Join the NOURISH Autoimmunity Challenge

Integrating nutrition in autoimmune research

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) invites you to join the NOURISH Autoimmunity Challenge, a national crowdsourcing competition designed to spark innovative ideas that integrate diet and nutrition into autoimmune disease research.

Autoimmune diseases affect millions of Americans, yet the role of nutrition in their onset, progression, and management remains underexplored. Through NOURISH, we seek bold, community-driven ideas that can transform research and improve lives.

With up to $150,000 in total prizes, your ideas could help reimagine how diet and nutrition are studied in autoimmune disease.

Key Dates

Who Should Participate

This challenge is open to:

Science belongs to everyone. We welcome all voices and experiences to shape the future of autoimmune disease research.

Informational Webinar

Watch the recording below to learn about the NOURISH Autoimmunity Challenge, key dates, and how to get involved.

Join Our Office Hours!

Join the Office Hours to ask questions, get feedback, and discuss your progress directly with the NIH and Ensemble Challenge team. We can help you walk through the registration and submission process and provide clarity on the Challenge submission requirements to ensure your work is well aligned with the goals of the Challenge. There is no need to register, simply join and leave as your schedule permits during the hours below.

Please see the details for the two sessions below and save to your calendar.

NIH NOURISH Challenge: Office Hours #1

Date & Time: Monday, November 24, 10:00 – 11:00 am ET
Join Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84510061047

NIH NOURISH Challenge: Office Hours #2

Date & Time: Monday, December 1, 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Join Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82479426655

If you are unable to attend either of these sessions but would like to talk to the NIH and Ensemble Challenge team, feel free to reach out to OADRinfo@nih.gov to request a meeting.

What We’re Looking For

We invite submissions that explore:

The role of diet in autoimmune disease onset

How nutrition impacts disease progression and flares

The potential of diet in managing symptoms

Successful ideas will be

innovative, feasible, scalable, and patient-centered.

$10,000

Up to 15 prizes of $10,000 each may be awarded

How to Get Involved

01

Learn about the challenge and ask questions.

02

Complete the Registration Microsoft Form and sign up for a user account on Challenge.gov.

03

Design Your Solution

Develop your innovative idea.

04

Submit by December 4, 2025

Upload your package on Challenge.gov.

Your submission must include:

Your narrative must cover:

Scope of Idea and Scientific Rationale

Explanation of the idea including the proposed dietary or nutritional intervention and the background to support this intervention. The scientific rationale for the proposed intervention and measured autoimmune or immune system outcomes should be well-described with rigorous outcome measures identified.

Team description and community engagement

Description of Submitting Individual, Team, or Entity and Community Engagement in the ideation process: Description of the submitting individual, team, or entity. Description of the engagement of interdisciplinary experience or expertise including perspectives from individuals living with autoimmune disease(s), patient advocacy groups, physicians, allied health professionals, scientists and caregivers.

Potential impact

Description of the potential impact of the proposed idea or the dietary or nutritional intervention on people living with autoimmune diseases.

Feasibility

Description of how the proposed idea or intervention is designed to advance autoimmune disease research and how it might be scaled to broader autoimmune disease populations.

Idea Innovation

Description of the novelty and innovation of the proposed idea and approach.

Judging

Judges will evaluate ideas based on the following criteria

All criteria are weighted equally

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NOURISH: Autoimmunity Challenge?

The NOURISH: Autoimmunity Challenge is an NIH-led prize competition to crowdsource innovative ideas on how to integrate diet and nutrition into autoimmune disease research.

Who can participate?

The NOURISH: Autoimmunity Challenge is open to everyone, including:

People living with and at risk for autoimmunity
Advocacy Groups
Caregivers
Organizations
Scientists
Healthcare professionals
Dieticians and nutritionists

Eligible participants must be:

U.S. citizens or permanent residents
U.S.-based entities (companies, nonprofits, universities, etc.)

Federal employees (acting in official capacity), NIH staff, and Challenge judges may not participate. See Challenge Rules for full eligibility details.

What is the prize purse?

NIH will award up to $150,000 in total prizes. It is anticipated that up to 15 prizes of $10,000 each may be awarded.

How do I register?

You must register by logging into www.challenge.gov and completing and electronically submitting the Challenge Registration Form. Applications that have not completed the Challenge Registration Form will not be judged.

What should my submission include?

