Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence Implementation Science Hub/Resource Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA HD 23 037

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 23 037

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is soliciting applications for a cooperative agreement to establish an Implementation Science Hub/Resource Center as part of the broader Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence initiative. This opportunity, titled "Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence Implementation Science Hub/Resource Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HD-23-037), is designed to strengthen the real-world uptake of what research already shows can improve maternal health. The central idea is to create a dedicated national resource that helps Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence move evidence-informed programs, practices, and policies into routine care and community settings, rather than allowing effective interventions to stall at the publication stage.

This FOA is explicitly positioned to run alongside two companion announcements: one that funds the Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence themselves, and another that funds an Innovation and Coordinating Hub/Resource Center. Within that three-part structure, the Implementation Science Hub has a practical, translation-focused role. It is expected to support Centers of Excellence by providing expertise, tools, and technical assistance for dissemination and implementation science, with particular attention to strategies that can be integrated across clinical care, public health practice, and policy change. The Hub is meant to help bridge the evidence-to-practice gap by guiding how interventions are adopted, adapted responsibly, implemented with fidelity where appropriate, sustained over time, and scaled in ways that actually work in diverse real-world environments.

A major emphasis of the opportunity is maternal health equity across the pregnancy, perinatal, and postpartum continuum. NIH signals that applications should directly address the persistent disparities in maternal outcomes by supporting integrated efforts that improve care delivery and systems performance for populations that have been historically underserved or underrepresented. Studies and activities that promote equitable dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions in underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged, which implies a strong preference for approaches that are community-engaged, attentive to structural barriers, and capable of producing implementation strategies that do not widen gaps in care.

The award mechanism is a U24 cooperative agreement, meaning the funded Hub will not operate in isolation; it will work in coordination with NIH and with the other components of the initiative. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation indicates that a clinical trial may be proposed if it is appropriate to the Hub's implementation science mission, but a clinical trial is not required. The overall activity categories connected to this opportunity span health and social services domains, reflecting the expectation that improving maternal outcomes often requires cross-sector alignment rather than narrow clinical interventions alone.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local 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/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly restricts foreign involvement: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed.

Key administrative details provided in the source data include that the sponsoring agency is NIH, the instrument type is a cooperative agreement, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary, and the original closing date was December 5, 2022 (with the record created August 11, 2022). The FOA lists multiple CFDA numbers (now commonly referred to under assistance listings), reflecting the NIH institutes and program lines that may be associated with maternal health and related research and infrastructure. No award ceiling or expected number of awards is specified in the provided text, suggesting applicants would need to consult the full FOA for budget guidance, project period expectations, and the exact scope of required Hub functions and deliverables.

In practical terms, this opportunity is about building a national implementation science backbone for the Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence: a group that can help turn evidence into action by supporting implementation planning, identifying barriers and facilitators in real systems, developing and testing dissemination approaches, and accelerating adoption of interventions that improve outcomes in pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care, especially in communities experiencing the highest burden of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence Implementation Science Hub/Resource Center (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.313, 93.350, 93.361, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-12-05. (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 HD 23 037

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