Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OD 27 006
The NIH funding opportunity "Maximizing the Scientific Value of Data Generated by the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program: Dissertation Grant (R36 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" is designed to help doctoral candidates finish a dissertation project that tackles high-priority questions in child health. The central purpose is to bring more graduate researchers into the ECHO scientific ecosystem by encouraging them to use ECHO Cohort data for dissertation research, with an emphasis on understanding how early-life environmental exposures shape child health outcomes. Because it is an R36 dissertation grant, the intent is to support a defined, student-led dissertation project rather than a large multi-year research program, and it explicitly does not allow clinical trials.
A defining feature of this NOFO is access to the ECHO data resource through the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository. The ECHO DASH dataset brings together de-identified, longitudinal information from more than 71,000 participants across the United States, giving doctoral students a large, national-scale platform for observational research. The dataset includes prenatal and childhood exposure information spanning physical, chemical, social, behavioral, and biological domains, which means applicants can study a broad range of real-world influences, from environmental chemicals and physical conditions to social environments and behaviors, and connect those exposures to health trajectories over time.
The funding opportunity aligns dissertation projects with ECHO's five primary pediatric outcome areas: (1) pre-, peri-, and postnatal outcomes, (2) upper and lower airway outcomes, (3) obesity, (4) neurodevelopment, and (5) positive health. In practice, that means proposals should be framed around these outcome priorities while making clear use of the ECHO Cohort data. The overarching goal is not only to generate publishable dissertation findings, but also to strengthen the pipeline of early-career researchers who can contribute to the broader field of early environmental exposures and child health, expanding the number of investigators skilled in working with complex longitudinal cohort data.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), listed under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-OD-27-006, with activity focused on health and CFDA numbers 93.310 and 93.313. The opportunity is broadly open to many applicant organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, small businesses, and various government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as eligible tribal governments and tribal organizations, and certain housing authorities. Even though the applicant organization categories are broad, the project itself is dissertation-focused and meant to support doctoral candidates, so the individual-level eligibility requirements and expectations will be detailed in Section III (Eligibility Information) of the NOFO.
There are clear restrictions related to foreign involvement. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) cannot apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. In other words, the work supported under this award must be structured without foreign components and must be led by eligible U.S.-based applicants under NIH rules.
Key dates and scale indicators included in the posting show an original closing date of 2026-10-15, an estimated eight awards expected, and no award ceiling amount listed in the provided summary. The NOFO was created on 2026-05-28. Taken together, this competition is essentially a targeted NIH dissertation mechanism aimed at encouraging innovative analyses of a uniquely large and diverse longitudinal child health dataset, helping doctoral candidates complete a rigorous dissertation while contributing evidence relevant to how environmental and social conditions early in life can shape pediatric health and development.Apply for RFA OD 27 006
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Maximizing the Scientific Value of Data Generated by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program: Dissertation Grant (R36 - 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): 93.310, 93.313.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Maximizing the Scientific Value of Data Generated by the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program: Dissertation Grant (R36 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)."
2. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (NOFO number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-OD-27-006.
3. What type of grant mechanism is this?
This is an NIH R36 dissertation grant mechanism. It is intended to support a defined, student-led dissertation project rather than a large, multi-year research program.
4. Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The opportunity is explicitly designated as "Clinical Trial Not Allowed."
5. What is the main goal of this opportunity?
The central goal is to help doctoral candidates complete a dissertation project that addresses high-priority questions in child health by using ECHO Cohort data, with an emphasis on understanding how early-life environmental exposures shape child health outcomes.
6. Why does this opportunity emphasize the ECHO Program?
A defining purpose is to bring more graduate researchers into the ECHO scientific ecosystem by encouraging doctoral students to use ECHO Cohort data for dissertation research and contribute findings relevant to early environmental exposures and pediatric health trajectories.
7. What data resource is central to the project?
Access to the ECHO data resource through the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository is a defining feature of this opportunity.
8. What is the ECHO DASH dataset?
The ECHO DASH dataset is a de-identified, longitudinal dataset that brings together information from more than 71,000 participants across the United States, providing a large national-scale platform for observational research.
9. What kinds of exposures are included in the ECHO data described in the posting?
The dataset includes prenatal and childhood exposure information spanning physical, chemical, social, behavioral, and biological domains.
10. What kinds of research questions does this opportunity support?
Based on the description, the opportunity supports observational dissertation research that connects early-life environmental exposures (including social and behavioral influences) to child health outcomes and trajectories over time, using ECHO Cohort longitudinal data.
11. What pediatric outcome areas should dissertation projects align with?
Projects are expected to align with ECHO's five primary pediatric outcome areas:
- Pre-, peri-, and postnatal outcomes
- Upper and lower airway outcomes
- Obesity
- Neurodevelopment
- Positive health
12. Does a project have to use ECHO Cohort data?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes making clear use of ECHO Cohort data, with ECHO DASH highlighted as the key data access pathway.
