Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 25 035
The Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (P01 Clinical Trial Optional) grant opportunity (RFA-AI-25-035) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding call aimed at strengthening the basic science behind how seasonal influenza spreads from person to person. The central goal is to move beyond broad observations of flu spread and instead pin down the underlying mechanisms that actually drive transmission in real-world human settings. This includes the biological, physical, and behavioral factors that determine when an infected person passes virus to someone else, why certain exposures lead to infection while others do not, and what specific conditions or host-virus interactions make transmission more or less likely. While the NOFO is rooted in basic research, it is also explicitly designed to create new capabilities for the field by supporting work that produces novel resources, shared tools, and broadly useful data streams for respiratory virus transmission research.
The NOFO will create an Influenza Transmission Research Consortium organized as a network of individual Influenza Transmission Research Centers. In practice, that means NIH is not just looking for isolated projects; it is looking for coordinated centers built around collaborative, multidisciplinary teams that can tackle transmission from multiple angles at once. A competitive center under this announcement would typically bring together complementary expertise such as virology, immunology, aerosol science, epidemiology, modeling, clinical research, genomics, environmental sampling, and data science. The emphasis on a consortium structure also signals that awardees are expected to operate as part of a larger, connected research ecosystem where methods, measurements, and findings can be compared, harmonized, and built upon across centers, rather than remaining siloed.
Research areas supported under this opportunity are framed around investigating the dynamics and drivers of influenza transmission and improving the field's ability to study transmission rigorously. That can include work to clarify transmission pathways (for example, the roles of aerosols, droplets, contact, and environmental persistence), characterize how viral load and shedding relate to infectiousness, define how host factors (such as immunity, symptoms, age, and co-infections) influence onward spread, and determine which viral traits affect transmissibility. The NOFO also highlights the development of novel resources, which could take the form of standardized assays, sampling methods, curated datasets, experimental platforms, or other shared infrastructure that helps researchers measure transmission more accurately and consistently across different studies and settings. Clinical trials are optional, meaning applicants may propose clinical trial components if appropriate, but they are not required in order to be responsive.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity using the NIH P01 funding mechanism, which is generally associated with multi-project, program-style research that is intentionally integrated and collaborative. The funding activity category is Health and the CFDA number listed is 93.855. The opportunity was created on 2025-09-02 and has an original closing date of 2025-11-07. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided listing, which usually means applicants need to consult the full NOFO text (and potentially NIH institute guidance) for budget expectations, project period limits, and the anticipated scale of awards.
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organization types such as 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; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The NOFO also calls out additional eligible applicant categories including 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions.
International participation is handled in a very specific way. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are eligible to apply directly, and that is explicitly allowed. However, non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In other words, a foreign organization can be the applicant, but a U.S. organization cannot propose a foreign component under NIH's standard "foreign component" framework for this specific opportunity, and applicants need to structure collaborations accordingly.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NIH building a coordinated, center-based research network focused on the core science of seasonal influenza transmission, with strong expectations for multidisciplinary integration and for producing shared, field-advancing resources. The consortium model is meant to accelerate progress by aligning multiple centers around complementary questions and compatible approaches so the community can reach clearer, more actionable conclusions about what drives human-to-human influenza spread and how to measure it reliably.Apply for RFA AI 25 035
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (P01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-09-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-11-07. (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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (P01 Clinical Trial Optional) - RFA-AI-25-035
1) What is the Influenza Transmission Research Consortium funding opportunity?
This opportunity (RFA-AI-25-035) is an NIH funding call to create an Influenza Transmission Research Consortium made up of a network of Influenza Transmission Research Centers. The focus is on strengthening the basic science of how seasonal influenza spreads from person to person and on building new capabilities and shared resources for the field.
2) What is the main goal of this NOFO?
The central goal is to move beyond broad observations of flu spread and identify the underlying mechanisms that drive transmission in real-world human settings. This includes understanding biological, physical, and behavioral factors that influence when transmission occurs, why some exposures result in infection while others do not, and what conditions or host-virus interactions make transmission more or less likely.
3) Is this opportunity focused on basic research or applied research?
It is rooted in basic research, but it is also designed to create new capabilities for respiratory virus transmission research by supporting work that produces novel resources, shared tools, and broadly useful data streams.
