The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $12 million grant to nonprofit research institution RTI International to support research teams across 11 U.S. states in developing programs to improve awareness of COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research among underserved minority communities.

The research teams have been established as part of the NIH’s Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities program. The CEAL research teams will focus on developing a community outreach program across racial minority communities, including African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos and American Indians. Programs will be initially developed in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.