NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)

Updated Oct 20, 2026

Grant from the National Institutes of Health, open to small businesses. Closes Apr 28, 2027, 190 days left.

Opportunity number	RFA-HL-26-002
Agency	National Institutes of Health
Funding type	Grant
Field	Health
Cost sharing or matching	Not required
Assistance listing	93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840
Posted	Apr 26, 2024
Closes	Apr 28, 2027 (190 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)

Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; 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 purpose of the NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) is to promote scientific productivity and innovation by providing long-term support and increased flexibility to experienced Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) who are currently PDs/PIs on at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards and whose outstanding record of research demonstrates their ability to make major contributions to heart, lung, blood and sleep (HLBS) research.

The OIA is intended to support a research program, rather than a research project, by providing the primary and most likely sole source of NHLBI funding on individual grant awards. The OIA will support the research program of NHLBI-funded investigators for up to seven years. The OIA will provide investigators increased freedom to conduct research that breaks new ground or extends previous discoveries in new directions.

It will also allow PDs/PIs to take greater risks and to pursue research that requires a longer timeframe. Research supported by the OIA must be within the scope of the NHLBI mission (nhlbi.nih.gov/about/mission-sta...).

It is anticipated that the OIA will: Provide a stable funding environment, thereby improving productivity and facilitating nimble, ambitious, creative research; Accelerate scientific innovation by enabling flexibility in pursuing new research directions as they arise, since PDs/PIs will not be bound to specific aims proposed in advance of the studies; Reduce the time researchers spend writing grant applications and managing multiple grant awards, thereby allowing more time to be devoted to conducting research; Facilitate commitment of PDs/PIs to research through increased stability of funding; and Enable PDs/PIs to devote more time and energy to mentoring students and junior scientists and providing scientific service.

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 1097 days.

Who has won this program before

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc. $19.3 million · from Jul 1, 2020
Brigham & Womens Hospital Inc $15.0 million · from Aug 1, 1998
Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania, The $7.4 million · from Sep 1, 2000
Northwestern University $7.2 million · from Jul 1, 1998
George Washington University (The) $7.1 million · from Jun 15, 2016

The largest grants and cooperative agreements under assistance listing 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840 with payments since Oct 1, 2025, from USAspending.gov. Amounts are each award's total.