NIH Directors New Innovator Award Program (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional)
ID: 358873Type: Posted
Overview

Buyer

National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)

Award Range

$0 - $475K

Eligible Applicants

Others

Funding Category

Health

Funding Instrument

Grant

Opportunity Category

Discretionary

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

Yes
Timeline
    Description

    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the Directors New Innovator Award Program (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional), aimed at supporting early-stage investigators with exceptional creativity who propose innovative research projects that could significantly impact health and biomedical fields. This program encourages applications from a diverse range of scientific areas, emphasizing creativity without the necessity for preliminary data, and is part of the NIH's High-Risk, High-Reward Research initiative. Approximately $23 million is available for about 30 awards in FY 2026, with each award providing up to $475,000 annually in direct costs over a five-year project period. Eligible applicants include various educational institutions, non-profits, and governmental bodies, while foreign organizations are not permitted to apply. Interested parties can find more information and application guidelines at the NIH Grants website and should direct inquiries to grantsinfo@nih.gov. The application deadline is August 19, 2025.

    Point(s) of Contact
    Files
    Title
    Posted
    Please provide the text you would like me to summarize.
    The NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program aims to support exceptionally creative early-stage investigators in conducting bold and innovative research with potential major impacts in health and biomedical fields. It is part of the NIH's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program and welcomes applications from diverse scientific areas, emphasizing creativity without the need for preliminary data. This NOFO invites institutions to submit multiple applications, though each individual is restricted to one. Approximately $23 million is available for about 30 awards in FY 2026, with a five-year project period and awards offering up to $475,000 annually in direct costs. Eligible organizations include various educational institutions, non-profits, for-profits, and governmental bodies, but foreign organizations are not permitted. The application process requires adherence to specific guidelines outlined in the How to Apply - Application Guide, focusing on the significance, innovativeness, and the applicant's qualifications. The review process evaluates proposals based on their scientific merit, originality, and the potential for impactful research, ultimately guiding funding decisions while promoting a robust environment for innovation in health research.
    Similar Opportunities
    Funding Opportunity for NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a funding opportunity through the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program, aimed at supporting innovative research projects with significant potential impact in health-related fields. This grant is designed for individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose bold and high-risk research initiatives, emphasizing the investigator's qualities and the innovativeness of their proposals. The program anticipates awarding approximately $8.1 million across seven grants, with applications expected to open in June 2025 and close in September 2025. Interested applicants can reach out to Dr. Patricia Labosky at PioneerAwards@mail.nih.gov or by phone at 301-594-4863 for further information.
    NEI New Innovator Award (DP2 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the NEI New Innovator Award, a federal grant aimed at supporting early-stage investigators and postdoctoral candidates in vision research. This opportunity encourages innovative and original research proposals that have the potential to significantly impact the field of vision science, particularly those that explore novel methodologies or interdisciplinary approaches. The program anticipates awarding four grants, with no cost-sharing requirements, and applications are due by May 25, 2026, with an estimated award date of August 2, 2026. For further inquiries, interested applicants can contact Ed Clayton, Ph.D., at 240-987-8255 or via email at Ed.clayton@nih.gov.
    NIH Director’s Transformative Research Awards (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is set to announce the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Awards, a federal grant opportunity aimed at supporting innovative and unconventional research projects. This program encourages individual scientists or collaborative teams to propose groundbreaking research that has the potential to redefine scientific paradigms or develop transformative technologies, without the need for preliminary data or detailed experimental plans. With an estimated total funding of $8 million and the expectation of awarding seven grants, interested applicants should prepare their proposals in advance, as applications will be solicited starting June 20, 2025, with a closing date of September 3, 2025. For further inquiries, potential applicants can contact Dr. Patricia Labosky at TransformativeAwards@mail.nih.gov or by phone at 301-594-4863.
    NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the NIH Director's Early Independence Awards (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional), aimed at supporting promising investigators who wish to pursue independent research shortly after completing their terminal doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training. Eligible applicants must be in a non-independent research position at the time of application and are limited to submitting two applications per institution, with significant institutional commitment required. This funding opportunity, which has an estimated total program funding of $5,100,000 and expects to award approximately nine grants, is part of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program and encourages applications across all topics relevant to NIH's mission. Interested applicants can reach out to Becky Miller, Ph.D., at earlyindependence@od.nih.gov or by phone at 301-594-9979, with the application process expected to open on September 10, 2025, and close on October 10, 2025.
    Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators, a federal grant aimed at fostering innovative biomedical research that integrates engineering with life sciences. This funding opportunity, under the R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant mechanism, allows for up to $400,000 in direct costs over a three-year period for projects that require minimal preliminary data, encouraging high-risk, high-reward research. The initiative is designed to enhance diversity within the research community and is open to a wide range of eligible applicants, including various educational institutions and community organizations. Interested parties should note that the application submission period opens on January 16, 2025, and closes on January 8, 2026; for further inquiries, applicants can contact NIH Grants Information at grantsinfo@nih.gov.
    Small Grants for New Investigators to Broaden Participation in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a funding opportunity titled "Small Grants for New Investigators to Broaden Participation in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)." This initiative aims to support new investigators from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical research, enabling them to conduct small-scale projects that align with the scientific mission areas of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and other participating institutes. The grants, with a maximum budget of $125,000 per year for a project period not exceeding three years, are intended to facilitate the transition of these researchers toward independence while addressing health disparities. Interested applicants must demonstrate that they have had less than $125,000 in direct costs from combined active research funding and can submit proposals starting in early 2025. For further inquiries, applicants can contact NIH Grants Information at grantsinfo@nih.gov, and additional details can be found at the provided link: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-25-097.html.
    NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) to support innovative early-stage research projects that may lead to significant advancements in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical fields. This grant is designed to encourage high-risk, high-reward research, providing funding for projects that are distinct from traditional R01 grants, with a maximum budget of $275,000 over a two-year period, and no more than $200,000 in any single year. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations such as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and tribal governments, with applications undergoing a rigorous peer review process to assess their innovation and feasibility. Interested parties should note that the application submission period begins on January 16, 2025, with the opportunity closing on January 7, 2028; for further inquiries, applicants can contact NIH Grants Information at grantsinfo@nih.gov.
    Research Program Award (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a Research Program Award (R35 Clinical Trial Optional) aimed at providing long-term support and flexibility for Program Directors (PDs) and Principal Investigators (PIs) in the field of neurological research. This grant, which does not require cost sharing or matching, is designed to alleviate the administrative burdens associated with managing multiple grant applications, allowing researchers to focus on their scientific endeavors and mentorship roles. The funding, with an award ceiling of $750,000 and a floor of $350,000, is intended to foster innovative research that aligns with the mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Interested applicants can reach out to Alisa Schaefer at nindsr35@ninds.nih.gov for further information, with the estimated synopsis posting date set for April 15, 2026, and a projected award date of March 1, 2027.
    Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering the Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators through the R21 Clinical Trial Optional grant mechanism, aimed at fostering innovative research that integrates engineering and physical sciences with biomedical sciences. This funding opportunity encourages exploratory, proof of concept, or high-risk projects, specifically those that do not require extensive preliminary data, allowing applicants to propose novel research approaches. Eligible applicants include a diverse range of institutions and organizations, with funding of up to $400,000 available over a maximum of three years. Interested parties should submit their applications electronically via Grants.gov by the close date of January 7, 2026, and can direct inquiries to grantsinfo@nih.gov for further information.
    Investigator Initiated Innovation in Computational Genomics and Data Science (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
    National Institutes of Health
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a funding opportunity titled "Investigator Initiated Innovation in Computational Genomics and Data Science (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" aimed at supporting innovative research in computational genomics and data science. This initiative encourages applications that focus on developing novel analytical methodologies, tools, and software that can be broadly applied to enhance human health and disease understanding, with an emphasis on scalable systems for managing complex genomic data. Eligible applicants include a wide range of organizations such as higher education institutions, nonprofits, and tribal colleges, with a maximum budget of $500,000 per year available for projects lasting up to five years. The application submission period opens on January 6, 2025, and closes on September 7, 2027. For further inquiries, interested parties can contact NIH Grants Information at grantsinfo@nih.gov.