Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORCs) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional)

Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORCs) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) is sponsored by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (NIH). This program supports Nutrition Obesity Research Centers.

RFA-DK-27-120: Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORCs) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) Department of Health and Human Services Part 1.

Overview Information Participating Organization(s) National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) Components of Participating Organizations National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases ( NIDDK ) All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.

Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Disease Prevention ( ODP ) Office of Nutrition Research ( ONR ) Note: Not all NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) participate in Announcements. Applicants should carefully note which ICOs participate in this announcement and view their respective areas of research interest at the ICO-Specific Scientific Interests website .

ICOs that do not participate in this announcement will not consider applications for funding. Funding Opportunity Title Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORCs) (P30 Clinical Trial Optional) Check for any recent Notices of NIH Policy Changes that may impact application requirements.

January 23, 2026 - NIH Pause on New Submissions to the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry and Request for Information on Reducing Reliance on Human Embryonic Stem Cells in NIH-Supported Research. See Notice NOT-OD-26-031 . Funding Opportunity Number (FON) Companion Notice of Funding Opportunity Only one application per institution is allowed, as defined in Section III.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility. Assistance Listing Number(s) Notice of Funding Opportunity Purpose This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications from institutions/organizations that propose to establish core centers that are part of an integrated and existing program of nutrition and/or obesity research.

The Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORC) program is designed to support and enhance the national research effort in nutrition and obesity. NORCs support three primary research-related activities: Research Core services, a Pilot and Feasibility (P and F) program, and a Scientific Catalyst program.

All activities pursued by Nutrition Obesity Research Centers are designed to enhance the efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, and multidisciplinary nature of research in nutrition and obesity.

Funding Opportunity Goal(s) To promote extramural basic and clinical biomedical research that improves the understanding of the mechanisms underlying disease and leads to improved preventions, diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes, digestive, and kidney diseases.

Programmatic areas within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases include diabetes, digestive, endocrine, hematologic, liver, metabolic, nephrologic, nutrition, obesity, and urologic diseases. Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) Renewal / Resubmission / Revision (as allowed) AIDS - New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision, as allowed All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date. No late applications will be accepted for this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Required Application Instructions It is critical that applicants follow the Multi-Project (M) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide , except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ). Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced.

Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - Application Guide , follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants. gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants. gov and eRA Commons to track your application.

Check with your institutional officials regarding availability. Part 1. Overview Information Part 2.

Full Text of Announcement Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description Section II. Award Information Section III.

Eligibility Information Section IV. Application and Submission Information Section V. Application Review Information Section VI.

Award Administration Information Section VII. Agency Contacts Section VIII. Other Information Part 2.

Full Text of Announcement Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications for Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) grants to support research in nutrition and/or obesity.

The mission of the NORC program is to serve as a key component of the NIDDK-supported research effort to advance nutrition and obesity research inclusive of advancing basic science research, clinical studies and implementation research, and stakeholder engagement as well as the goal of strengthening biomedical research workforce training.

To accomplish this mission, the NORCs: Create an environment that supports important and innovative research; Attract and retain early-stage investigators and investigators new to nutrition/obesity research; Provide core services that leverage funding and unique expertise; Foster interdisciplinary collaborations, especially in emerging areas of research, to catalyze new ideas and scientific approaches; Raise awareness and interest in fundamental and clinical nutrition and/or obesity research at their institutions, as well as locally, regionally, and nationally; Promote the translation of scientific discoveries from bench to bedside to the community to improve public health; and Enhance nutrition and obesity research education and training opportunities.

Institution and Research Base The NORC program is intended to bring together investigators from a variety of scientific disciplines in a manner that enhances and extends the effectiveness of their research.

A NORC must be an identifiable unit within a single or a consortium of cooperating institutions, including affiliated universities, medical centers, and/or other research organizations as evidenced by a consistent and outstanding record of productivity and peer-reviewed research funding in the areas of nutrition and/or obesity.

NORC funding will provide support for core facilities (shared resources), pilot and feasibility studies, and program enrichment activities. Except for pilot and feasibility studies, NORC funds are not intended to fund or otherwise support individual biomedical or behavioral research projects other than through core usage.

