Experienced investigators who want to pursue a new direction in research.
New investigators who want to gather preliminary data for larger research projects such as R01 grants.

They allow a project period of up to two years and cannot be renewed. Both use electronic application.

Small Research Grants (R03)

Small grants provide investigators with limited funding for a short period of time. NIAID accepts investigator-initiated small grant applications in response to the NIH Small Research Grant Program program announcement. NIAID also issues its own small grant PAs aimed at our high-priority areas of science, which you can find at the NIH Funding Opportunities Relevant to NIAID.

Below are examples of projects suitable to a small grant.

Pilot or feasibility studies.
Secondary analysis of existing data.
Small, self-contained research projects.
Development of research methodology.
Development of new research technology.

Applicants

Submit an R03 application by Standard Due Dates for Competing Applications for investigator-initiated applications; for an Institute-specific initiative, use the due date in the funding opportunity announcement.
Request up to $50,000 a year in direct costs.
Limit your PHS 398 Research Plan form to ten pages. You may include reduced versions of relevant images.
For information on how to include publications and Appendix materials, go to If You Need an Appendix in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
Create a modular budget using the PHS 398 Modular Budget form. Foreign institutions create a detailed budget using the Research and Related Budget form.
Small grants do not have any cost-sharing requirements.
You may revise and resubmit an R03 application once. Summarize changes in an Introduction letter that does not exceed one page. Attach the letter to the Research Plan.

Exploratory/Developmental Research Grants (R21)

Exploratory/developmental grants provide investigators with funding to introduce novel scientific ideas, model systems, tools, agents, targets, and technologies that have the potential to substantially advance biomedical research.

NIAID accepts R21 applications in response to the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award program announcement for investigator-initiated projects and may also issue its own funding opportunity announcements.

Applicants

Submit an R21 application by Standard Due Dates for Competing Applications for investigator-initiated applications; for an NIAID-specific announcement, use the due date in the funding opportunity announcement.
Request up to $275,000 in direct costs for a two-year period, with no more than $200,000 in a single year.
Limit your PHS 398 Research Plan form to 15 pages. You may include reduced versions of relevant images.
For information on how to include publications and Appendix materials, go to If You Need an Appendix in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
Create a modular budget using the PHS 398 Modular Budget form. Foreign institutions create a detailed budget using the Research and Related Budget form.
Exploratory/developmental grants do not have any cost sharing requirements.
You may revise and resubmit an R21 application once. Summarize changes in an Introduction letter that does not exceed one page. Attach the letter to the Research Plan.

Contacts

DAIDS: Nabila Wassef, nwassef@mail.nih.gov, 301-435-3751

DAIT: Alison Deckhut-Augustine, ad122x@nih.gov, 301-496-7551

DEA: Patricia Haggerty, haggertp@nih.gov, 301-451-2615

DMID: Samuel Perdue, sperdue@mail.nih.gov, 301-402-5083

CIPRA program: Rodney Hoff, rf25v@nih.gov, 301-496-6179

For funding opportunity announcements, contact the program officer listed in announcements.

If you have knowledge to share or want more information on this topic, email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.

Links

NIAID's Grant Application portal

NIAID's CIPRA Web page

NIAID Funding Policy and Process SOP

NIH Guide, Notice of Change in Number of Revisions of Small Grant Applications, April 29, 2005

NIH Guide, Requirement for Detailed Budget Submissions for All Competing Grant Applications from Foreign Institutions, August 23, 2006

Program Announcements SOP

Requests for Applications SOP

Small and Exploratory/Developmental Research Grants questions and answers

Look It Up

See the Glossary for terms.