An Introduction to Extramural Research Funding at the NIH

The NIH Websites listed below provide you with considerable assistance in identifying the granting/award mechanism that is most appropriate for you, how to apply, and which of the multitude of forms that you should use. In addition, review and award dates are given for each type of application. In addition, the Office of Extramural Research has useful information and forms for applications at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm.

Award Classification

In general, NIH awards are classified into “series.”Award mechanisms and qualifications within a specific series tend to be similar. Below is a summary of what is available to you on-line at the address above and links contained within that site. Keep in mind that not all institutes offer all the award mechanisms listed.

Training, Fellowships and Career Development Programs

Research Awards (R series)

These grants are for conducting original research projects. Awards range from small grants (R03) to large RO1 projects with budgets up to $500,000 per year or more (with permission from NIH).

Center Program Awards, Center Program Grants (P series)

• PO1: A Research Program Project (P01) award supports a broadly based multidisciplinary or multifaceted research program that has a specific major objective. The concept of a program project grant is that projects closely related to a central theme can be conducted more effectively and efficiently through a coordinated collaborative or multi-disciplinary approach that utilizes common resources, facilities, and instruments. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm#PSeries
• P30: Core Research Center Grant. Core facilities are defined as shared resources that enhance productivity or in other ways benefit a group of investigators working in areas related to the stated goals of the Core Center. The pilot and feasibility program provides modest support for new initiatives or for feasibility studies for established or new investigators who are engaged in research of direct relevance to the Core Center. A Core Center must be an identifiable organizational unit either within a single university medical center or representing a consortium of cooperating institutions that includes an affiliated university. Close cooperation, communication, and collaboration among all involved personnel of all professional disciplines is an ultimate objective of the Core Center. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm#PSeries
• P50: Specialized Center of Research (SCORs) The purpose of a SCOR program is to expedite development and application of new knowledge of specific importance to diseases within the mission of the institute. A SCOR program is intended as a mechanism to focus on the human disease. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm#PSeries
• P60: Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center (MCRC) The aim of the MCRC program is to support a full range of outstanding multidisciplinary clinical research on arthritis, musculoskeletal and skin diseases. Each MCRC is organized around a methodology core and will be expected to include a minimum of three highly meritorious projects encompassing clinical research drawing from two or more clinical approaches. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm#PSeries

NIH Loan Repayment Programs

In exchange for a two-year commitment to your clinical research career, NIH will repay up to $35,000 per year of your qualified educational debt, pay an additional 39 percent of the repayments to cover your Federal taxes, and may reimburse state taxes that result from these payments. The electronic application, application guidelines, and more information on these programs are available on the NIH Loan Repayment Program Web site at http://www.lrp.nih.gov/.

About Requests for Applications and Requests for Proposals

NIH often has certain initiatives and products that they would like to see accomplished or produced. In this situation, institutes will offer an Request For Application for a grant application, or an Request For Proposal for contract proposals. Potential applicant should consult frequently the home pages of each institute that may be applicable to them for these types of program announcements. A word of caution: often, the turn-around time from announcement to date of submission is very short.