Small Grants for New Investigators to Broaden Participation in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 25 097

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 097

The NIH funding opportunity PAR-25-097, titled "Small Grants for New Investigators to Broaden Participation in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)," is designed to help new investigators from diverse backgrounds launch independent research careers through small, focused projects. The main aim is to broaden participation in biomedical and health-related research by supporting investigators, including those from groups that are nationally underrepresented in biomedical research, as they build an initial track record of NIH-relevant research. The projects funded under this program are intended to be manageable in scope, completed in a relatively short timeframe, and feasible with limited resources, which makes the award a practical bridge between early career development and larger, independent research funding.

This NOFO is anchored in the scientific mission areas of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), along with participating NIH Institutes and Centers. In practical terms, that means applications should align with NIDDK-related science, which commonly includes research connected to diabetes, obesity and metabolism, digestive diseases, liver diseases, nutrition, kidney and urologic diseases, and related clinical and translational topics. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation means applicants may propose studies that do or do not involve a clinical trial, depending on what best fits the research question and approach, as long as the proposal meets NIH definitions and requirements for human subjects research when applicable.

A key eligibility feature is that the program targets "new investigators" who, at the time of award, have had relatively limited prior research support. Specifically, to qualify as a new investigator under this NOFO, the applicant must have less than $125,000 in direct costs of combined research funding. Importantly, NIH training awards and NIH career development awards are excluded from that calculation, so prior support through those mechanisms typically does not disqualify someone. This requirement is meant to focus resources on investigators who are still early in establishing independently funded research programs, while giving them a clear pathway to generate preliminary data, publish findings, develop methods, or demonstrate feasibility for a future, larger grant.

The award uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory and developmental research. R21 projects are typically smaller and more targeted than standard R01 projects and are often used to test new ideas, gather preliminary evidence, or develop tools that can support a stronger, subsequent application. Under this NOFO, the R21 can support several common project types: pilot and feasibility studies that test whether a research approach is workable; secondary analysis of existing datasets to produce new insights without the time and cost of new data collection; small, self-contained research efforts that answer a focused question; development of research methodology, such as improving measurement, study design, or analytic strategies; and development of new research technology, which can include tools or approaches that make research more effective or open up new lines of inquiry.

From a budgeting standpoint, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $125,000. That ceiling aligns with the program's intent to fund modest, high-impact projects that are likely to produce concrete outputs such as preliminary data, proof-of-concept results, validated methods, or early-stage technologies. While the NOFO description emphasizes limited resources, applicants still need to propose a rigorous plan with clear milestones and outcomes that are appropriate for the R21 scale and timeline.

Eligibility for applicant organizations is broad and includes many common U.S. research and community settings. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The NOFO also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories that align with the program's participation-broadening goals, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. U.S. territories or possessions are also included among eligible applicant types.

At the same time, the NOFO places clear limits on non-U.S. involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S.-based applicant can include certain defined international elements in the project when scientifically justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though a foreign organization cannot be the main applicant.

Administratively, the funding opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health and falls under the broad activity area of health, with linkages to food and nutrition and related health research categories. The listing includes CFDA numbers 93.172, 93.286, and 93.847. The opportunity was created on January 8, 2025, and shows an original closing date of January 7, 2028, indicating that applications may be accepted across multiple receipt dates during that period as specified in the full NOFO. Overall, the program is best understood as a targeted on-ramp: it helps new investigators who have had limited prior research dollars conduct a well-scoped project in NIDDK mission areas, generate credible outputs, and strengthen their competitiveness for the next stage of independent research funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Grants for New Investigators to Broaden Participation in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.172, 93.286, 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-01-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-01-07.
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $125,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 25 097

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