FrontMatter -- Independent Report Reviewers -- Preface -- Acronyms and Abbreviations -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Boxes -- Executive Summary -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Current Use of Center Awards -- 3 Initiation and Management of Center Programs -- 4 Criteria for Establishing Center Programs -- 5 Evaluation of Center Programs -- 6 Closing Comments and Thoughts About the Future -- Appendixes -- A NIH Center Programs -- B Biographical Sketches of Committee and Staff -- C NIH Research Award Activity Codes and Their Definitions -- D NIH Program Planning Process -- E Justifications for Center Programs Used in Recent RFAs and PAs -- F Summary of Selected Center Program Evaluations Previously Conducted by NIH.