NIH Revision Awards for Creating Virtual Consortium for Translational/Transdisciplinary Environmental Research (ViCTER)(R01) | RFA ES 17 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA ES 17 002

The NIH Revision Awards for Creating Virtual Consortium for Translational/Transdisciplinary Environmental Research (ViCTER) (R01), funding opportunity number RFA-ES-17-002 (CFDA 93.113), is a discretionary NIH grant designed to strengthen and speed up environmental health research by pushing investigators to work across traditional boundaries. The core idea is to build "virtual consortia" focused on one or more environmental stressors, bringing together teams that might not normally collaborate in a standard R01. In practice, that means linking basic researchers (for example, those focused on mechanisms, toxicology, exposure biology, or technology development) with clinical, patient-oriented investigators and population-based researchers (such as epidemiologists, exposure scientists, and public health practitioners), plus any other disciplines needed to tackle the stressor from multiple angles. The program emphasizes work that is both transdisciplinary (integrating methods and perspectives across fields) and translational (moving findings toward real-world health impact), with the explicit goal of accelerating benefits to public health.

A defining feature of ViCTER is its focus on stimulating novel cross-disciplinary collaborations that are often difficult to assemble or justify under a typical single-project R01 structure. The "virtual consortium" framing signals an expectation of coordinated, multi-investigator teamwork that may span institutions and specialties while maintaining a coherent scientific focus on the chosen environmental stressor(s). The overall intent is not just parallel projects running side by side, but genuine integration: shared conceptual models, shared data or harmonized measures where appropriate, coordinated approaches to exposure and outcome characterization, and a clear pathway for translating mechanistic or technological advances into clinical or population-level understanding and, ultimately, improved environmental health decision-making.

Eligibility for this opportunity is broad across U.S.-based organizational types. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township 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; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; and nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education, since those are listed separately). For-profit organizations are also eligible (other than small businesses), as are small businesses, and the announcement also allows "other" entities as defined by NIH/Grants.gov categories. The opportunity explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants such as 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), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This emphasis signals an interest in diverse institutional participation and, in many cases, stronger connections to affected communities.

The notice draws important lines around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations/institutions) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. At the same time, "foreign components" are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant may be able to include certain discrete elements of the work conducted outside the U.S. when justified and structured according to NIH rules. In other words, the applicant must be U.S.-based and compliant with the stated restrictions, but the research may still incorporate certain international elements if they qualify as an allowable foreign component.

Administratively, the sponsor is the National Institutes of Health, the funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is Environment and Health. The opportunity was created on 2016-10-27, and the original closing date listed is 2017-11-27. The provided source excerpt does not specify an award ceiling or number of expected awards, so applicants would typically need to consult the full announcement for budget limits, project period details, and any revision-specific requirements.

In summary, ViCTER (R01) is structured to push environmental health research toward integrated, team-based science organized around specific environmental stressors, deliberately bridging basic, clinical, and population research to speed translation and increase real-world public health impact, while allowing a wide range of U.S. institutions and organizations to apply and participate.

• The National Institutes of Health in the environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Revision Awards for Creating Virtual Consortium for Translational/Transdisciplinary Environmental Research (ViCTER)(R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-10-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-11-27. (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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