Regional Medical Libraries for the Network of the National Library of Medicine (UG4) | RFA LM 20 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA LM 20 001

The Regional Medical Libraries for the Network of the National Library of Medicine (UG4) funding opportunity (RFA-LM-20-001) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement program designed to support Regional Medical Libraries (RMLs), which serve as the backbone of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM). The NNLM is a nationwide system made up of seven regional medical libraries plus thousands of member organizations across the United States. Through this structure, the program aims to make biomedical and health information resources and data equally accessible to U.S. researchers, health professionals, the public health workforce, educators, and members of the public. In practice, the FOA is focused on strengthening the infrastructure and programming that helps people and institutions find, understand, and use trustworthy health and biomedical information.

A key point in this announcement is that RMLs are expected to operate both regionally and nationally. On the regional side, an RML is responsible for assessing the needs of current and potential audiences in its geographic area and translating those needs into practical strategies that expand the reach and impact of the National Library of Medicine (NLM). This includes building relationships with libraries and community-based organizations, identifying gaps in access or skills, and tailoring training and outreach so that NLM resources are actually usable by the intended audiences. On the national side, the seven RMLs collectively ensure continuity of essential NNLM programs and work together to design, implement, and evaluate new approaches for meeting biomedical and health information needs across diverse communities.

The FOA emphasizes that RML activities are not limited to traditional library support. The RMLs are expected to provide training, funding, and engagement opportunities that enable member libraries and partner organizations to run regional and national programs aligned with NNLM goals. This can include professional development and capacity-building for organizations that serve clinicians, researchers, public health practitioners, educators, and the general public, as well as efforts that increase awareness and use of NLM tools and data resources. The overall intent is to create a multiplier effect: RMLs support member organizations, and those member organizations then deliver information services and programming that reach local communities more effectively than a centralized model could.

Equity and reach are central themes throughout the announcement. The NNLM mission described in the FOA explicitly includes serving communities across the U.S., including people who experience health disparities and populations underrepresented in biomedical research. That framing signals an expectation that RML plans will include strategies that address uneven access to health information, differences in digital skills, and barriers faced by underserved or historically marginalized groups. In other words, success under this program is tied not just to offering information services, but to demonstrating meaningful engagement and measurable impact in communities where the gap between available information and practical access is widest.

From an administrative standpoint, the award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (UG4), which generally means substantial federal involvement compared with a standard grant. Applicants should expect a more collaborative relationship with NLM/NIH program staff, along with clearer expectations around coordination, shared priorities, and program evaluation across the RML network. The activity category is listed as education and health, and the associated CFDA number is 93.879.

Eligibility is broad within the U.S. but explicitly excludes foreign participation. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status), and other unspecified eligible entities. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicants such as 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), and related institutions that align with the program's equity and access goals. At the same time, non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed.

Important dates and identifiers included in the source information are the FOA number (RFA-LM-20-001), the creation date (June 17, 2020), and the original closing date (September 11, 2020). The summary provided does not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, which suggests those details were either unspecified in the extracted record or provided elsewhere in the full FOA documentation.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Regional Medical Libraries for the Network of the National Library of Medicine (UG4)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.879.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-06-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others.

Apply for RFA LM 20 001

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