Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OD 27 008
This funding opportunity, RFA-OD-27-008, is an NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) focused on getting more scientific value out of the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. The central idea is to support postdoctoral fellows who want to build strong research training plans while using ECHO Cohort data to answer high-priority questions in child health. Rather than funding new data collection, the emphasis is on leveraging an existing, unusually large, national longitudinal resource to accelerate discoveries about how early-life environments shape health.
A key feature of the announcement is its explicit focus on analysis of ECHO data housed in the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository. The ECHO DASH dataset brings together de-identified longitudinal data from more than 71,000 participants across the United States, which makes it particularly valuable for studying developmental trajectories, timing of exposures, subgroup differences, and outcomes that benefit from large sample sizes. The dataset includes prenatal and child exposure information spanning multiple domains, including physical, chemical, social, behavioral, and biological factors. In practical terms, this allows fellows to test hypotheses that cut across traditional disciplines, such as how chemical exposures interact with social stressors, how neighborhood context relates to biological markers, or how early behaviors and family environments link to later health outcomes.
The NOFO also highlights ECHO’s five primary pediatric outcome areas, which effectively define the program’s major scientific priorities for this fellowship. These areas are: (1) pre-, peri-, and postnatal outcomes, (2) upper and lower airway outcomes, (3) obesity, (4) neurodevelopment, and (5) positive health. Applicants are expected to frame their proposed work within one or more of these outcome domains while demonstrating that ECHO data are well-suited to the research questions. Because the fellowship mechanism is an NRSA F32, the training component is just as important as the research plan; the award is meant to develop the fellow’s skills and trajectory as an independent child health researcher, particularly in the context of large-scale longitudinal data analysis.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health as a discretionary grant mechanism under the F32 activity. The NOFO lists CFDA numbers 93.121, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313, and 93.853. The expected number of awards is 8, and the original closing date is December 2, 2026. The announcement does not specify an award ceiling in the provided text, which is common for NRSA fellowships because support levels are typically determined by NIH NRSA stipend and allowance policies rather than a fixed ceiling.
Eligibility is broadly described in the source text using standard organizational categories (for example, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profits other than small businesses, small businesses, and various government entities), but the most consequential eligibility detail emphasized here is the restriction on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in the Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In other words, the fellowship-supported research and training must be conducted without foreign components, and applicants need to plan accordingly when proposing mentorship, collaborations, or data activities that could otherwise drift into an international component.
Overall, the opportunity is designed to do two things at once: expand the use of one of the largest U.S. child health longitudinal datasets for rigorous, publishable science, and train postdoctoral researchers to become leaders who can analyze complex, multi-domain exposure and outcome data. The program’s structure encourages projects that capitalize on ECHO’s breadth (multiple exposure types), depth (longitudinal follow-up), and scale (tens of thousands of participants), with the expectation that fellows will produce insights relevant to major pediatric outcomes while building advanced skills in epidemiology, biostatistics, data science, developmental science, environmental health, and related disciplines. For specific applicant-level requirements (such as citizenship rules typical of NRSA fellowships, degree timing, and other conditions), the NOFO directs readers to consult Section III, Eligibility Information.Apply for RFA OD 27 008
- 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: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313, 93.853.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-12-02. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - RFA-OD-27-008 (NIH NRSA F32 using ECHO Data)
What is RFA-OD-27-008?
RFA-OD-27-008 is an NIH funding opportunity for the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32). It is specifically focused on supporting postdoctoral fellows who will use Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program cohort data to answer high-priority questions in child health while building a strong research training plan.
What is the main goal of this fellowship opportunity?
The central goal is to increase scientific value and accelerate discovery by leveraging existing ECHO Cohort data (rather than collecting new data). The fellowship is designed to support publishable, rigorous analyses that use the scale and longitudinal depth of ECHO to understand how early-life environments shape child health outcomes, while also developing the fellow's skills as an independent researcher.
Is this opportunity focused on new data collection?
No. The emphasis is on using existing ECHO Cohort data housed in the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository. The opportunity is oriented toward analysis and research training that makes strong use of this large, national longitudinal dataset.