Submit a Challenge Registration Form through the Microsoft Form, and submit a PDF narrative (max 6 pages, English, 11-pt Calibri, 1-inch margins) through the NOURISH: Autoimmunity Challenge page. The narrative must cover: (1) scope and scientific rationale, (2) submitter and community engagement, (3) potential impact, (4) feasibility, and (5) innovation. Upload via Challenge.gov by December 4, 2025, following the portal steps to attach your file and certify the rules before submitting.

Full submission requirements can be found on NOURISH: Autoimmunity Challenge page under the “How to Enter” tab.

How do I submit?

Step 1: Go to www.challenge.gov
Step 2: Find the NOURISH: Autoimmunity Challenge and read the instructions
Step 3: Submit the Challenge Registration Form
Step 4: Build your team
Step 5: Brainstorm and Collaborate on your Ideas
Step 6: Write your Submission Narrative
Step 7: Upload your Submission Package to www.challenge.gov

How will submissions be judged?

Judges will evaluate ideas, equally weighting each of these criterion:

Understanding of the Problem and Scientific Rationale
Engagement
Potential Impact
Feasibility
Innovation

Full judging criteria can be found on NOURISH: Autoimmunity Challenge under the “Judging” tab.

What happens after submission?

Entries will be judged by a group of judges. All criteria will be weighted equally.

Judging Period: January – February 2026
Winners Announced: March 2026

Where can I learn more?

Read the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Autoimmune Disease Research
Contact us at OADRinfo@nih.gov with additional questions.

Does the 6 pages include references?

Answer: Yes. The six-page limit for the concept paper submission includes any references, appendices, figures, and tables. All content must fit within this constraint.

How should I name the file when submitting it to Challenge.gov?

Answer: Use the same participant’s name that you use on the registration form (i.e. Entity, Individual or Team leader) as follows:

- EntityName_Title_NOURISHchallenge_entry.pdf
- IndividualName_Title_NOURISHchallenge_entry.pdf
- TeamLeaderName_Title_NOURISHchallenge_entry.pdf

For example: AutoImmuneResearchCenter_GreatIdea_NOURISHchallenge_entry.pdf for an Entity, or: DoeJane_GreatIdea_NOURISHchallenge_entry.pdf for an Individual or Team.

Please also include your Entity, Individual or Team Leader’s name and proposal title in the pdf document, so that we can correctly link your registration and submission.

What is the difference between this challenge and a typical NIH grant submission?

The NOURISH Challenge is an ideation prize competition, which means you submit a concept paper (an idea you believe should be tested and why it represents an important and impactful question). Challenge Prizes are awarded for the best concepts based on the judging criteria outlined. There are no expectations of implementation plans or for describing how the prize money would be spent. In contrast, NIH Grants (like R01s) require you to submit a research proposal outlining the work you plan to do in the future with the awarded funds, including a detailed research plan and budget justification. Funding is then awarded to perform that proposed work.

The NOURISH challenge seeks innovative ideas to shape future research on nutrition and autoimmune diseases.

Can I apply as an international participant?

Answer: No.

Eligibility for this challenge is limited to United States citizens and permanent residents, or entities incorporated in and maintaining a primary place of business in the U.S. Non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents may participate as a member of a team that otherwise satisfies the eligibility criteria. Please carefully review the detailed eligibility rules here (https://www.challenge.gov/?challenge=nourish-autoimmunity-challenge&tab=rules).

To be eligible to win a prize under this Challenge, a participant registering on behalf of themselves or a group must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or register as a U.S.-based entity. Non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents may participate as a member of a team that otherwise satisfies the eligibility criteria. Please carefully review the detailed eligibility rules here (https://www.challenge.gov/?challenge=nourish-autoimmunity-challenge&tab=rules).

What if I made a mistake with the registration form?

Answer: Email us at oadrinfo@nih.gov and submit a new registration so we can track your registration and submission.

Can I submit multiple concept papers?

Answer: Yes.

Participants may submit more than one concept paper for this challenge, but as with everything in life, quality matters more than quantity!

Can I submit as both a team and as an individual on more than 1 application?

Answer: Yes.

A participant may be listed on multiple submissions, as the lead individual applicant or as a member of a team.

Accessibility and Inclusion

We are committed to making this challenge accessible to all. Materials are Section 508-compliant. If you need additional accommodations or assistance, please contact us at oadrinfo@nih.gov.

Challenge is powered by Ensemble under Contract with the NASA Tournament Lab & National Institutes of Health

Office of Autoimmune Disease Research (OADR-ORWH)