Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH)

The purpose of the Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) program is to fund federally-recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes, tribal colleges or universities, tribal health programs, or tribal organizations (collectively, eligible AI/AN tribal entities) to support health-related research, research career enhancement, and research infrastructure enhancement activities.

Program Description
A NARCH award supports health-related research, research career enhancement, and/or research infrastructure enhancement projects at one or more eligible AI/AN tribal entities (See Part II. Section III. Eligibility Information. An applicant organization must be one of the eligible AI/AN tribal entities, and must be committed to supporting a NARCH and its goals. The applicant organizations should also have the research administrative infrastructure to manage the multiple-component grant. An applicant organization (see Section III, Eligibility Information), may partner with other eligible AI/AN tribal entities as well as additional non-AI/AN organizations. In such cases, 60% or more of requested funds must remain with the eligible AI/AN tribal entities.

A NARCH supports an Administrative Core and one or more of the following components:

Research Projects (RPs)
Pilot Project Program (PPP)
Career Enhancement Projects (CEPs)
Research Infrastructure Enhancement Projects (RIEPs)
Each proposed component must contribute toward the overall goals of the NARCH. Each proposed component should be led by an individual with relevant expertise and experience. The PD(s)/PI(s) of the NARCH award may lead other proposed components in addition to the Administrative Core. Each proposed component will be reviewed on its own merit and may be selected for funding even if other components in the same application are not.

Administrative Core (Required): The Administrative Core (AC) manages the NARCH award and coordinates the Center’s activities. Its responsibilities include, but are not limited to, managing the NARCH's budget, preparing and submitting accurate and timely program and financial reports, ensuring all activities supported by the award are compliant with federal regulations, organizing and coordinating Center-wide activities such as seminars and workshops for research and career development, and coordinating activities of the proposed components. The AC is located within the applicant organization, led by a PD/PI, and supported by a staff needed to carry out the responsibilities. The AC should work closely with relevant components of the grantee organization, such as the Sponsored Programs Administration or Grants and Contracts Office, as well as those at any sub-contracting organizations, in order to carry out its functions.

Research Projects (RPs): RPs support innovative and culturally appropriate health-related research prioritized by the applicant organization and partner organizations that are eligible AI/AN tribal entities , if applicable. The research project(s) should focus on issues related to AI/AN health including strengths and resiliency factors contributing to and conditions hindering AI/AN health, mechanisms underlying diseases or conditions that are prevalent in AI/AN communities, and/or the development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions that address health challenges faced by the AI/AN communities. The scope of a project should be appropriate for 5 years of funding concurrent with the NARCH award. The RP Leader (RPL) should have expertise in the subject area. If the research involves human subjects, gaps in the RPL’s scientific and regulatory knowledge relevant to the study must be adequately addressed through mentorship, collaboration, and training. A NARCH may support up to three RPs. A RPL may not lead another RP or a pilot project supported by NARCH grants awarded to the same grantee organization simultaneously .

Pilot Project Program (PPP): A NARCH award may support a PPP to fund exploratory and/or preparatory research as Pilot Projects (PPs). PPs should be limited in scope compared to RPs but with the potential to develop into RPs. Each PP may have up to two years of support and should be led by Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) or New Investigators as defined by NIH. The PPP Director (PPPD) should have experience in mentoring, health-related research, and knowledge in culturally appropriate research approaches. The PPPD manages the solicitation and review of PP applications, and selection of meritorious projects for funding. The PPPD also assumes oversight responsibilities of funded PPs, including those with human subjects. A PP Leader (PPL) may not lead more than one PP nor a RP supported by NARCH grants awarded to the same grantee organization simultaneously . The PPPD is ineligible to receive a PP from the NARCH.

Career Enhancement Projects (CEPs): A CEP supports culturally appropriate career development programs to enhance knowledge and research skills of current and/or next generation participating health researchers. Participants of a CEP may be early career investigators, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, undergraduate students, and/or high school students interested in AI/AN health-related research. Proposed program activities may include, but are not limited to, research internships, workshops, and courses. A CEP may support participants to attend career enhancement programs sponsored by organizations other than those supported by the NARCH award. A CEP Leader (CEPL) should be an investigator with experience in mentoring, career development, research, and knowledge of culturally appropriate research, mentoring and educational approaches. A NARCH can support up to two CEPs.

Research Infrastructure Enhancement Projects (RIEPs): RIEP projects aim to address a specific research infrastructural need of the NARCH. Examples of an RIEP can include, but are not limited to, support of technological or methodological cores that develop or strengthen technical capacity needed for health-related research at the applicant and partner organizations that are eligible AI/AN tribal entities; research resources such as a bio- or data-repository; or research administration infrastructure such as Tribal Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). An RIEP leader should have expertise in the appropriate area of scientific capacity building. A NARCH can support up to two RIEPs.

While NIGMS leads this FOA and will manage the NARCH awards, NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) participating in the FOA are committed to fund meritorious components that align with their research interests. A description of the participating NIH ICO's areas of scientific interest for this FOA can be found at Research Interests of NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices Participating in NARCH.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Investigators proposing NIH-defined clinical trials may refer to the Research Methods Resources website for information about developing statistical methods and study designs.