Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 102

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 102

The grant opportunity "Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-18-102) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant managed within the mission areas of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Its central goal is to support New Investigators who come from backgrounds that are nationally underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research, giving them targeted resources to launch smaller, well-defined research projects that fit within NIDDKs scientific priorities. A major emphasis of this program is helping these investigators build momentum toward research independence by funding projects that are intentionally sized to be achievable over a shorter timeframe and with limited resources, while still producing meaningful data, methods, or tools that can support future larger applications.

This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is designed for exploratory and developmental research. In practice, this means the program is geared toward projects where a team may need early evidence, preliminary results, or initial proof-of-concept rather than full-scale definitive studies. The announcement highlights several types of research that fit particularly well under this mechanism: pilot and feasibility studies that test whether an idea is workable; secondary analyses of existing datasets that can quickly generate new insights without the time and cost of collecting new data; small, self-contained research projects that answer focused questions; development of research methodology, such as new analytic approaches or measurement strategies; and development of new research technology, which can include tools, platforms, or other innovations that move an area forward. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials, but they are not required to do so; non-trial projects are also fully responsive as long as they align with NIDDK mission areas.

In terms of scale and funding limits, the listed award ceiling for this opportunity is $125,000. The FOA describes the intent to fund small projects, reinforcing that budgets and scope should be realistic and tightly aligned, rather than expansive. While the provided source text does not specify the number of expected awards, the structure of an R21 generally favors clear, sharply focused aims with a strong rationale for why a smaller grant will materially advance the investigators trajectory and the field. The original closing date shown in the source information is 2019-03-18, and the FOA creation date is 2017-11-17, which helps situate the opportunity historically in NIHs funding cycle at that time.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and government entities, consistent with many NIH opportunities, while still maintaining strict limits on foreign involvement. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and a range of higher education institutions including public and state-controlled institutions and private institutions of higher education. The FOA also allows applications from Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education). For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also listed as eligible, along with an "Others" category that often captures additional organization types NIH may permit under the policy framework. The opportunity specifically calls out additional eligible applicant categories that align with the diversity-promoting purpose of the FOA, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). It also notes eligibility for faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible agencies of the federal government, regional organizations, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the FOA draws clear boundaries around non-U.S. participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. It further states that foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. In effect, this opportunity is intended to build U.S.-based research capacity and support the progression of underrepresented New Investigators within the U.S. biomedical and behavioral research ecosystem, without foreign institutional applicants or foreign project components.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted, early-stage research support mechanism that combines two priorities: advancing NIDDK-relevant science in areas related to diabetes, digestive diseases, nutrition-related health, and kidney/urologic/hematologic research domains, and strengthening the pipeline of independent researchers by investing in New Investigators from underrepresented backgrounds. The R21 structure encourages practical, time-bounded projects that can produce credible outputs such as preliminary data, validated methods, or enabling technologies, positioning awardees to compete for larger, longer-term NIH funding and to establish a more durable independent research program.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Grants for New Investigators to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-03-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $125,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: 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/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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