ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity RFA-RM-28-007

RNomics Molecular Standards

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

RNomics Molecular Standards is a forecasted federal cooperative agreement opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services). The agency's forecast estimates an application due date of February 15, 2027; forecast dates can change. Total estimated funding is $6.5M across about 3 awards. Applicant types listed as eligible include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts and 10 more. Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Aug 5, 2026Forecast posted
Oct 1, 2026 (est.)Full notice expected
Feb 15, 2027 (est.)Application deadlinenext date
Dec 1, 2027 (est.)Est. award date

Posted: Aug 5, 2026
Est. close date: Feb 15, 2027
Est. award date: Dec 1, 2027
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: $6,500,000
Implied average award: $2,166,667 calculated
Expected awards: 3
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Cooperative Agreement
Opportunity category: Discretionary
Fiscal year: FY2028

Typical awards for this program (SAM.gov listing for ALN 93.310, not this notice): $3,000 to $27,999,994 with the average being $640,952.

Implied average = estimated total funding ÷ expected number of awards, calculated by GrantsJunction. Actual awards vary.

Who can apply

State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Public colleges & universities
Federally recognized tribal governments
Public & Indian housing authorities
Native American tribal organizations
501(c)(3) nonprofits
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status
Private colleges & universities
For-profit organizations (not small businesses)
Small businesses
Others (see notice)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

Other Eligible ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions).

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The NIH Common Fund, in partnership with other NIH Institutes and Centers, plans to issue Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for the RNomics program, which seeks to develop tools for studying the full set of RNA molecules (the RNome) in cells and tissues. The program will support technologies and resources that enable integrated analysis of RNA sequences, modifications, structures, locations, interactions, and functions to advance understanding of health and disease. RNomics includes four initiatives: technology enhancement centers, transformative technologies, molecular standards, and a coordinating center. Applications are not being solicited at this time. This notice is being provided to give potential applicants time to develop meaningful collaborations and strong projects.

This NOFO will support the molecular standards initiative. Awards will support development, testing, refinement, and distribution of RNA molecular reference standards for use across the RNomics program and the broader research community. The work will include initial and expanded releases of standards for modified nucleosides and modified oligonucleotides, guidance on best practices for selecting and using standards, and planning for long-term availability beyond the funding period. These standards will support benchmarking, reproducibility, and comparison of RNA technologies across laboratories and platforms.

How to apply

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Read the full announcement (NOFO)Eligibility, evaluation criteria, page limits and required attachments are in the full notice on Grants.gov. Open ↗
Confirm eligibility and fitCheck your organization type above; no cost sharing is required.
Register (or renew) in SAM.gov and get a UEIFree. New registrations can take several weeks; registrations must be renewed every year. Open ↗
Set up Grants.gov accessCreate a Grants.gov account and make sure someone has the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role. Open ↗
Watch for the full noticeThe agency estimates posting it around October 1, 2026. Save this grant to track changes.
Prepare narrative, budget and attachmentsFollow the notice's format exactly — page limits and required forms are common reasons applications are rejected.
Ask the agency contact any questions earlyCommon Fund RNomics Program · cfrnomics@od.nih.gov Open ↗
Submit before February 15, 2027Submit a few days early and keep your Grants.gov confirmation and validation emails.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

93.310Trans-NIH Research SupportProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 93.310

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$1.17B

FY25

$1.06B

FY26

$28.1M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.310. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Common Fund RNomics Program
cfrnomics@od.nih.gov
Please contact via e-mail.

Quick answers

Is “RNomics Molecular Standards” open for applications yet?

Not yet. It is a forecast — an agency's advance notice of an expected opportunity. The agency estimates posting the full notice around October 1, 2026. Forecast details and dates can change.

Who is eligible to apply for “RNomics Molecular Standards”?

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public colleges & universities, Federally recognized tribal governments, Public & Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, Private colleges & universities and 3 more. Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through “RNomics Molecular Standards”?

Per the notice, total estimated program funding is $6,500,000 and the agency expects to make about 3 awards.

How do I apply for “RNomics Molecular Standards”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity RFA-RM-28-007), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

ForecastedResearchALN 93.310