The NIH has announced a new opportunity for organizations interested in helping engage volunteers in the All of Us Research Program, part of the Precision Medicine Initiative. This funding opportunity, open to national and regional organizations, as well as local community groups, will support activities to promote enrollment and retention in the All of Us Research Program across diverse communities.

All of Us is an ambitious effort to gather data over time from 1 million or more people living in the U.S., with the ultimate goal of accelerating research and improving health. Unlike research studies that are focused on a specific disease or population, All of Us will serve as a national research resource to inform thousands of studies, covering a wide variety of health conditions. Researchers will use data from the program to learn more about how individual differences in lifestyle, environment and biological make-up can influence health and disease. By taking part, people will be able to learn more about their own health and contribute to an effort that will advance the health of generations to come. NIH plans to launch the program later this year.

“We want the All of Us community to be as diverse as our country, so that the knowledge we gain from the research will benefit everyone—including groups that haven’t been well represented in biomedical research before,” said Eric Dishman, director of the All of Us Research Program at NIH. “Many organizations have expressed interest in working with us to spread the word. This opportunity will support grassroots efforts across the country, which are critical to the program’s success.”

Pending available funds, NIH is designating up to $5 million per year over the next three years to support these community-led outreach efforts, to complement the program’s existing research and engagement infrastructure. Eligible organizations include nonprofits, other community- and faith-based organizations, minority-serving institutions and local governments, among others.

Applicants must submit their proposed strategy for helping educate community members or health care providers about All of Us, whether through special events, trainings, communication programs or other activities. Applicants must also include a funding proposal tied to specific outreach goals. Applications are due on March 24, 2017, and NIH plans to issue awards in May 2017.

In addition to conducting their engagement activities, awardees will provide input on program plans and share feedback about community needs.

“No one has tried to build a research community before that includes this many people from so many different walks of life, and we’re excited to try out new approaches, learning and making improvements as we go,” said Stephanie Devaney, Ph.D., deputy director of All of Us. “Our plan is to start small and build a national network of partners over time, all energized by the prospect of making real improvements to health over the long term.”

NIH will hold an informational webinar on February 10 for people interested in learning more.