Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 20 017
The Chronic Kidney Diseases of UnceRtain Etiology (CKDu) in Agricultural Communities (CURE) Research Consortium - Field Epidemiology Sites opportunity (RFA-DK-20-017) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement (U01) that funds field-based human research sites to help build a coordinated consortium focused on CKDu, a form of chronic kidney disease seen in agricultural communities where the underlying cause is not clearly established. The main purpose is to generate high-quality, comparable epidemiologic and exposure data across multiple locations so researchers can better understand what is driving CKDu, how it progresses over time, and what modifiable risk factors might point toward prevention strategies or future therapeutic targets. Even though the long-term vision includes informing interventions, this specific FOA does not fund clinical trials or prevention/treatment intervention studies.
Funded Field Sites are expected to do the on-the-ground work of identifying and enrolling participants who show evidence of CKDu, along with appropriate control participants, and then conducting standardized evaluations. A central emphasis is recruiting people with early manifestations of CKDu, since early disease can provide clearer clues about initiating causes before later-stage complications and treatment effects complicate interpretation. Field Sites also have a major responsibility for collecting and managing both biological samples (for example, biospecimens relevant to kidney function and exposure assessment) and environmental samples (reflecting potential agricultural, occupational, or community exposures). The intent is to support discovery-oriented science by creating well-characterized participant groups and well-curated sample collections that can be analyzed using shared approaches across the consortium.
The overall consortium structure is designed to make the work comparable and interoperable across sites rather than isolated studies that cannot be combined. In addition to multiple Field Sites, the consortium includes a Scientific Data Coordinating Center to harmonize data systems and shared study operations, a Renal Analytic Core to support specialized kidney-related analyses, and the NIEHS Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource (HHEAR) to strengthen exposure measurement and environmental health analytics. A key expectation is active collaboration: the consortium will jointly develop common protocols for clinical evaluation and phenotyping of participants, agree on shared strategies for biological and environmental sampling, and align analytic plans so that data and specimens collected at different locations can be pooled or compared in valid ways.
Several boundaries are clearly stated. The FOA is limited to human studies, and applications that include animal studies or model systems are considered non-responsive. It also explicitly excludes intervention trials intended to prevent or treat CKDu, reinforcing that the supported work is observational and discovery-focused rather than interventional. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which typically means NIH will have substantial programmatic involvement, with awardees expected to coordinate closely with NIH and other consortium components as protocols and shared resources are developed.
Eligibility is broad and includes many typical NIH applicant categories: state, county, and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and other organizations. The FOA also highlights inclusion of institutions and organizations serving specific communities, such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISISs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations. Importantly, non-U.S. entities are eligible to apply, foreign institutions can apply directly, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are allowed, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are permitted, reflecting the global distribution of CKDu hotspots and the need for internationally comparable field data.
Administrative details from the source listing include the opportunity category (discretionary), the activity areas (environment, food and nutrition, health), and CFDA numbers 93.113, 93.847, and 93.989. The original closing date listed is November 10, 2020, and the creation date is July 24, 2020. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided fields, implying applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget guidance, project period expectations, and any site capacity requirements.Apply for RFA DK 20 017
- The National Institutes of Health in the environment, food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Chronic Kidney Diseases of UnceRtain Etiology (CKDu) in Agricultural Communities (CURE) Research Consortium - Field Epidemiology Sites (U01 - 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): 93.113, 93.847, 93.989.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-07-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-11-10. (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.
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FAQs: CKDu in Agricultural Communities (CURE) Research Consortium - Field Epidemiology Sites (RFA-DK-20-017)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Chronic Kidney Diseases of UnceRtain Etiology (CKDu) in Agricultural Communities (CURE) Research Consortium - Field Epidemiology Sites, released as NIH FOA RFA-DK-20-017. It uses the NIH cooperative agreement mechanism (U01) to fund field-based human research sites.
Which agency is offering the award?
The funding agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What does CKDu mean in this context?
CKDu refers to a form of chronic kidney disease observed in agricultural communities where the underlying cause is not clearly established.
What is the main purpose of the CURE Field Epidemiology Sites?
