Limited Competition: Tribal Institutional Review Board Establishment and Enhancement (TIRBEE)

The Tribal Institutional Review Board Establishment and Enhancement (TIRBEE) program is a limited‑competition NIH funding opportunity that enables federally‑recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribes, tribal colleges/universities, tribal health programs, or consortia thereof to create or strengthen Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) for biomedical research involving human participants in tribal communities. The award will build capacity, develop governance structures, provide training, and support ongoing IRB operations to ensure ethical oversight of research. Applications are peer‑reviewed and only meritorious proposals will be funded. • Eligible applicants: federally‑recognized AI/AN tribes, tribal colleges/universities, tribal health programs, tribal organizations, or consortia of these entities. • Funding instrument: Grant (CFDA 93.859 – Biomedical Research and Research Training). • Estimated application deadline: May 25, 2027; award expected April 1, 2028; project start same date. • No cost‑sharing required. • Primary contact: NIGMS TIRBEE Program (email provided). • Purpose: Expand IRB review and oversight capabilities within tribal jurisdictions to support ethical human‑subjects research.