The NORC research base includes only currently-funded, peer-reviewed research grants awarded to the applicant institution/consortium.

The research must be in the form of research project grants (e.g. R01, R21, R61/R33, U01, etc.), program project grants (P01), RC2 interdisciplinary science, Career Development Awards (K01, K08, K23, K99, etc.), or other peer-reviewed research that is already funded by NIH, other Federal Agencies, or non-federal groups at the time of submission of the NORC grant application.

Investigators and grant funding outside the NORC institution/consortium may not be included as part of the NORC research base and funding. Training grants, education grants, other NIH Center awards, and fellowship awards are not considered part of the research base, but opportunities for collaboration and synergy should be discussed.

The focus, relevance, interrelationships, quality, productivity, and, to some extent, quantity are all important considerations for the adequacy of the research base. The quality of the biomedical research base and its relevance to nutrition and obesity research will be given emphasis in the peer review process.

The funding of the research base for the NORC, including any affiliated academic centers, hospitals, or proposed partners, must consist of at least $3,000,000 in direct costs of peer-reviewed research projects. Since "Facilities and Administration" costs vary considerably between institutions, those amounts should not be included in the calculation of the research base.

In addition, there must be sufficient Federal support within the base to fulfill the requirement for a minimum of two federally-funded NORC members utilizing each Biomedical Research Core, and at least 50% of funding for the research base must come from Federal agencies or programs. NORCs are expected to have 'members', and the criteria for becoming a NORC member must be clearly defined and well-justified.

Criteria for membership include peer-reviewed independent funding, participation in NORC-related research, and need for the use of core facilities; however, additional criteria for becoming a NORC 'member' are permissible. Additional membership categories based on a researcher's degree of participation or other quantitative measures are acceptable, but eligibility criteria must be clearly defined and well-justified.

Research programs/investigators outside the primary NORC institution or consortium where the NORC is based may utilize the core resources and participate in NORC activities, if space, time, and funds permit, and NORCs are encouraged to explore such opportunities.

NORCs at an institution(s) with more than one NIDDK-funded Center, particularly Diabetes Research Centers, Centers for Diabetes Translation Research, or Digestive Disease Centers, must disclose and address any potential for overlap in research base members to avoid inappropriate inflation of the research base of the NORC.

Administrative Core (with Clinical Element and Scientific Catalyst Program) NORC applications must include an Administrative Core, which is responsible for allocation and oversight of NORC resources.

The Administrative Core should have a process to a) assess the productivity, effectiveness, and appropriateness of NORC activities; b) determine the criteria and selection process for NORC membership; and c) foster collaborations and scientific opportunities among its members.

In addition, all NORCs are required to maintain an institutional NORC website with the Administrative Core taking primary responsibility for its curation and oversight. The NORC program also maintains a central NORC program website, and individual NORCs are required to regularly communicate with the NORC website administrators to assure that information regarding their NORC is accurate and up to date.

As part of the Administrative Core, NORCs are expected to support program enrichment activities such as seminars, visiting scientists, consultants, and workshops.

The NORC Scientific Catalyst program should be designed to advance translational research in nutrition and obesity and promote scientific exchange among investigators with research interests in these topic areas, and to enhance interactions between nutrition and obesity researchers and investigators from other fields with relevant expertise.

The Scientific Catalyst program can support activities such as seminars, guest speakers, visiting scientists, consultants, and workshops. NORCs are required to support clinical research and these efforts must be described in a 'Clinical Element' within the Administrative Core.

A NORC's potential or past efforts to develop clinically-relevant specialized services that are applicable and useful for the NORC research base are an important aspect of the NORC program and will be evaluated.

NORCs may support clinical, translational, and implementation research and services through a variety of approaches, as follows: A clinical biomedical research core, i.e., clinical research services are provided for and budgeted through stand-alone research core(s) The administrative core, or A combination of the above in a manner that best meets the needs of the NORC.

The clinical research services offered, the qualifications of the relevant personnel supported within the overall NORC, as well as the number of physician scientists, and basic researchers making use of available/relevant clinical research services should be addressed. Any efforts to encourage collaboration between NORC clinical and basic science investigators should be described in the Clinical Element.

