Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for Mentored Research Career Development Award Recipients (R03) (Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

Updated Oct 20, 2026

Grant from the National Institutes of Health, open to small businesses. Closes Jul 16, 2029, 1000 days left.

Opportunity number	PAR-27-074
Agency	National Institutes of Health
Funding type	Grant
Field	Health
Cost sharing or matching	Not required
Assistance listing	93.846
Posted	May 28, 2026
Closes	Jul 16, 2029 (1000 days left)
Add the deadline to	Google Calendar

Who can apply

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 and Indian housing authorities
Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
For-profit organizations other than small businesses
Small businesses
Others (see the eligibility notes)

Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility.Foreign Organizations/International Collaborations:Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.

Description

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) announces a program that provides NIAMS-supported K01, K08, K23, and K25 recipients the opportunity to apply for the Small Grant (R03) during the second to fourth year of their K award, as well as to provide support to recipients of significant career development awards from federal or non-federal organizations that are focused on the NIAMS' mission areas.

Through this mechanism, which allows up to $50,000 direct costs per year for up to two years, the NIAMS is seeking to enhance the capability of scientists to conduct research as they transition to fully independent investigator. The R03 grant mechanism allows support of different types of projects, including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology.

In addition to the existing career development awards, the R03 is intended to support short term research projects to enable opportunities for a subsequent R01, or equivalent, application. Clinical trials of any phase will not be supported by this NOFO.This is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a Limited Competition that will invite application(s) from eligible organization(s) to apply.

Please see Section III. Eligibility for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the application(s) will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious application(s) will be considered for funding.

Full announcement and how to apply on Grants.gov

Health grants right now

There are 350 open federal grants in health that small businesses may apply for; 33 close within 30 days. The median award ceiling is $500,000. The agencies offering the most are National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA and Centers for Disease Control - NCBDDD. Grants in this field stay open a median of 1031 days; this one is open for 1145 days.

Who has won this program before

Baylor College Of Medicine $47.8 million · from Sep 28, 2011
University Of California, LOS Angeles $36.7 million · from Sep 26, 2014
Regents Of The University Of California, SAN Francisco, The $34.2 million · from Sep 25, 2019
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation $30.7 million · from Mar 23, 2022
Wake Forest University Health Sciences $28.8 million · from Dec 6, 2016

The largest grants and cooperative agreements under assistance listing 93.846 with funding activity since Oct 1, 2025, from USAspending.gov. Amounts are each award's total.