Specialized Centers for Research on Health Disparities in Uterine Leiomyoma (SCHDUL) (P50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HD 24 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 24 005

The Specialized Centers for Research on Health Disparities in Uterine Leiomyoma (SCHDUL) funding opportunity (RFA-HD-24-005) is an NIH center grant designed to create new, multi-project research hubs focused on understanding and reducing health disparities in uterine leiomyoma, commonly known as uterine fibroids. The program is built around the idea that fibroid disparities, particularly racial and ethnic disparities, are driven by a mix of biological, behavioral, and environmental factors, and that progress requires coordinated research rather than isolated single-project studies. Because this is a P50 specialized center mechanism, the expectation is that awardees will assemble integrated teams and infrastructure capable of running several interconnected projects that inform one another and collectively move the field forward.

The core purpose of the SCHDUL centers is to support novel, synergistic research programs that span a wide range of disciplines and stages of research. The FOA emphasizes combining basic science, clinical research, translational work, and social and behavioral science approaches to better explain differences in risk, disease development and progression, and response to treatment. In practical terms, the centers are meant to function as platforms where investigators can align hypotheses, share data and resources, and build a unified research agenda targeting modifiable contributors to disparities. The ultimate aim is to improve women’s reproductive health outcomes by generating an integrated understanding of why disparities exist in fibroid burden and care, and by identifying pathways that can be addressed through improved prevention, diagnosis, management, and health systems practices.

A central theme in the announcement is addressing racial and associated health disparities in uterine fibroids through deeper study of factors that may differ across populations. The FOA explicitly highlights biologic, behavioral, and environmental differences as key areas for investigation. This framing supports research that can connect molecular or physiologic mechanisms to lived experience and context, including exposures, stressors, access to care, structural factors, and other determinants that influence who develops fibroids, how severe they become, how quickly they progress, what symptoms and complications arise, and what treatments are offered, accepted, or effective. The emphasis on modifiable aspects signals that NIH is looking for research that can plausibly lead to actionable targets, whether those targets are clinical (better risk stratification, improved therapeutic strategies) or broader (interventions tied to environmental exposures, behavior, or healthcare delivery).

The grant is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the grant funding instrument, with activity in the Health, Income Security and Social Services category. The program is listed under CFDA numbers 93.313 and 93.865, and the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health. The FOA title specifies “Clinical Trial Not Allowed,” which typically means applicants should not propose prospective clinical trials that assign participants to interventions to evaluate health-related outcomes. While many types of human subjects research may still be possible under a “clinical trial not allowed” center FOA (for example, observational studies, mechanistic studies, secondary analyses, or certain biospecimen-based investigations), the proposed work must remain consistent with NIH’s definition of a clinical trial and the FOA’s restriction.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad and intentionally inclusive to encourage participation from many sectors that can contribute to disparities-focused research. Eligible applicants 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; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that category); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant types that are often central to health equity work, including 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 agencies of the federal government, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This emphasis reflects NIH’s interest in fostering partnerships that can connect rigorous research with communities most affected by fibroid disparities.

The announcement also clarifies boundaries related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. In practice, this means a U.S.-based applicant can include certain international elements or collaborations when they are justified and compliant with NIH policy, but a foreign organization cannot serve as the primary applicant.

From an award structure standpoint, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,000,000. The source data also lists “ExpectedAwards:” without a number provided, so the number of awards anticipated is not clearly specified in the excerpt. The original closing date provided is 2023-08-07, and the creation date is 2023-05-17. Applicants generally need to verify current application deadlines and any updates or reissues of the FOA on the official NIH/Grants.gov listing, since closing dates and availability can change depending on NIH cycles and whether the solicitation is re-opened or replaced.

Overall, this FOA is aimed at building new specialized, collaborative research centers that can tackle uterine fibroid disparities with a deliberately integrated approach. NIH is signaling that progress will come from coordinated, multi-project programs that connect fundamental biology with real-world social and environmental context, all focused on producing knowledge that can meaningfully reduce inequities in fibroid risk, progression, and treatment outcomes.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Specialized Centers for Research on Health Disparities in Uterine Leiomyoma (SCHDUL) (P50 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): 93.313, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-08-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

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