NORCs are also strongly encouraged to support clinical research through the pilot and feasibility (P and F) program and the Scientific Catalyst Program. Biomedical Resource Cores NORCs are designed around Research Cores that provide shared, specialized technical resources and/or expertise that enhance the efficiency, productivity, and multidisciplinary nature of research performed by NORC-affiliated investigators.

The goal of the NORC program is to make state-of-the art technologies and resources readily accessible to a broad spectrum of investigators who are pursuing studies in nutrition, obesity, and other related research areas. Two to five biomedical research Cores are usually included in a NORC.

NORCs are encouraged, but not required, to interact with the broader research community, serving as resources to support research of importance to NIDDK. Each Research Core should provide state-of-the art services to multiple, funded research projects.

Examples of biomedical research cores that would be considered responsive to this NOFO may include, but are not limited to: Dietary and/or physical activity assessment Clinical and interventional research Particular emphasis should be placed on services that support and foster interdisciplinary, integrated, and translational approaches to research in nutrition, obesity and related topic areas.

Preference will be given to core support services that are not readily available or cost-effective when supplied from commercial sources as well as techniques or technologies that are technically challenging or require specialized expertise, equipment or infrastructure. The quality, usage, and appropriateness of biomedical research cores for the research base will be given emphasis in the peer review process.

Justification for proposing a core : The establishment and continued support of biomedical research cores within a NORC are justified based on use by independently funded NORC research base investigators. Proposing to join an institutional core is acceptable but must be well-justified.

While investigators holding awards from the NORC pilot and feasibility program are appropriate users of the core facilities, their use does not contribute to justification for establishment or continued support of a core. Pilot and Feasibility (P and F) Program The Pilot and Feasibility Program (P and F Program) provides modest support for new initiatives or feasibility research studies.

P and F Programs are intended to provide support for investigators to collect preliminary data sufficient to support a grant application for independent research support and/or to test a novel, even high-risk, hypothesis. It is expected that the majority of P and F project investigators will fall into the new or early stage investigator category, and only in exceptional circumstances will established investigators be supported .

Efforts to increase the number of P and F awards and availability of funds for the program using program income or alternative funding sources from the application institution/consortium and other relevant organizations are particularly encouraged. NORCs may elect to support senior post-doctoral fellows who have an interest in pursuing an academic research career.

Cooperation, Coordination and Integration : The NORC Program has a NORC Research Resource Center (RRC) charged with managing common NORC activities with a goal of enhancing the rigor and reproducibility of nutrition and obesity research; providing support for the early-to-midcareer nutrition and obesity researchers; leading an Opportunity Program supporting common NORC activities; providing a Pilot and Feasibility Program; and supporting other related needs for the NORC program more broadly.

NORC Directors and key personnel must be willing to work collaboratively with the RRC and the full NORC consortium to advance these goals. Every 12 months, all NORC Directors and administrators are expected to attend an in-person NORC meeting to exchange information, develop trans-NORC programs, and interact with other NORC personnel and NIDDK senior staff.

Applicants are encouraged to consult with NIDDK staff concerning plans for the development of a Nutrition Obesity Research Center and the organization of the application. See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Applications Not Responsive to this NOFO The following types of applications are not responsive to this NOFO and will not be reviewed: Applications that do not demonstrate relevance to nutrition and/or obesity research. Investigators proposing NIH-defined clinical trials may refer to the Research Methods Resources website for information about developing statistical methods and study designs. See Section VIII.

Other Information for award authorities and regulations. Section II. Award Information Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed The OER Glossary and the How to Apply - Application Guide provides details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this NOFO. Optional: Accepting applications that either propose or do not propose clinical trial(s).

Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial? Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards NIDDK intends to commit $3,600,000 in FY 2027 to fund up to 3 awards, depending on availability of funds. Application budgets are limited to $750,000 direct costs per year but need to reflect actual needs of the proposed Center.

This budget limit is exclusive of F&A costs for consortium and subcontract arrangements. It is anticipated that the award budget will be directly correlated to the breadth, quality, and relevance to nutrition/obesity and related areas of the research base being served by the Center. Within the direct cost cap, up to $150,000 per year may be requested for the Pilot and Feasibility program.