What dataset is emphasized for this fellowship?
A key feature of this announcement is its explicit focus on analysis of ECHO data housed in the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository. Applicants are expected to use the ECHO DASH resource to support their proposed research and training plans.
How large is the ECHO dataset described here?
The ECHO DASH dataset described in the opportunity includes de-identified longitudinal data from more than 71,000 participants across the United States.
What types of exposures are included in the ECHO data described here?
The dataset includes prenatal and child exposure information across multiple domains, including physical, chemical, social, behavioral, and biological factors. This breadth supports research that can cross disciplines and evaluate interactions between different types of exposures.
What kinds of research questions does this opportunity encourage?
The opportunity encourages research that benefits from a large, national, longitudinal cohort. Examples of the kinds of hypotheses highlighted include questions about how chemical exposures interact with social stressors, how neighborhood context relates to biological markers, and how early behaviors and family environments link to later health outcomes.
What are the primary pediatric outcome areas for projects under this NOFO?
The NOFO highlights five primary ECHO pediatric outcome areas that define the major scientific priorities for the fellowship. These are: (1) pre-, peri-, and postnatal outcomes, (2) upper and lower airway outcomes, (3) obesity, (4) neurodevelopment, and (5) positive health.
Do applicants need to align their project with one of ECHO's five outcome areas?
Yes. Applicants are expected to frame their proposed work within one or more of the five ECHO outcome domains and demonstrate that ECHO data are well-suited to the proposed research questions.
What is the award mechanism and activity code?
This opportunity is offered as an NIH discretionary grant mechanism under the NRSA F32 activity (Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship).
What is the balance between training and research in this F32?
Because this is an NRSA F32 fellowship, the training component is as important as the research plan. The award is intended to develop the fellow's skills and trajectory toward becoming an independent child health researcher, particularly in the context of large-scale longitudinal data analysis.
How many awards are expected?
The expected number of awards is 8.
What is the closing date listed in the information provided?
The original closing date listed is December 2, 2026.
Is an award ceiling listed?
No award ceiling is specified in the provided text. This is common for NRSA fellowships because support levels are typically determined by NIH NRSA stipend and allowance policies rather than a fixed maximum award amount.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The NOFO lists the following CFDA numbers: 93.121, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313, and 93.853.
What types of organizations are broadly described as eligible in the source text?
The source text broadly describes standard organizational categories, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profits other than small businesses, small businesses, and various government entities.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Are non-domestic components of U.S. organizations allowed?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible under this opportunity.
Are foreign components permitted as part of the fellowship-supported research or training?
No. Foreign components (as NIH defines them in the Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. The fellowship-supported research and training must be conducted without foreign components.
How should applicants handle mentorship or collaborations that could involve international work?
Applicants need to plan mentorship, collaborations, and any data-related activities so the proposed research and training do not include foreign components. The opportunity emphasizes that the fellowship-supported work must be conducted without foreign involvement.
What makes ECHO particularly useful for postdoctoral projects?
ECHO is described as an unusually large, national longitudinal resource, making it valuable for studying developmental trajectories, timing of exposures, subgroup differences, and outcomes that benefit from large sample sizes. The breadth of multi-domain exposure data also supports integrative analyses across disciplines.
What is the expected scientific and career impact of the program?
The opportunity is designed to expand the use of one of the largest U.S. child health longitudinal datasets for rigorous science while training postdoctoral researchers to become leaders in analyzing complex exposure and outcome data. The expectation is that fellows will produce insights relevant to major pediatric outcomes while building advanced analytic and research skills.
Where are the data housed, according to the opportunity description?
The opportunity emphasizes using ECHO Cohort data housed in the NICHD Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository.
Does the provided information include specific applicant-level requirements (for example, citizenship rules or degree timing)?
No. The provided text notes that for specific applicant-level requirements (such as citizenship rules typical of NRSA fellowships, degree timing, and other conditions), readers should consult Section III, Eligibility Information, of the NOFO.
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