U.S. research institutions with established programmes in nutrition or obesity research can currently apply for funding through the Nutrition Obesity Research Centers programme, commonly known as NORCs.

The current NIH funding opportunity is RFA-DK-27-120, administered by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

NIDDK plans to commit approximately $3.6 million in FY2027 to fund up to three awards.

Each Center may request up to $750,000 in direct costs per year, and projects can run for up to five years.

Applications are due on October 20, 2026 at 5:00pm local time of the applicant organisation.

What Is a Nutrition Obesity Research Center?

A NORC is not simply a grant for one obesity study.

It is a P30 Center Core Grant designed to strengthen an existing institution-wide or multi-investigator research environment.

The programme creates shared infrastructure that can be used by multiple investigators working across nutrition, obesity and related areas.

Rather than financing one large standalone research project, a NORC helps an institution make its existing research base more efficient, collaborative and scientifically productive.

What Does a NORC Support?

A successful Center generally includes several integrated elements.

Research Cores

These provide shared scientific resources, technologies, expertise or services that multiple investigators can use.

Pilot and Feasibility Programme

The Center supports innovative pilot projects, particularly projects that may help researchers generate evidence for larger future grants.

Up to $150,000 per year within the overall direct-cost ceiling can be requested for the Pilot and Feasibility Programme.

Scientific Catalyst Activities

NORCs are expected to stimulate collaboration and new areas of research across disciplines.

Administrative Coordination

The Center requires strong leadership, governance and coordination across its scientific activities.

What Research Areas Can Be Included?

Projects can cover a broad range of nutrition and obesity research.

Examples include:

• Obesity biology;
• Nutrition science;
• Metabolism;
• Clinical nutrition;
• Population research;
• Public-health nutrition;
• Implementation research;
• Diet and disease;
• Behavioral research;
• Translational studies.

The Center should create shared value across an established group of investigators rather than serving only one laboratory.

Who Can Apply?

A wide range of U.S. organisations may technically fall within NIH’s eligible organisation categories, including:

• Universities;
• Research institutions;
• Nonprofits;
• For-profit organisations;
• Small businesses;
• Government entities;
• Tribal organisations.

However, there is an important practical requirement.

The organisation must already have a strong and ongoing base of nutrition and/or obesity-related research.

This means NORC is not a realistic opportunity for a small company with one obesity product and no established research programme.

Research Base Requirements

For a new NORC application, at least 50% of the nutrition, obesity or related research forming the Center’s research base must be supported by federal agencies.

Each proposed Research Core must also be used by at least two federally funded investigators.

These requirements demonstrate the scale of research infrastructure NIDDK expects.

Can Foreign Institutions Apply?

No.

Non-U.S. organisations are not eligible.

Non-U.S. components of U.S. organisations are also not eligible, and foreign components are not allowed under the current NOFO.

Only One Application Per Institution

The current funding opportunity permits only one application per institution.

Universities with several interested research groups will therefore normally need an internal selection process before submission.

How Much Funding Is Available?

NIDDK plans to commit approximately:

$3.6 million in FY2027

to fund up to:

3 Centers

Applicants may request:

Up to $750,000 in direct costs per year

for a maximum project period of:

5 years

Facilities and administrative treatment follows NIH rules.

Clinical Trials Are Optional

The current NOFO is labelled Clinical Trial Optional.

A Center can therefore support qualifying research environments that include clinical trials, but the full application must follow NIH human-subjects and clinical-trial requirements where applicable.

What Makes a Strong NORC Application?

The application must prove that the institution already possesses an exceptional research base and that a Center grant will make that research significantly stronger.

Evaluators will want to see:

• Established investigators;
• Federal research support;
• Strong publication history;
• Multidisciplinary collaboration;
• Clearly justified shared cores;
• Evidence researchers will actually use those cores;
• Leadership capability;
• Strong pilot-project systems;
• Plans to develop future investigators.

A NORC should solve institutional research problems that individual grants cannot solve efficiently.

Application Deadline

October 20, 2026 at 5:00pm local time

Late applications are not accepted under the current RFA.

Apply Here: Apply on Grants.gov: RFA-DK-27-120

Because NIH registrations and multi-project submissions can be complex, eligible institutions should already be working closely with their sponsored-research offices.