Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional) | PA 24 254

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 24 254

The NIH funding opportunity titled "Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA-24-254) is a standing NIH mechanism that allows certain current NIH award recipients to formally request a transfer of an active grant from one recipient organization to another, when such a transfer is allowed under the specific grant program. In practice, this is the pathway used when a project is moving institutions, most often because the principal investigator (or a key part of the research program and resources) is relocating, or because the organizational home of the work is changing. The key point is that this notice is not a typical competition for new research dollars; it is an administrative, prior-approval type request to move an existing award to a different institution, and it only applies to the activity codes NIH lists as eligible under this parent announcement.

NIH treats a change of recipient organization as a prior approval request under the NIH Grants Policy Statement (specifically the section referenced in the notice). That means the request is reviewed in an administrative and grants management context rather than through the standard peer review process used for new or competing applications. The request is routed directly to the Grants Management Specialist associated with the current award, and NIH evaluates whether the transfer is appropriate, allowable, and feasible given the project status, remaining period of performance, compliance history, and the capability of the proposed new organization to carry out the work.

A major practical feature of this opportunity is that submitting through this NOFO does not guarantee NIH will approve the transfer. NIH makes it clear that approval is discretionary and depends on programmatic permission for the specific grant, as well as NIH institute or center (IC) considerations. Because each IC may have additional expectations about feasibility, scientific oversight, or administrative readiness, applicants are strongly encouraged to talk with the awarding IC before submitting anything. That early discussion can clarify whether the transfer is even possible for the particular award, what documentation NIH expects, and what issues might delay or prevent approval (for example, changes in scope, inability to transfer key resources, subaward complications, or compliance concerns).

The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and uses the grant funding instrument type, with NIH listed as the sponsoring agency. The funding activity category spans multiple public purpose areas (including education, environment, food and nutrition, health, and income security and social services), reflecting NIH's broad portfolio and the many CFDA (now Assistance Listing) numbers associated with NIH programs. The listing includes a large set of Assistance Listing numbers (for example, 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, and many others), signaling that this transfer mechanism can potentially apply across numerous NIH program areas, as long as the underlying grant mechanism is one of the eligible activity codes referenced in the full announcement.

Eligibility is broad in the sense that many types of organizations may serve as either the current recipient or the proposed new recipient, provided the transfer is allowable and the organization can meet NIH requirements for stewardship of federal funds. Eligible applicants include state, county, 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible categories 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), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). That said, the mere fact that an entity type is eligible does not override any restrictions that may apply to the original award, the specific activity code, or NIH and HHS policy requirements.

The "Type 7" framing in the title reflects NIH's internal categorization for recipient organization changes, and "Clinical Trial Optional" signals that the parent structure accommodates awards that may or may not involve clinical trials depending on what the original grant supports and what the underlying activity code allows. It does not automatically authorize adding a clinical trial or changing the scientific nature of the project; rather, it indicates that the administrative vehicle can cover awards in which a clinical trial may be part of the approved work, consistent with NIH definitions and the terms of the existing award.

The opportunity was created on 2024-07-11, and the listed original closing date is 2027-07-12, indicating a multi-year window during which transfer requests can be submitted. The announcement does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards because the "award" in this context is typically the transfer of an existing, already-funded project rather than a new funding action with a new maximum budget. The amount and remaining funds generally depend on the parent award, unobligated balances, the remaining project period, and NIH approval of the revised administrative arrangements at the new institution.

Overall, PA-24-254 is best understood as NIH's formal, standardized route for institutions to request approval to move an ongoing NIH grant to a new recipient organization. It emphasizes coordination with the awarding institute or center, direct handling by the assigned grants management specialist, and the reality that NIH approval is not automatic even when the request is submitted correctly.

• 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 "Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent 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, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.310, 93.350, 93.351, 93.352, 93.353, 93.361, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.397, 93.398, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, 93.879.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-07-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-07-12.
• 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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