NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA RM 22 008

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 22 008

The NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health funding opportunity designed to change the culture of NIH-funded extramural institutions by building a durable, self-reinforcing community of scientists who actively support diversity and inclusive excellence. The central idea is that institutions do not only need to hire talented researchers; they also need to create environments where a wide range of scientists can thrive, contribute, and lead. NIH frames this as a culture-change effort with the potential to produce ripple effects across biomedical research at the participating institutions and beyond.

This opportunity uses the U54 mechanism, which is a cooperative agreement. In practice, that means NIH expects substantial involvement and partnership in the project rather than a hands-off grant. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation indicates that applicants may propose research that includes a clinical trial if it fits their goals, but a clinical trial is not required. The program is fundamentally anchored in faculty recruitment and institutional transformation, with research activities positioned to support and strengthen that broader aim.

A defining feature of the FIRST Cohort is its emphasis on recruiting scientists into advertised, research tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty roles at the Assistant Professor level (or equivalent). The individuals recruited through the program are expected to be competitive for these faculty positions, meet NIH's Early Stage Investigator criteria, and show a strong, demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity and inclusive excellence. The intent is not only to add individual faculty members, but to build a cohort and community that reinforces inclusive norms, mentoring practices, and equitable opportunities over time, helping to sustain change after the initial award period.

Eligibility for the opportunity is broad across the U.S. research and higher education ecosystem. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including those with 501(c)(3) status and those without it). The opportunity also explicitly calls out several institution types as "other eligible applicants," 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), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). These categories align with NIH's interest in strengthening inclusive excellence and expanding capacity and representation across the biomedical research workforce.

At the same time, NIH places clear restrictions on foreign involvement. Non-U.S. entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. In other words, applicants must be U.S.-based organizations and the funded activities must be carried out without foreign components under NIH policy definitions.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding opportunity is listed as discretionary, with the funding instrument being a cooperative agreement, and it falls under the health activity category (CFDA 93.310). The opportunity is issued by NIH and was created on February 17, 2022, with an original closing date of July 12, 2022. The synopsis provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full notice of funding opportunity for budget limits, project period expectations, cohort structure, and detailed review criteria.

Overall, the FIRST Cohort opportunity is best understood as an NIH-backed institutional change initiative that uses cohort-based faculty recruitment at the assistant professor level as the lever for long-term transformation. It aims to seed and sustain inclusive excellence by bringing in early career investigators who are both scientifically competitive and demonstrably committed to improving diversity, equity, inclusion, and the broader culture of biomedical research.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort (U54 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-02-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-07-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others.

Apply for RFA RM 22 008

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