National Coordinating Center (NCC) for AHRQs Healthcare Extension Service - State-based Solutions to Healthcare Improvement (U54) | RFA HS 24 006

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HS 24 006

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is soliciting applications for a National Coordinating Center (NCC) under a U54 cooperative agreement as part of its Healthcare Extension Service initiative, focused on state-based solutions to healthcare improvement. The basic idea is to create a national hub that helps multiple state-based partners strengthen how they spread and implement proven, actionable healthcare knowledge in real-world settings. Rather than funding individual improvement projects directly, this opportunity centers on building the backbone infrastructure that supports, connects, and guides the broader Healthcare Extension Service portfolio so that state efforts are consistent, practical, and scalable.

The NCC is expected to deliver support across four major service areas. First, it will provide technical assistance, meaning hands-on guidance to participating state-based extension cooperatives to help them plan, launch, and sustain implementation activities, troubleshoot barriers, use evidence effectively, and build operational capacity. Second, the NCC will develop and run learning networks that allow participating teams to learn from one another through structured peer exchange, shared problem solving, training events, communities of practice, and other mechanisms that speed up adoption of what works. Third, the NCC will lead communications and dissemination, translating lessons learned into clear materials, products, and messaging that can be shared across sites and with broader audiences, helping successful approaches spread beyond the original participants. Fourth, it will provide leadership and project management, which includes coordinating timelines, aligning expectations across partners, supporting governance, managing cross-site collaboration, and maintaining steady communication with AHRQ so the overall program stays on track and delivers usable outputs.

A key feature of this grant is that the NCC will not operate in isolation; it must work closely with AHRQ and with awardees from two related funding opportunities. Those include (1) the State-based Healthcare Extension Cooperatives to Accelerate Implementation of Actionable Knowledge into Practice (U19), which are the state or regional entities doing the on-the-ground extension work, and (2) the National Evaluation Center (NEC) (also under a U19 mechanism), which will assess performance and outcomes across the initiative. In practice, the NCC is positioned as the connector and operational coordinator among implementation teams (the cooperatives), evaluators (the NEC), and the federal sponsor (AHRQ), helping create shared tools, shared learning, consistent reporting approaches, and coordinated dissemination so the initiative functions like a coherent national program rather than a set of disconnected projects.

The funding opportunity is titled "National Coordinating Center (NCC) for AHRQ's Healthcare Extension Service - State-based Solutions to Healthcare Improvement (U54)," with Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HS-24-006. It is a discretionary opportunity using a cooperative agreement funding instrument, which typically means AHRQ anticipates substantial involvement in the conduct of the program, including strategic collaboration and ongoing coordination. The activity category is Health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.226. The original application closing date is November 25, 2024, and the opportunity was created on September 26, 2024. While the listing references an award ceiling and expected awards fields, those values are not provided in the source text you shared.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental entities, such as state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The opportunity also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the announcement is clear that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible.

Overall, this NOFO is aimed at establishing a central national organization that can make a multi-state healthcare improvement effort run smoothly by providing practical support, building shared learning structures, ensuring strong communication and dissemination, and supplying steady program leadership and management. The NCC role is to help state-based extension cooperatives implement actionable evidence more effectively and consistently, while working in tandem with a national evaluation partner and AHRQ to capture lessons learned and spread successful approaches.

• The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Coordinating Center (NCC) for AHRQs Healthcare Extension Service - State-based Solutions to Healthcare Improvement (U54)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.226.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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