The Early Detection Research Network: Data Management and Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA CA 21 034

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 21 034

The Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) Data Management and Coordinating Center funding opportunity supports a central hub that helps the EDRN carry out its mission of finding, developing, and validating biomarkers and imaging approaches that can detect cancer earlier and then moving those advances toward real-world clinical tests. EDRN is an NIH-supported network (edrn.cancer.gov) that has already built a strong track record, including completing more than 10 multicenter validation studies, and this opportunity focuses on sustaining and strengthening the data management and coordination backbone that makes those large, multi-site efforts possible.

This award is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a cooperative agreement, meaning NIH expects to have substantial involvement during the project rather than simply providing funds with minimal interaction. The specific mechanism is a U24, and it is explicitly labeled “Clinical Trial Not Allowed,” which signals that the supported activities should not include conducting clinical trials under this award. Instead, the emphasis is on infrastructure, coordination, data systems, and the operational capabilities needed to support EDRN’s collaborative early detection research and validation work across participating sites.

Key identifying details include Funding Opportunity Number RFA-CA-21-034 and CFDA (Assistance Listing) 93.394. The opportunity was created on 2021-06-01, with an original closing date of 2021-09-09. While the listing shows fields like “Award Ceiling” and “Expected Awards,” those specific values are not provided in the text you supplied, so the main takeaway is the purpose and structure of the award rather than an indicated maximum budget or number of anticipated awards.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private 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 with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories as stated); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and “other” eligible entities. The announcement also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

The foreign eligibility rules are more nuanced: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, “foreign components,” as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. In practice, that typically means a U.S. applicant may include certain project elements or collaborations that meet NIH’s definition of a foreign component, but the application and primary awardee must remain eligible under NIH’s domestic applicant requirements described in the notice.

Overall, the opportunity is aimed at maintaining and advancing EDRN’s network-wide coordination and data capabilities so multicenter early cancer detection studies can be designed, managed, harmonized, and analyzed efficiently and consistently. The Data Management and Coordinating Center role is central to enabling standardized data collection, quality control, cross-site collaboration, and the operational management that supports biomarker and imaging validation efforts across the network, all within the boundaries of a non-clinical-trial U24 cooperative agreement.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Early Detection Research Network: Data Management and Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.394.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-06-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-09-09. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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.

Apply for RFA CA 21 034

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