Update on FY2026 WTC Health Program U01 and R21 NOFOs
May 1, 2026
The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program would like to update the research community regarding the fiscal year 2026 (FY2026) grant cycle. The WTC Health Program remains committed to supporting extramural research, and is actively working to publish Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for FY2026 awards via the Cooperative Research Agreement (U01) and the Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) funding mechanisms.
The timing of NOFO publication remains uncertain as the WTC Health Program is awaiting final approvals. If NOFOs are issued in time to support FY2026 awards, the application period will be shorter than usual, with approximately 45 days or less for submission. Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin preparing application materials in advance of NOFO publication.
These delays are expected to be limited to the FY2026 cycle. Future funding cycles, including FY2027, are expected to return to standard timelines.
The U01 NOFO (RFA-OH-26-001) is anticipated to have an award ceiling of up to approximately $550,000 in total costs per year for up to 3 years (see the related forecast: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/356163 ).
The R21 NOFO (RFA-OH-26-015) is anticipated to have an award ceiling of up to approximately $500,000 in total costs over 2 years (see the related forecast: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360753 ).
While final requirements will be defined in the official NOFOs, prior U01 and R21 NOFOs (e.g., Expired PAR-20-280 ; Expired RFA-OH-24-002 ; Expired RFA-OH-24-003 ; and Expired RFA-OH-25-001 ) may provide general reference points.
Applicants should rely on the official NOFOs, once published, as the authoritative source for complete information, including eligibility, application requirements, submission due date, and review criteria.
Based on input from the 9/11 community, the WTC Health Program is modifying its approach to developing the Youth Research Cohort. The previously forecasted U01 NOFO for cohort recruitment and retention described in a previous announcement (https://www.cdc.gov/wtc/newsGrantOpportunityForecasts_20251027.html) has been discontinued. The WTC Health Program will provide additional updates on cohort development in the near future.
All information provided here is preliminary and subject to change.