The main purpose is to generate high-quality, comparable epidemiologic and exposure data across multiple locations so researchers can better understand what is driving CKDu, how it progresses over time, and what modifiable risk factors might support prevention strategies or future therapeutic targets.
Is this opportunity focused on clinical trials or interventions?
No. This FOA does not fund clinical trials or prevention/treatment intervention studies. The supported work is observational and discovery-focused rather than interventional.
What type of research is expected at a funded Field Site?
Funded Field Sites are expected to conduct on-the-ground human research, including identifying and enrolling participants with evidence of CKDu, enrolling appropriate control participants, and conducting standardized evaluations using common consortium protocols.
What kinds of participants should Field Sites recruit?
Field Sites are expected to recruit people who show evidence of CKDu and appropriate control participants. A central emphasis is on recruiting individuals with early manifestations of CKDu, since early disease may provide clearer clues about initiating causes.
Why does the FOA emphasize early manifestations of CKDu?
Early disease can help researchers investigate potential initiating causes before later-stage complications and treatment effects complicate interpretation.
What kinds of samples are Field Sites expected to collect?
Field Sites have major responsibility for collecting and managing both biological samples (for example, biospecimens relevant to kidney function and exposure assessment) and environmental samples that reflect potential agricultural, occupational, or community exposures.
What is the intended scientific value of the sample collections?
The intent is to support discovery-oriented science by creating well-characterized participant groups and well-curated biological and environmental sample collections that can be analyzed using shared approaches across the consortium.
How is comparability across different sites achieved?
The consortium is structured to make work comparable and interoperable across sites. A key expectation is that the consortium jointly develops common protocols for clinical evaluation and participant phenotyping, agrees on shared sampling strategies, and aligns analytic plans so data and specimens can be pooled or compared validly.
What are the main components of the consortium besides the Field Sites?
In addition to multiple Field Sites, the consortium includes a Scientific Data Coordinating Center to harmonize data systems and shared study operations, a Renal Analytic Core to support specialized kidney-related analyses, and the NIEHS Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource (HHEAR) to strengthen exposure measurement and environmental health analytics.
What is the role of the Scientific Data Coordinating Center?
Based on the listing, the Scientific Data Coordinating Center is intended to harmonize data systems and shared study operations across the consortium.
What is the role of the Renal Analytic Core?
Based on the listing, the Renal Analytic Core supports specialized kidney-related analyses within the consortium.
What is HHEAR and how does it relate to this consortium?
HHEAR is the NIEHS Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource. In this consortium, it is included to strengthen exposure measurement and environmental health analytics.
Are animal studies allowed under this FOA?
No. The FOA is limited to human studies. Applications that include animal studies or model systems are considered non-responsive.
Does this FOA support prevention or treatment intervention studies?
No. Intervention trials intended to prevent or treat CKDu are explicitly excluded.
What does the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism imply for awardees?
Because the award is a cooperative agreement (U01), NIH typically has substantial programmatic involvement. Awardees are expected to coordinate closely with NIH and other consortium components as protocols and shared resources are developed.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and other organizations.
Are community-serving and minority-serving institutions included in the eligible applicant types?
Yes. The FOA highlights organizations serving specific communities, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISISs, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations.
Can non-U.S. organizations apply?
Yes. Non-U.S. entities are eligible to apply. Foreign institutions can apply directly, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are allowed, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are permitted.
Why does the opportunity allow foreign institutions and foreign components?
The listing indicates CKDu hotspots are globally distributed and internationally comparable field data are needed, which supports participation by non-U.S. entities and components.
What is the opportunity category and activity areas listed?
The opportunity category is discretionary. The activity areas listed are environment, food and nutrition, and health.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.113, 93.847, and 93.989.
What are the key dates provided in the listing?
The creation date listed is July 24, 2020. The original closing date listed is November 10, 2020.
Does the listing include the award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. The provided listing fields do not include an award ceiling or expected number of awards. The listing suggests applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget guidance, project period expectations, and any site capacity requirements.
Where can applicants find details like budget limits and project period?
The provided information indicates those details are not included in the listing fields and would need to be reviewed in the full FOA text.
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