4) What does NIH mean by a "consortium" in this context?
NIH is seeking coordinated centers rather than isolated projects. Awardees are expected to function as part of a connected research ecosystem where methods, measurements, and findings can be compared, harmonized, and built upon across centers instead of staying siloed.
5) What is an Influenza Transmission Research Center under this NOFO?
An Influenza Transmission Research Center is an individual center within the larger consortium network. A competitive center is typically built around a collaborative, multidisciplinary team that can address influenza transmission from multiple angles and contribute to shared, consortium-wide progress.
6) What kinds of expertise are expected in a competitive center team?
The NOFO emphasizes multidisciplinary integration and gives examples of complementary expertise such as virology, immunology, aerosol science, epidemiology, modeling, clinical research, genomics, environmental sampling, and data science.
7) What research topics does this opportunity support?
Supported research areas are framed around investigating the dynamics and drivers of influenza transmission and improving the field's ability to study transmission rigorously. Examples described include clarifying transmission pathways (aerosols, droplets, contact, environmental persistence), linking viral load and shedding to infectiousness, understanding how host factors influence onward spread, and identifying viral traits that affect transmissibility.
8) Does the NOFO specify particular transmission pathways to study?
The NOFO highlights transmission pathways such as aerosols, droplets, contact, and environmental persistence as examples of areas that may be investigated.
9) What types of host factors are mentioned as relevant to transmission?
Examples of host factors called out include immunity, symptoms, age, and co-infections, particularly as they relate to influencing onward spread from an infected person to others.
10) What viral factors are mentioned as important?
The NOFO emphasizes understanding how viral load and shedding relate to infectiousness and determining which viral traits affect transmissibility.
11) Are applicants expected to create shared resources or tools?
Yes. A key emphasis is producing novel resources, shared tools, and broadly useful data streams for respiratory virus transmission research, including items like standardized assays, sampling methods, curated datasets, experimental platforms, or other shared infrastructure to improve measurement accuracy and consistency.
12) What does "Clinical Trial Optional" mean for this opportunity?
Clinical trials are optional. Applicants may propose clinical trial components if appropriate, but proposing a clinical trial is not required to be responsive to the NOFO.
13) What funding mechanism is used?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity using the NIH P01 funding mechanism, which is generally associated with multi-project, program-style research that is intentionally integrated and collaborative.
14) What is the funding activity category and CFDA number?
The funding activity category is Health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.855.
15) When was the opportunity created and when is it due?
The opportunity was created on 2025-09-02 and has an original closing date of 2025-11-07.
16) Does the listing specify the award ceiling or expected number of awards?
No. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided listing. The description indicates applicants typically need to consult the full NOFO text (and potentially NIH institute guidance) for budget expectations, project period limits, and the anticipated scale of awards.
17) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organization types, including 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; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
18) Are specific institution types (for example, MSIs) called out as eligible?
Yes. The NOFO also calls out additional eligible applicant categories, including 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; regional organizations; eligible federal agencies; Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities; and U.S. territories or possessions.
19) Can a foreign (non-U.S.) organization apply directly?
Yes. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are explicitly eligible to apply directly under this opportunity.
20) Are foreign components allowed if the applicant is a U.S. organization?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed under this specific opportunity.
21) How should international collaborations be structured under these rules?
Based on the description provided, applicants need to structure collaborations in a way that aligns with the restriction that foreign components are not allowed, even though foreign organizations may apply directly as the applicant.
22) What is NIH trying to change about how influenza transmission research is done?
The NOFO aims to move the field beyond broad, observational descriptions toward rigorous, mechanism-focused understanding, and to improve measurement and comparability by encouraging standardized methods, shared tools, and harmonized approaches across multiple centers in a consortium.
23) Is the consortium model meant to support isolated studies at single sites?
The emphasis is on coordinated centers operating as part of a larger network, with expectations that methods and findings can be compared and harmonized across centers rather than remaining siloed.
24) What is the overall purpose of forming a network of centers?
The consortium model is intended to accelerate progress by aligning multiple centers around complementary questions and compatible approaches, enabling the community to reach clearer and more actionable conclusions about what drives human-to-human seasonal influenza spread and how to measure it reliably.
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