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.