The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed five years. NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO. Section III.

Eligibility Information Higher Education Institutions - Includes all types Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses) City or Township Governments Special District Governments Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government U.S. Territory or Possession Independent School Districts Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Faith-based or Community-based Organizations Foreign Organizations/International Collaborations Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organization) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement , are not allowed. Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the How to Apply- Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award.

All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.

3. 9. 2 Electronically Submitted Applications for additional information.

System for Award Management (SAM) – Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually . The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.

Foreign organizations must obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)- A UEI is issued as part of the SAM. gov registration process.

The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application. eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants. gov registration; all registrations must be in place by time of submission.

eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application. Grants. gov – Applicants must have an active SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.

gov registration. Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons.

If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks. All PD(s)/PI(s) must be registered with ORCID .

The personal profile associated with the PD(s)/PI(s) eRA Commons account must be linked to a valid ORCID ID. For more information on linking an ORCID ID to an eRA Commons personal profile see the ORCID topic in our eRA Commons online help.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator) Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the How to Apply - Application Guide . Because a NORC has a large and complex administrative structure, the PD/PI(s) must have strong leadership abilities and demonstrated proficiency in managing large, multi-component programs.

The NORC PD(s)/PI(s) must also be willing to participate in NORC-wide activities, including annual meetings of the NORC Program. This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1. 2- Definitions of Terms.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed, provided that each application is scientifically distinct. The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time per NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.

3. 7. 4 Submission of Resubmission Application .

This means that the NIH will not accept: A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application. A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.

An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NIH Grants Policy Statement 2. 3. 9.

4 Similar, Essentially Identical, or Identical Applications ). Only institutions at which there is an ongoing, strong base of nutrition and/or obesity-related research are eligible. For new applications, at least 50% of the nutritional sciences and obesity or other related research comprising the research base must be supported with funds from Federal Agencies.

In renewal applications, the NIH-supported research base may be less than 50% due, typically, to a growing number of investigators entering nutrition and/or obesity research from other fields. Each proposed core must be utilized by a minimum of two federally-funded investigators. Section IV.

Application and Submission Information 1. Requesting an Application Package The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST or an institutional system-to-system solution. A button to apply using ASSIST is available in Part 1 of this NOFO.

See the administrative office for instructions if planning to use an institutional system-to-system solution. 2.

Content and Form of Application Submission It is critical that applicants follow the Multi-Project (M) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide , except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise (in this NOFO, in a policy notice , or other notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts ) and where instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide are directly related to the Grants.

gov downloadable forms currently used with most NIH opportunities. Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

All page limitations described in the How to Apply- Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed. Component Type for Submission Instructions for the Submission of Multi-Component Applications The following section supplements the instructions found in How to Apply- Application Guide and should be used for preparing a multi-component application.

The application should consist of the following components: Biomedical Research Cores Pilot and Feasibility Program When preparing the application, use Component Type 'Overall'. All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions, as noted. SF424(R&R) Cover (Overall) PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (Overall) Follow standard instructions.

Research & Related Other Project Information (Overall) Follow standard instructions. Follow standard instructions. Project Summary/Abstract : Describe the research focus or scientific theme(s) of the NORC and the need for a NORC to support the investigators in the research base.

Include the number of NORC members and the overall direct costs present in the research base. Provide a brief overview of the research base as it relates to the theme(s) of the NORC, as well as an overview of the biomedical research cores, the Pilot & Feasibility program, and the Scientific Catalyst program.

Project Narrative : In 1-3 sentences, describe the relevance of the research to be supported and facilitated by NORC activities (Research Cores, Pilot and Feasibility Program, and Scientific Catalyst Program) on public health. Facilities and Other Resources : Describe the existing environment and facilities briefly in the context of how the NORC will use or change existing access, space, and usage; include space maps as needed.

Scientific personnel and institutional resources capable of supporting the research base must be available. Equipment : A general listing of major, shared pieces of equipment to be used by NORC members should be provided. Note: Specific research core facilities, equipment, and special resources should be listed in each proposed biomedical research core component.

