For more detailed information about the Common Fund planning process, including a timeline of key activities, please visit the Planning Process page.

2024-2025 Planning Activities (NEW!)

Common Fund program planning

In the spring and summer of 2024, the Common Fund gathered broad input about potentially new Common Fund programs, Venture initiatives, scientific workshops, or other activities through a Request for Information, or “RFI.” Input gathered from this RFI will be shared with Institute, Center, and Office (ICO) Directors in fall 2024, with a request for ICO Directors to develop ideas for potential new Common Fund programs. ICO Directors will discuss prioritized idea proposals in January 2025, with a decision about potential new Common Fund programs expected shortly thereafter.  

Venture initiative planning

Leveraging input from the 2023 public RFI (NOT-RM-23-013: NIH Common Fund is Soliciting Ideas for NIH-wide Challenges and Opportunities), ICO Directors submitted idea proposals for potential new Venture initiatives in early May 2024. These proposals were reviewed by the Venture Board. In July, two proposals were approved by the NIH Director.  

• Newborn Screening by Whole-Genome Sequencing (NBS X WGS Collaboratory) Demonstration Project – the aim of this initiative is to demonstrate the feasibility of a whole genome sequencing approach for newborn genetic screening, using a collaborative model for NBS X WGS across multiple states. 

• Advancing Non-Invasive Optical Approaches for Biological Systems - the aim of this initiative is to enable the development of optical systems that can noninvasively engage target regions within intact, live tissues, at temporal and spatial resolution that matches current state-of-the-art invasive approaches used in medicine and research. 

   

Planning for these initiatives is ongoing, and the scope and focus of these developing initiatives are subject to change.  

2023-2024 Planning Activities

Common Fund program planning

In 2023, the Common Fund solicited ideas for potential new Common Fund programs, initiatives, scientific workshops, or other activities through a public Request for Information (NOT-RM-23-013: NIH Common Fund is Soliciting Ideas for NIH-wide Challenges and Opportunities).Public input was shared with the NIH Institute, Center, and Office (ICO) Directors, who were invited develop program ideas for further consideration. Ideas gathered through these activities were prioritized and discussed at a Common Fund retreat with ICO Directors in January 2024.

Informed by input from ICO Directors, the NIH Director selected one idea for further development. This idea, PRecision Imaging in MEdicine with AI (PRIME-AI), aims to drive integration of biomedical imaging data with other multi-modal data types, enabling cost-effective, accessible precision medicine for a variety of diseases and conditions. Planning activities for PRIME-AI are currently underway, and the scope and focus of this developing program are subject to change.

Venture initiative planning

This round of planning also included identification and selection of the first set of Venture Program initiatives. ICO Directors developed ideas for potential Venture initiatives in fall 2023, which were reviewed by the Venture Board in late 2023. The Board recommended two initiatives for support, which the NIH Director approved. These Venture initiatives are Oculomics and SysBio.

2022-2023 Planning Activities

Common Fund program planning

In 2022, the Common Fund solicited ideas for potential new Common Fund programs, initiatives, scientific workshops, or other activities through a public Request for Information (NOT-RM-22-016: Request for Information - Soliciting ideas for new Common Fund programs<). Public input was shared with the NIH Institute, Center, and Office (ICO) Directors, who were invited develop program ideas for further consideration. Ideas gathered through these activities were prioritized and discussed at a Common Fund retreat with ICO Directors in March 2023. Informed by input from ICO Directors, the NIH Director selected one idea for further development. Further planning activities resulted in the approval of the Complement Animal Research In Experimentation (Complement-ARIE) program.