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NIH research grants (R series)

Need assistance with NIH research grants?

NIH research grants (R series) are intended to develop, support, and expand upon research programs for early career through senior investigators.   

When applying for a R series grant, follow the most current NIH SF424 guidance, as well as any specific instructions in the funding opportunity announcement (FOA).  Note: The FOA instructions always supersede the SF424 or standard page limitation guidance.

Also review additional NIH proposal guidance:

Guidance on review and submission of the proposal is available within myRESEARCHpath. The grant manager should be contacted with questions (e.g., what documents transfer from SPS versus what is uploaded into grants.duke).

Support for NIH proposal development

Included below are grant writing toolkits developed by the SoM Office of Research Development and the Office of Campus Research Development (OCRD). 

Standard R grant templates and examples

See below for templates and examples for commonly required sections of research grants. Consult the FOA for specific section requirements that apply to that funding mechanism.
Standard NIH R grants toolkit

Access the NIH R grant toolkit for guidance and templates to write a standard R grant. The R Grant Toolkit can be used for Parent R grant applications with R01, R21, or R03 Activity Codes.

Deadlines: NIH Standard deadlines apply.

The toolkit is revised annually to conform to any updates in the SF424 guidelines.

NIH R01 with clinical trial toolkit
NIH R01 without clinical trial toolkit
NIH R21 with clinical trial toolkit
NIH R21 without clinical trial toolkit
NIH R grants Human Subjects and Clinical Trials attachments

Other R grant templates

NIH TRA R01 toolkit

(RFA-RM-24-004) Funding opportunity through NIH’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, which supports exceptionally creative scientists pursuing highly innovative research with the potential for broad impact in biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences within the NIH mission.

Access the TRA R01 toolkit

Upcoming deadline: 9/3/2024

** This toolkit is updated annually.**

NIH SRD R01 toolkit

(PAR-23-112) The NIH-wide initiative on Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination (SRD) on Minority Health and Health Disparities is available through an R01 activity code to support intervention research to address the impact of SRD on minority health and health disparities.

Access the SRD R01 toolkit

Upcoming Deadlines: 10/9/24, 1/7/25 (AIDS)

NIH ReWARD R01 toolkit

(PAR-23-122) The NIH-wide initiative on Research With Activities Related to Diversity (ReWARD) through an R01 activity code supports health-related research of scientists who are making a significant contribution to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and who have no current NIH research project grant funding. The ReWARD program provides funding for both the scientific research and the DEIA activities of investigators.

Access the ReWARD R01 toolkit

Upcoming Deadlines: 6/5/24, 5/7/24 (AIDS)

NIH/NIAID R25 toolkit

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH. 

(PAR-22-134) This NIAID-focused R25 program will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on: (1) Courses for Skills Development, (2) Research Experiences, and (3) Mentoring Activities targeted to undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and/or early-career faculty program participants.

Access the NIH/NIAID R25 toolkit

Upcoming Deadlines: 7/25/24 or 10/9/24 (AIDS)

NIH R25 SEPA toolkit

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH. 

(PAR-23-137) Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage pre-college students (pre-kindergarten to grade 12) from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies in STEM.

Access the R25 SEPA toolkit

Upcoming Deadline: 6/7/24

NIH/NIGMS R35 MIRA ESI toolkit

(PAR-23-145) The Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) under the R35 activity code provides support for a program of research in an early stage investigator's (ESI) laboratory that falls within the mission of NIGMS. For the purpose of this opportunity, a program of research is a collection of projects in the investigator's lab that are relevant to the mission of NIGMS. The goal of MIRA is to increase the efficiency and efficacy of NIGMS funding.

Access the NIH/NIGMS R35 MIRA ESI toolkit 

Upcoming Deadline: 10/3/24