Other Attachments : The following attachments must be included with the NORC Overview to aid in the review of applications. The filename for each attachment will be the name used for the bookmark in the application image. All attachments need to be in .

pdf format. Table of NORC Research Base Investigators : (Required) Title this attachment "NORC Research Base Investigators" and organize alphabetically by investigator's last name. Include R-series, individual K-series, U-series (cooperative agreements), DP-series, R2Cs, P01s, and other similarly peer-reviewed research project grants funded through other Federal Agencies or non-federal groups.

The table must include: PI name, the active grant number(s), title(s), amount of funding (Direct Costs only) in the current year, a few descriptive sentences of the investigator's research projects, the cores that the members use, and if not readily apparent, the relevance to nutrition and obesity research.

In the research base description, include ONLY those grants awarded or subcontracted to investigators at the applicant institution or consortium, not to investigators at other locations. P&F recipients do not qualify as research base members. Progress Report Publication List (renewal applications only) : ( required , not to exceed 5 pages ) Title is attachment "Publication List".

In this attachment, list the titles and complete references for representative examples of publications attributed to core usage and manuscripts accepted for publication that have resulted from the NORC since it was last reviewed competitively. Identify the core(s) utilized in association with the publication.

Project/Performance Site Locations (Overall) A summary of Project/Performance Sites in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons compiled from data collected in the other components will be generated upon submission.

Research and Related Senior/Key Person Profile (Overall) Include only the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) and any multi-PDs/PIs (if applicable to this NOFO) for the entire application. A summary of Senior/Key Persons followed by their Biographical Sketches in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons will be generated upon submission.

The only budget information included in the Overall component is the Estimated Project Funding section of the SF424 (R&R) Cover. A budget summary in the Overall section of the assembled application image in eRA Commons compiled from detailed budget data collected in the other components will be generated upon submission.

PHS 398 Research Plan (Overall) Introduction to Application: For Resubmission and Revision applications, an Introduction to Application is required in the Overall component. Specific Aims: Describe the broad long-term objectives of the proposed NORC. Provide a brief overview of the research focus or the central theme(s) of the NORC.

The focus/theme may be broad or targeted, depending upon the goals of the Center. However, it should also be cohesive and well-articulated to ensure that the NORC will substantially advance a defined area of nutrition/obesity-related science.

Outline the existing skills and technologies available in the research base as well as other resources at the institution(s) and summarize how the NORC will enhance ongoing projects, assist in the development of new projects, respond to future opportunities, and promote collaborations leading to advances in nutrition and obesity research.

Research Strategy: The Research Strategy should include the following sections: Research Base : The research base will be evaluated and should address all of the components below. The NORC program provides a mechanism for fostering interdisciplinary cooperation within a group of established investigators conducting high quality research on nutrition/obesity and related areas.

Therefore, applicants should demonstrate the existence of a strong, substantial funded research base in nutrition/obesity or related topics and describe how that research base will benefit from the establishment of a new or continuation of an existing NORC. The quality and relevance of the research base members' grant funding to nutrition and obesity research as well as the proposed cores will be evaluated.

Membership: The applicant should state considerations for NORC membership with specific reference to the potential of members to form interactive, collaborative, and synergistic relationships. Specific membership criteria, and any affiliation categories (if applicable), should be clearly defined to better organize and facilitate the focus of the NORC's mission.

Suitable criteria for membership include, but are not limited to, peer-reviewed independent funding, participation in nutrition/obesity-related research and clear need for the use of core facilities. All research base investigators must be NORC members. Designation as a NORC member without the need for the use of core facilities must be well-justified.

Since most, if not all, of the research base will have undergone separate peer review, the quality of the individual funded projects should already be established.

The more important aspects are: (a) interactions and interrelationships of the research efforts; (b) uses and benefits of core services; (c) plans to develop productive collaborations among NORC investigators; and (d) willingness of NORC members to contribute to the overall objectives of the NORC. Collaborative activities with individuals outside of the applicant institution/consortium or between NORCs is encouraged but optional.

How any such collaboration benefits the research base can be described. Examples of benefits include more efficient use of resources by cooperating across NORCs, an augmented Scientific Catalyst program, enhanced quality/impact of the NORC's scientific output,