See if your research fits NIH's mission: to create fundamental knowledge about living systems and apply that knowledge to reduce human illness and disability.

Learn more about NIH.

• Facts to Know Before You Do Anything in Start Here to Use the Strategy for NIH Funding.
• NIH's About NIH.

NIH has 27 institutes and centers, each with its own research focus. See where your research might fit.

• Look at institute mission statements.
• Look at research an institute solicits through funding opportunity announcements.
• Scan funded applications.
• For institute Web sites, go to NIH's Institutes, Centers, and Offices.
• Contact program officers in institutes that best match your research interests to inquire about potential topics for an application.

Learn more about us at About NIAID and our Health and Research Topics.

• We conduct and support basic and applied research into infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases affecting humans.

 
What Funding May You Qualify For? in Part 1

Find opportunities.

• NIAID
  • NIAID Funding Opportunities List—published opportunities
  • Concepts: Potential Opportunities—new scientific directions
• NIH—NIH Guide announcements
  • Requests for Applications
  • Program Announcements
  • Parent Program Announcements for Unsolicited or Investigator-Initiated Applications
• Federal government-wide—Grants.gov

Find funded projects.

• NIH RePORTER
• Community of Science

Go to the Glossary for definitions of the terms used above.

Our Advice

Steps to Determine Eligibility in What Funding May You Qualify For? in Part 1

Talk to an NIAID program officer—go to Contact Staff for Help in Start Here to Use the Strategy for NIH Funding.

Check the Eligibility Information section of the NIH Guide announcement that is part of each NIH funding opportunity announcement.

Small business awards have their own eligibility requirements.

For foreign investigators, also see Are you a foreign national or is your research or institution not in the U.S.? below.

Just the Facts

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Grants SOP

Requirements for Foreign Investigators, Projects, and Institutions in What Funding May You Qualify For? in Part 1

Definition: funding opportunity announcement (FOA)

Our Advice

Steps to Determine Eligibility in What Funding May You Qualify For? in Part 1

While most research grants have few eligibility requirements for the investigator, keep the following in mind.

• NIH supports many grant types for scientists with different research needs and at various career stages.
  • Read more in the resources at right and sections below "Are you working in a small business?" and "Are you seeking training or career support?"
• For an independent award, peer reviewers expect to see a certain level of achievement. Find the basic threshold at Ready for Independent Support? in Part 1.
• Your institution may have its own requirements for who can apply for independent funding.
• Grants that have NIH eligibility requirements for the investigator include training and career awards.

For foreign investigators, also see Are you a foreign national or is your research or institution not in the U.S.? below.

If you are unsure about your eligibility, contact an NIH program officer.

Just the Facts

What Funding May You Qualify For? in Part 1

Choose the Grant in Part 2

Grants portals—"Audiences" header

R01 Parent Program Announcement

Our Advice

Ready for Independent Support? in Part 1

Choose the Grant in Part 2

To find an NIAID program officer—go to Contact Staff for Help in Start Here to Use the Strategy for NIH Funding.

New and early-stage investigators applying for a first R01 qualify for higher paylines and possibly special funding, and peer reviewers have different expectations.

Know the rules.

• To qualify as an NIH new investigator for an R01 (the basic research project grant), you cannot have been a principal investigator on a major NIH grant that you applied for.
• For a list of exceptions, go to NIH's Definition of a New Investigator.

To qualify as an early-stage investigator (a subset of new investigator) you must be within 10 years of either of the following:

• Terminal research degree.
• Medical residency or equivalent.

Just the Facts

New Investigator Guide to NIH Funding

• What's an R01?
• Are You "New"?

New and Early-Stage Investigators portal

Definitions

• payline
• principal investigator (PI)
• R01

Our Advice

New Investigator Guide to NIH Funding

• Are You "New"?
• What Award Should You Apply For?

Checklist for New Investigators

Know that you do not need U.S. citizenship or resident status to become a grantee institution or principal investigator for most grants (exceptions include small business awards, fellowships, training grants, and career awards).

