Program Project Grants/Center Grants (P)

Supports a broadly based, multidisciplinary, often long-term research program which has a specific major objective or a basic theme.
Generally involves the organized efforts of relatively large groups, members of which are conducting research projects designed to elucidate the various aspects or components of this objective.
A program project is directed toward a range of problems having a central research focus, in contrast to the usually narrower thrust of the traditional research project. Each project supported through this mechanism should contribute or be directly related to the common theme of the total research effort.

Supports shared resources and facilities for categorical research by a number of investigators from different disciplines who provide a multidisciplinary approach to a joint research effort or from the same discipline who focus on a common research problem.

Supports any part of the full range of research and development from very basic to clinical.
May involve ancillary supportive activities such as protracted patient care necessary to the primary research or R&D effort.
These grants differ from program project grants in that they are usually developed in response to an announcement of the programmatic needs of an Institute or Division.