During its first period from 2004 to 2010, the Center for Integration of Research on Genetics and Ethics (CIRGE) was supported by a grant sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Funding was provided by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

For its second period from 2010 to 2015, CIRGE received a competitive grant renewal sponsored by the NIH. Funding is provided by NHGRI.

NHGRI's ELSI Research Program was established in 1990 as an integral part of the Human Genome Project to foster basic and applied research and to support education and outreach activities. The program, which is part of NHGRI's Division of Extramural Research, funds and manages studies related to the ethical, legal and social implications of genetic and genomic research. It also supports workshops, research consortia and policy conferences related to such topics. This program represents the world's largest bioethics initiative, and as such, it has been a model for ELSI programs around the world.