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R21 Exploratory/Developmental Grant is a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that funds early-stage, high-risk research projects across biomedical and behavioral science categorical program areas. Awards support projects of up to two years with a maximum of $275,000 in total direct costs, with no more than $200,000 in any single year. Preliminary data are not required for most opportunities.
Research strategies may not exceed six pages. Multiple NIH institutes and centers participate, and investigators should consult NIH scientific staff during concept development to confirm that the R21 mechanism is appropriate for their project.
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Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) | Grants & Funding U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) To encourage the development of new research activities in categorical program areas. (Support generally is restricted in level of support and in time.) Application and Submission Information R21 Parent Announcements are available.
Not all NIH institutes and centers participate on all parent announcements. Check the participating organization in the funding opportunity before applying.
Application Characteristics Except when stated otherwise in the funding opportunity: Project period of up to two years Budget for up to $275,000 total in direct costs for the two years, with no more than $200,000 in any year No preliminary data are required, but most opportunities allow it if available Research Strategy may not exceed 6 pages.
The page limit may be different when combined with other activity codes, such as R21/R33 Investigators are strongly encouraged to consult with NIH Scientific/Research staff (see Section VII. Agency Contacts of the funding opportunity) during the concept development stage of the application to determine if an R21 application is appropriate.
After identifying a funding opportunity, follow guidance in the How to Apply – Application Guide instruction call-outs, except where instructed to do otherwise in the funding opportunity or related notices. Exploratory/Developmental Grants Use the Explore NIH Grant Opportunities tool to search Grants. gov. Ready to develop your application?
Learn from a step-by-step guide. Standard Due Dates apply. AIDS and AIDS-Related Applications Beginning with applications for Advisory Council Review in January 2027 (i.e., application due dates on or after May 25, 2026), NIH will no longer accept applications submitted on dedicated AIDS application due dates.
( NOT-OD-26-029 ) Standard Application Due Dates (when applicable) Participating Funding Organizations Each funding opportunity specifies the participating organizations. Applications must fit within the mission of at least one participating funding organization and meet all opportunity-specific requirements. The following funding organizations participate on at least one active funding opportunity.
Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Disease Prevention Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Fogarty International Center National Cancer Institute National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Human Genome Research Institute National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences National Institute of General Medical Sciences National Institute of Mental Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Nursing Research National Institute on Aging National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities National Library of Medicine Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Office of Research on Women's Health Tribal Health Research Office Your organization's sponsored programs office or grants administrators can answer many internal and agency policy and process questions.
Understand NIH Staff Roles details how and when to find the right NIH contacts: Before you apply, check your chosen funding opportunity for application submission, scientific/research, peer review, and financial/grants management contacts. After you apply, find NIH staff assignments in the Status module of eRA Commons . For technical issues E-mail OER Webmaster
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Researchers exploring innovative and high-risk ideas in biomedical and behavioral research. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows limited to 2 years of funding for a total less than $275,000. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
The published deadline was June 16, 2026, which has passed. Check the official notice for any future application windows before investing time in a proposal.
R21 Exploratory/Developmental Grant is funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science (SCH) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF) & National Institutes of Health (NIH). This interagency program supports high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary projects that leverage AI, machine learning, and advanced data science to address pressing questions in biomedical and public health research. It seeks to advance fundamental scientific and engineering contributions across disciplines to solve key health problems.
NIH R25 Summer Research Education Experience Program is a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that funds universities and institutions of higher education to provide summer research experiences in environmental health sciences to high school students, college undergraduates, and science teachers. Administered through the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the program aims to attract young people to scientific careers and help teachers communicate about the scientific process more effectively. Eligible applicants are U.S. institutions eligible for NIH grants. The application deadline was March 17, 2026.
NCI Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32) is a grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that funds early postdoctoral fellows from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented groups, to pursue research training in cancer-related fields. The K32 award supports fellows within 12 months prior to transitioning into, or within the first two years of, a postdoctoral position. The program, operated through NCI's Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD), aims to enhance the pool of qualified diverse cancer researchers. Beginning with the June 12, 2025 due date, the CURE ACE Award is available in both Independent Clinical Trial Required and Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed versions. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents at time of award.
Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science (SCH) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF) & National Institutes of Health (NIH). This interagency program supports high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary projects that leverage AI, machine learning, and advanced data science to address pressing questions in biomedical and public health research. It seeks to advance fundamental scientific and engineering contributions across disciplines to solve key health problems.
As of October 1, 2025, NIH no longer posts Notices of Funding Opportunity in the NIH Guide — Grants.gov is now the single official source (NOT-OD-25-143). The weekly Guide table-of-contents email that thousands of investigators relied on to discover funding no longer lists opportunities. Combined with the January 25, 2026 SciENcv certified-PDF requirement, the mechanics of finding and applying for NIH money have changed underneath everyone. Here is how to rebuild your discovery workflow so nothing slips through.
Read articleThe HEAL Initiative's Studies to Enable Analgesic Discovery award (RFA-NS-25-023) puts federal money exactly where private capital won't go — the assay-building, screening, and hit-characterization stage of non-opioid pain therapeutics. It's a phased R61/R33, up to $350,000 in direct costs per year, with the next application deadline September 17, 2026. Here is how the two-phase structure works, who's eligible, and how to build a proposal that survives the R61-to-R33 milestone gate.
Read articleThe NIH Director's New Innovator Award (DP2, RFA-RM-27-002) closes August 17, 2026, offering roughly 30 Early Stage Investigators up to $475,000 in direct costs a year for five years — $2.375 million total — to pursue bold ideas without the preliminary data a standard R01 demands. Here is how the High-Risk, High-Reward program actually evaluates applications, who qualifies, and why the usual R01 instincts will sink you.
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