13. Is the work expected to be longitudinal?
The dataset described is longitudinal, and the opportunity highlights connecting exposures to health trajectories over time. This indicates the NOFO is oriented toward longitudinal observational analyses using ECHO Cohort data.
14. Who is this opportunity intended to support?
It is designed to support doctoral candidates working to complete a dissertation project. While many organization types may apply, the project itself is dissertation-focused and student-led, with individual-level requirements expected to be detailed in Section III (Eligibility Information) of the NOFO.
15. What types of applicant organizations are eligible to apply (at a high level)?
The posting indicates the opportunity is broadly open to many applicant organization types, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit and for-profit organizations
- Small businesses
- Government entities (state, county, city/township, and special district governments)
- Eligible tribal governments and tribal organizations
- Certain housing authorities
16. If the applicant organization types are broad, does that mean it is not student-focused?
No. The description makes clear that, despite broad organization categories, the award intent is to support a dissertation-focused project led by a doctoral candidate. The specific individual eligibility rules are referenced as being in Section III of the NOFO.
17. Are foreign organizations allowed to apply?
No. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) cannot apply.
18. Can a U.S. organization apply if it has a foreign component or a non-U.S. component involved?
No. The summary states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. The work must be structured without foreign components.
19. What NIH institute or resource is mentioned as the data access pathway?
The NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository is specifically mentioned as the data access pathway for the ECHO data resource.
20. What is the estimated number of awards?
The posting indicates an estimated eight awards are expected.
21. Is there an award ceiling amount listed in the provided summary?
No. The provided summary indicates that no award ceiling amount is listed.
22. What are the key dates provided?
The posting lists an original closing date of 2026-10-15 and indicates the NOFO was created on 2026-05-28.
23. What federal assistance listings (CFDA numbers) are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity lists CFDA numbers 93.310 and 93.313.
24. What general field or activity area does this opportunity fall under?
The activity focus is described as health, and the scientific focus centers on child health outcomes and early-life environmental influences using ECHO Cohort data.
25. What is NIH trying to build through this dissertation program besides individual dissertation results?
The description emphasizes strengthening the pipeline of early-career researchers who can contribute to the broader field of early environmental exposures and child health, including expanding the number of investigators skilled in complex longitudinal cohort data analysis.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: Limited Competition: Instrumentation Grant Program for Resource-Limited Institutions (S10 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Previous opportunity: Supplemental and Alternative Crops
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA OD 27 006
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA OD 27 006) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Maximizing the Scientific Value of Data Generated by the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) Apply for RFA OD 27 008 Funding Number: RFA OD 27 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Optimizing Behavioral Sleep Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults (R34 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA MH 27 140 Funding Number: RFA MH 27 140 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HEAL Initiative: Non-addictive Analgesic Therapeutics Development [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 27 007 Funding Number: RFA NS 27 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Single Source: Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN) Data Coordinating Center (U01 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA HL 27 002 Funding Number: RFA HL 27 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $8,000,000 |
| Advancing Research on Empirically-Supported Interventions for Older Adults Living with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA MH 27 180 Funding Number: RFA MH 27 180 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Validation Center for Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (PRIMED-AI) (U54 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA RM 27 014 Funding Number: RFA RM 27 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Logistics Center for Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (PRIMED-AI) (U24 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA RM 27 015 Funding Number: RFA RM 27 015 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $575,000 |
| PRIMED-AI: Data-to-Model Academic-Industrial Partnerships (D2M-AIP) for Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA RM 27 012 Funding Number: RFA RM 27 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| GREGoRi Data Coordination and Outreach Center (U01, Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA HG 27 011 Funding Number: RFA HG 27 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,250,000 |
| Limited Competition for the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development -Extended (ABCD-E) Study Renewal - Data Analysis, Informatics and Resource Center, and Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA DA 27 003 Funding Number: RFA DA 27 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| GREGoRi Technology Integration Center (U01, Clinical Trials Optional) Apply for RFA HG 27 012 Funding Number: RFA HG 27 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,250,000 |
| GREGoRi Innovation Projects (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA HG 27 013 Funding Number: RFA HG 27 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Renewal of the Clinician-Scientists Transdisciplinary Aging Research (Clin-STAR) Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA AG 27 007 Funding Number: RFA AG 27 007 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Limited Competition: Superfund Hazardous Substance Research and Training Program (P42 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA ES 27 004 Funding Number: RFA ES 27 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,750,000 |
| SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program (Parent SB1 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 27 098 Funding Number: PAR 27 098 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH, CDC and FDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 27 100 Funding Number: PA 27 100 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Model-to-Clinic (M2C) for Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (PRIMED-AI) (UG3/UH3, Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA RM 27 013 Funding Number: RFA RM 27 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Research Education Program - Courses, Curriculum & Methods (Parent R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 27 034 Funding Number: PA 27 034 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award (Parent F99/K00 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 27 037 Funding Number: PA 27 037 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Transformative Non-Invasive/Minimally Invasive Technologies for Imaging the Olfactory System Across Scales (R01 CT Optional) Apply for RFA DC 27 003 Funding Number: RFA DC 27 003 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA OD 27 006", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.