[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 117 (Friday, June 16, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 37796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15277]



[[Page 37796]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service


Native American Research Centers for Health; Intent to Fund 
Competitive Grants

AGENCY: Indian Health Service, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent to fund competitive grants for Native American 
research centers for health.

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SUMMARY: The Indian Health Service (IHS) in association with the 
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National 
Institutes of Health, announces the intent to fund competitive grants 
to establish American Indian/Alaska Native research centers in fiscal 
year (FY) 2001.
    This new grant program is titled Native American Research Centers 
for Health (NARCH). It is authorized under section 301(a) of the Public 
Health Service Act and described at Catalog of Federal Assistance 
#93.933.
    Intent of Notice: The intent of this notice is to alert potential 
tribal and area/national Indian health applicants of the program and to 
encourage them to identify and to develop partnerships with academic 
research centers and universities in preparation for applying for a 
grant.
    The IHS and NIGMS plan to hold technical assistance and information 
sharing workshops about this grant program in July and August 2000. You 
should contact Dr. William Freeman at the location below for 
information on dates and locations of these workshops.
    It is anticipated that the program announcement and application 
guidelines will be available for distribution in mid-July 2000 with an 
application receipt deadline of December 12, 2000. Application packets 
will be distributed directly to eligible organizations, i.e., Tribal 
Chairmen; Directors of tribal health departments, and Executive 
Directors of Indian health organizations.
    Purposes: The purposes of the centers are: to encourage competitive 
research on well-defined diseases and health conditions of importance 
for American Indians; to develop and evaluate interventions to reduce 
health disparities and to enhance the strengths and resiliencies of 
Native communities and individuals; to develop a cadre of American 
Indian scientists and health professionals engaged in biomedical, 
clinical, and behavioral research that is competitive for NIH funding; 
and to increase the capacity of both the research intensive 
organizations and the Indian organizations to work in partnership to 
produce competitive research.
    Eligibility: Federally recognized tribes, tribal consortia, and 
area/national non-profit Indian health organizations that are 
sanctioned by tribal governments are eligible to apply for this grant 
award, with collaborations with academic research centers and 
universities required. Each center shall have a governing board 
predominately composed of tribal representatives that will be 
responsible for determining the research priorities in consultation 
with the tribal and Indian communities involved.
    Funding Availability: It is anticipated the $1.5 million will be 
available for award of up to five grants in FY 2001, with this amount 
available for each succeeding year through FY 2004. Award of grants is 
subject to the availability of funds. Awards will be issued with one-
year budget periods with total project periods of up to four years, 
renewable annually.
    Applicants under this program are encouraged to seek additional 
funding from other sources (university, tribal, private foundation, 
etc.) to augment monies available from the IHS.
    Contacts for Information: If you have questions regarding this 
program, you may contact the following:

Program Information

William L. Freeman, MD, MPH, Research Program, Indian Health Service, 
Twinbrook Metro Plaza, Room 450, 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, 
Maryland 29852, Telephone: (301) 443-0578, FAX: (301) 443-7538, Email: 
[email protected]

Grants (Business) Information

Patricia SpottedHorse, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Twinbrook Metro Plaza, Suite 100, 123 Twinbrook Parkway, 
Rockville, Maryland 20852, Telephone: (301) 443-5204, FAX: (301) 443-
9602

    Dated: June 12, 2000.
Michel E. Lincoln,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 00-15277 Filed 6-15-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-16-M