Interventions that Address Structural Racism to Reduce Kidney Health Disparities Research Coordinating Center (U24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA DK 22 015

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NIH funding opportunity RFA-DK-22-015?

RFA-DK-22-015 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity to support a single Research Coordinating Center (RCC) for a new consortium focused on reducing kidney health disparities by directly addressing structural racism. The RCC is intended to serve as the central backbone that coordinates the work of multiple independently funded Intervention Sites supported under a companion funding announcement.

What is the name and focus of the consortium?

The program is called the Interventions that Address Structural Racism to Reduce Kidney Health Disparities Consortium. It is built around community-engaged intervention research, meaning the consortium is expected to work alongside communities most affected by kidney disease disparities to design, implement, and evaluate interventions that reduce the harmful impacts of structural racism on kidney health outcomes.

What is being funded under this announcement?

This announcement funds one Research Coordinating Center (RCC). The RCC is not funded to run its own clinical trial; instead, it is funded to organize and coordinate the consortium so that the intervention projects across sites can be aligned, compared, and learned from collectively.

Is this award for multiple coordinating centers or just one?

Just one. The opportunity supports a single RCC to coordinate the consortium.

What NIH funding mechanism is used for this award?

The award uses a U24 cooperative agreement mechanism, which generally indicates an active partnership between NIH staff and the funded recipient throughout the project period.

Does NIH expect to be actively involved during the project?

Yes. Because this is a cooperative agreement (U24), NIH staff are expected to have an ongoing coordinating role with the awardee, consistent with the cooperative agreement structure.

Are clinical trials allowed under this RCC opportunity?

No. The announcement explicitly states: "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." The RCC is not being funded to run a clinical trial.

If the RCC is not running a clinical trial, what is the RCC supposed to do?

The RCC is intended to coordinate and unify the consortium's research activities so the independently funded Intervention Sites can function as a coherent program. The emphasis is on enabling cross-site alignment, shared learning, and consortium-wide insights rather than isolated site-by-site work.

What are the main responsibilities of the RCC?

The RCC is expected to carry out three major categories of responsibilities: (1) organization, management, and administrative support for the consortium; (2) research coordination including serving as the hub for data management and analysis across consortium studies; and (3) fostering collaboration and capacity-building to support a scalable and sustainable community-engaged research enterprise.

What does "organization, management, and administrative support" include?

This includes planning and running consortium meetings, supporting cross-site communication, managing governance structures and working groups, tracking milestones and deliverables, and keeping the multi-site program functioning smoothly and transparently.

What does "research coordination" mean in this context?

Research coordination includes functioning as the hub for data management and analysis across the consortium studies. It can involve developing common data elements when appropriate, establishing shared protocols for data collection and quality control, setting up secure data systems, supporting harmonization across sites, and coordinating or conducting statistical analyses that produce consortium-level insights.

Is the RCC expected to create shared data elements or shared protocols across sites?

Yes, when appropriate. The description notes developing common data elements, shared protocols for data collection and quality control, and harmonization approaches so results can be aligned and compared across Intervention Sites.

Is data security part of the RCC's expected role?

Yes. The RCC is expected to help create secure data systems as part of being the data management and analysis hub for the consortium.

What is meant by fostering collaboration and capacity-building?

The RCC is expected to actively build collaboration across investigators and community partners and help strengthen the skills and relationships needed to design, implement, evaluate, and disseminate interventions that address structural drivers of kidney disparities.

What types of interventions is the consortium trying to support?

The consortium focuses on community-engaged intervention research that directly addresses structural racism as a root cause of kidney health disparities. The program emphasizes interventions intended to dismantle or reduce the harmful impacts of structural racism on kidney health outcomes.

Why is there an emphasis on structural racism?

The stated intent is to treat structural racism as a root cause of kidney health inequities rather than as a background factor, and to generate practical knowledge about what works when interventions directly target structural drivers.

Does the program prioritize scalability and sustainability?

Yes. A key emphasis is on interventions that are not only effective, but also scalable and sustainable so they can be maintained over time and expanded to broader settings if proven successful.

How does the RCC relate to the Intervention Sites?

The RCC is expected to unify and coordinate the work of multiple independently funded Intervention Sites (funded through a companion funding announcement). The RCC helps ensure the consortium functions as a coordinated program where studies can be aligned, compared, and synthesized.

Who can apply for this RCC funding opportunity?

Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.

Are community- and equity-focused institutions specifically mentioned as eligible?

Yes. The announcement highlights eligible organizations including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations allowed to apply?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply.

Can a U.S. organization include non-domestic components on this application?

No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.

Are foreign components allowed under NIH policy for this opportunity?

No. Foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) listed?

The posted award ceiling is $500,000.

What agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What type of funding is this listed as?

It is listed as discretionary funding and uses a cooperative agreement structure (U24), reinforcing that NIH expects ongoing coordination with the recipient.

When was the opportunity created and what was the closing date?

The opportunity was created on July 27, 2022, and the original closing date was November 17, 2022.

Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.307, 93.361, and 93.847.

What is the overall goal of funding an RCC for this consortium?

The overall goal is to fund a central coordinating entity that makes the consortium function as a cohesive, high-quality, community-engaged research program. The intended outcome is rigorous, actionable evidence about how to reduce kidney health disparities by targeting structural racism through real-world interventions, and to generate insights that go beyond any single site.