of the NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, focusing specifically on the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study. The goal of this NOFO is to fund two major components of the HBCD Consortium: the Coordinating Administrative Core (HCAC) and the Data Coordinating Center (HDCC). The opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement and is forecasted under opportunity number FOR-DA-26-003. The purpose of this NOFO is to continue support for the HBCD study, a large-scale longitudinal research effort involving approximately 7,200 mother-child dyads. The cohort includes children exposed pre- or perinatally to various substances such as prescription and illicit opioids, marijuana, stimulants, alcohol, and nicotine. The study's design includes a wide range of assessments, including neurodevelopmental, behavioral, social, and physiological measures, and data will be gathered using technologies like MRI and EEG. The HCAC component is tasked with the overall leadership and management of the HBCD Consortium. Responsibilities include overseeing budgetary matters, establishing and monitoring performance metrics, standardizing study protocols, and developing policies as well as outreach and dissemination strategies. In contrast, the HDCC focuses on standardizing and integrating data collection and processing, storing data securely, managing analytics, and supporting data sharing efforts with the broader scientific community. Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include a variety of public and private institutions: county governments, state governments, federally and non-federally recognized tribal governments and organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status. Eligibility is limited to those who were previously involved in the HBCD study under earlier RFAs (DA-21-023 or DA-21-022) and requires a multiple principal investigator (PD/PI) structure with two to four PD/PIs. The forecasted timeline for this opportunity includes an estimated posting date of July 18, 2025, with applications due by October 17, 2025. The expected start date for funded projects is July 1, 2026. Although no funding ceiling or floor has yet been published, this notice allows potential applicants ample time to plan and build collaborative proposals. For further information, interested parties can contact Janani Prabhakar, PhD, at the National Institute on Drug Abuse by email at janani.prabhakar@nih.gov or phone at 301-827-4729.