This funding opportunity, RFA-AG-26-001, focuses on continuing core aspects of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). The study aims to understand life-course factors shaping disparities in outcomes related to aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD). This initiative seeks to leverage the existing Add Health cohort to gain insights into midlife risk and resilience factors.

Funding Opportunity Details

This is a single-source cooperative agreement, meaning only one award will be granted. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) intends to award this agreement to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The purpose is to further develop Add Health as a population-representative data resource.

The goals for Add Health Wave VII include re-interviewing participants, conducting in-home health visits, assaying blood for biomarkers, and assessing cognitive, physical, and sensory function. Additionally, the project will update mortality information and disseminate data.

The activity code for this opportunity is U01, which represents Research Project – Cooperative Agreements. This funding is intended to support biomedical, social, and behavioral research related to aging.

Key Dates and Deadlines

The Posted Date for this announcement is June 16, 2025, and the Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) is September 16, 2025. The Letter of Intent Due Date is September 17, 2025.

The Application Due Date is October 17, 2025. All applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. No late applications will be accepted.

The Earliest Start Date for this project is July 2026. The Expiration Date for this funding opportunity is October 18, 2025.

Eligibility and Application Information

Only one application per institution is allowed. This is a non-competitive funding opportunity. The funding opportunity number is RFA-AG-26-001.

Applicants must follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide. Conformance to all requirements in the Application Guide and the NOFO is strictly enforced.

Applications can be submitted through the NIH ASSIST system, an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution, or Grants.gov Workspace. Ensure you use one of these submission options to access the application forms.

Research Focus and Objectives

The primary focus is on understanding the aging process and diseases related to aging, with a specific emphasis on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD). The study aims to identify life-course factors that contribute to disparities in aging outcomes.

Key objectives include re-interviewing participants to gather data on midlife factors relevant to dementia risk, conducting in-home health visits for comprehensive assessments, and collecting venous blood samples for biomarker analysis. The study also aims to update mortality information and disseminate data for public and restricted access.

The research will involve a mixed-mode survey design to maintain sample population representation. It will also include measures that link early life factors with cognitive aging.