Learn more about NIH research funding programs .
For most NIH programs, there are three funding cycles per year.
There are two main types of NIH research funding opportunities:
- Investigator initiated research is the most common NIH funding opportunity. The R01 is the NIH’s main funding mechanism . In general it has no specific program requirements or topics, but research plans must relate to the stated program interests of one or more of the NIH Institutes and Centers – based on their missions.
- NIH solicited targeted research opportunities offer funding for research on specific topics identified by the NIH Institutes. Principle Investigators design their own projects, but are limited to the topics specified in the Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA). You can get notification of new programs by email subscribing here .
NIH Funding Eligibility Information
Each funding announcement specifies the eligibility criteria for applicants in Section III of each Funding Opportunity Announcement. You can review a sample FOA here to familiarize yourself with the format.
NIH Grants Resources
Information on funding opportunities, policies and assistance with preparing funding applications in three areas:
- Grants & Funding Opportunities : NIH’s central resource for grants and funding information including how to apply.
- Sample Grant Applications and Summary Statements: These sample statements provide information on the review criteria and on features that the reviewers are looking for. The sample grant applications provide information on the content and style of successful applications.
- Grant Activity Codes : NIH has numerous funding mechanisms. The link provides descriptions of each of the different funding mechanisms. You should identify the most appropriate type of grant for your area of research.
NIH Visiting Program
Programs for Postdoctoral fellowships and scientist’s research opportunities at NIH laboratories can be divided into two categories of Visiting Program participants: Visiting Fellows, who receive awards for research training, and Visiting Scientists who receive appointments to conduct research.
Postdoctoral visiting fellows training at NIH
The postdoctoral community at the NIH is large (approximately 4,000 strong) and vibrant. Trainees come from across the U.S. and around the world. Recent doctoral degree recipients can enhance their research skills in the resource-rich National Institutes of Health (NIH) environment, which consists of more than 1200 laboratories/research projects. U.S. and non U.S. citizens can be appointed as “Visiting Fellows.” Click here for a list of currently available postdoctoral positions . There are additional resources on how to find an NIH mentor and finding your perfect postdoc experience . You can also contact NIH researchers directly.
Visiting Scientist at NIH
Visiting Scientists are foreign national scientists appointed to full-time positions conducting biomedical research. They are considered NIH employees, receive a salary, and depending on the length of appointment, receive most of the benefits available to employees of the U.S. Government. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact NIH investigators with whom they would like to work directly as no official calls for applicants are made.
Strategies and Tools for Developing Research Collaboration with U.S. Scientists
Many NIH funding opportunities are open to foreign scientists under NIH policies . Foreign applicants can apply as Principle Investigators (PIs) for “Foreign Grants” or as collaborators with U.S. Scientists under the “Domestic Grants with Foreign Components” category, wherein the funding is shared with the U.S. partner. Applications in the latter category typically enjoy a higher funding success rate.
In addition to utilizing your personal and professional connections made at conference, two NIH tools – RePORT and PubMed – can be utilized to identify potential collaborators.
NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT)
- RePORT can be used to identify potential NIH-funded collaborators. Use the RePORT “TEXT SEARCH” function to identify funded grants on specific topics or keywords. Results include links to the grant’s abstract, PI name, and Awardee Organization.
- RePORT function “similar” can be used to identify similar projects within your search results
- The RePORT “matchmaker” tool identifies similar projects based on text entered and provides information regarding these grants.
- RePORT search can also be used to narrow the list of potential collaborators to specific U.S. states or other countries.
NIH PubMed also can be used to identify potential NIH-funded collaborators:
- Including the term NIH[gr] in the search limits the search to papers citing NIH funding.
- Including in the search the name of the state or country (e.g. California[ad] or Germany[ad]), or an institution (e.g., Davis[ad]) limits the search to papers published by authors in a specific geographic location
Strategies and Tools for Developing NIH Grant Proposals
Resources (PDF 85 KB) to help you to write a successful application: Writing a proposal is very challenging and there are several resources to help you to write a successful application including:
- Strategies to prepare your application.
- The NIH Center for Scientific Review (which manages the award review process) provides information on planning, writing, and submitting grant proposals. It is essential to understand the review perspectives and criteria when writing the application.
- The Specific Aims section is probably the most vital part of any NIH grant application, there are several suggestions on writing effective specific aims.
- Preliminary results are an essential and critical element for most NIH funding mechanisms. Even in mechanisms, such as R21 , which do not require preliminary results, they are useful.
- Including a cover letter can help direct your application to the most appropriate study section and program.
NIH International Research Support Resources
- Fogarty International Center (FIC) : The FIC is dedicated to advancing the mission of the NIH by supporting and facilitating global health research conducted by U.S. and international investigators, building partnerships between health research institutions in the U.S. and abroad, and training the next generation of scientists to address global health needs.
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Global Research: NIAID explores opportunities with researchers and organizations across the globe to focus research on the specific needs of each region and country. The primary goal is to prevent, treat, and cure diseases in these regions and further understanding of how to manage these diseases at home.
- Center for Global Health (CGH): The National Cancer Institute (NCI) established the Center for Global Health (CGH) in 2011 to help NCI-designated cancer centers, and low- and middle-income countries engage in cancer control planning, build capacity, and support cancer research networks.
- Global Cancer Project Map (GCPM) of the CGH : The Global Cancer Project Map promotes collaboration, knowledge sharing, and identification of gaps in cancer research and cancer control. The GCPM highlights a variety of cancer projects, from basic research to population-based research, to capacity building and training projects. Users are able to search for projects by a variety criteria as well as overlay key cancer statistics on project maps.
Experimental Clinical Trials
Experimental clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center
People from other countries can participate in clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center if they meet specific medical eligibility requirements of the study. There is no charge for medical care received at the NIH Clinical Center. Please note U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents have priority for participation in these trials, and all non U.S. resident participants must pay for their own travel and lodging while they are in the United States.
