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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 toolkits, templates, and examples

The School of Medicine’s Office of Research Development maintains toolkits for the standard R01 and R21 solicitations, updating them and as needed when NIH issues Guide Notices as well as when Forms are updated (e.g., Forms G to H). ORD has also developed additional resources, including proposal development calendars, tracking sheets, and writing tips (available within each toolkit) and maintains templates for human subjects attachments as well (see Human Subjects and Clinical Trials attachments heading below). Contact SoM ORD (christine.erlien@duke.edu) with any questions about these materials.
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

OCRD: R toolkits

The Office of Campus Research Development (OCRD) has toolkits to develop specific NIH “R” proposals. Each toolkit includes guidance and templates tailored to the specified opportunity. Toolkits are updated annually or as needed to conform to both NIH and program-specific requirements.

Contact OCRD (sohini.sengupta@duke.edu) if you are not seeing an R funding opportunity of interest and for which you would like a toolkit.
NIH R Grant Toolkit (standard)

NIH R Grant toolkit provides guidance and templates to write a standard R grant application for the following activity codes: R01, R21, and R03. 

Upcoming deadlines: See standard due dates for R01, R21, and R03 applications

NIH SRD R01 Toolkit (Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and Discrimination R01)

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

Upcoming Deadlines: 10/9/2025 (all except AIDS applications), 1/7/2025 (AIDS deadline)

NIH NIGMS R35 MIRA ESI Toolkit (Maximizing Investigators Research Award R35)

NIH NIGMS R35 MIRA ESI toolkit (PAR-23-145): Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional) 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.

Upcoming Deadline: 2/3/2025

NIH R25: Research Education Programs

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH Institutes and Centers. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that foster a better understanding of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research and its implications. 

OCRD currently has one R25 toolkit on Duke’s myRESEARCHpath. If there is another R25 opportunity of interest, and for which you would like a toolkit, contact OCRD.

  • NIH R25 SEPA toolkit (PAR-23-137): NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) supports research education activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas across NIH. 

    The 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.

    Upcoming Deadline: 6/6/2025