To determine whether you are eligible to apply, check the Eligibility Information section of the NIH Guide announcement for your funding opportunity announcement (FOA).

If you are a foreign national planning to work at a U.S. institution, make sure you have a work visa.

If you wish to conduct research outside the U.S., it must include talent, resources, populations, or other resources not found here.

If you are working in a foreign organization, you have more steps to register for electronic application. Go to NIH's Foreign Grants—Electronic Submission.

If you are working with select agents, know the rules—read the information under the first sublink at right.

Go to the NIAID International Awards portal for resources and contact information for foreign grantees.

For more information, use these NIH resources:

• Foreign Grants Information—explains processes, policies, and resources for foreign applicants.
• Foreign Grants—Foreign Specific Programs—shows which grants allow or don't allow foreign applicants.
• NIH Visiting Program—explains how foreign scientists can train and collaborate at NIH.

 
Requirements for Foreign Investigators, Projects, and Institutions in What Funding May You Qualify For? in Part 1

Foreign and International Grants and Components SOP

Foreign Workers on NIH Awards SOP

International Awards questions and answers

Grants Policy and Management Training for Foreign Investigators—how to manage an international grant

Our Advice

Talk to an NIAID program officer—go to Contact Staff for Help in Start Here to Use the Strategy for NIH Funding

Find more contacts on the NIAID International Awards portal

For-profit businesses may apply for most types of NIH grants. To check, read the Eligibility Information section of the NIH Guide announcement for your funding opportunity announcement (FOA).

Look into NIH's special grant programs for small businesses.

• SBIR—2.5 percent of NIH's extramural budget
• STTR—0.3 percent of NIH's extramural budget

Go to our Small Business Awards portal to read about qualifying as a small business and steps to take to apply for funding.

To learn more, read the program announcements and the advice presentations in the right column.

For application and submission information, read the instructions in the parent program announcements listed at right.

Find a partner at our SHIFT Connector: Bringing Business Jobs to Academic Investigators.

Learn our priorities at NIAID Small Business High-Priority Areas of Interest, and get other information on our Small Business Awards portal.

Just the Facts

Program announcements

• SBIR—R43, R44 Parent Program Announcement
• STTR—R41, R42 Parent Program Announcement

Instructions: SF 424 Application Guide - Adobe Forms

NIAID's Small Business Awards portal

Definitions

• small business award
• Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
• Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)

Our Advice

Advice Presentations for SBIR and STTR

Get help: contact Gregory Milman

See which award may be appropriate for you.

• Support by Career Stage—M.D.
• Support by Career Stage—Ph.D.

Know that all training, fellowship, and career awards require U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status except the K99/R00 (we make very few of those awards).

Find program announcements and other information on these pages.

• Career Development Awards
• Fellowships
• Institutional Research Training Grants

Explore other ways of finding work on a grant.

• Get hired directly by the principal investigator.
• If you qualify, a PI could apply for a supplement to hire you.
• Ask your institution about becoming a trainee on a training grant.

Get help by emailing our Office of Research Training and Special Programs at AITrainingHelpDesk@niaid.nih.gov.

Find more resources on our Training and Career portal.

In NIH intramural divisions, the NIH Visiting Program has opportunities for foreign scientists to train at and collaborate with NIH.

Also check out:

• NIH's Research and Training
• NIH Research Training and Research Career Development
  • Extramural Training Mechanisms
  • Intramural information
  • Career Resources

Facts and Advice in our Advice on Research Training and Career Awards tutorial.

Career Development Awards (K)—support Ph.D.s and clinicians seeking further training in biomedical research. Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00) SOP.

Fellowship Grants (F)—provide research experience to students and scientists at various stages of their careers.

Loan Repayment Programs—repay qualifying educational debt of M.D.s and some other doctoral-level professionals.

Research Supplements (diversity, primary caregiver, and reentry to a scientific career)—add funds to existing grants. To work on a grant, talk to the principal investigator.

Training Grants (T)—support prominent investigators who can lead a training program. If you want to become a trainee, contact your institution about opportunities.

Our Advice

Not Ready for Independent Support? in Part 1