Jul 9, 2025, 15:13

Small Research Grants (R03)

The NIH R03 grant mechanism offers flexible, limited-duration funding (up to two years and $50,000/year) for pilot or feasibility studies, secondary data analyses, development of methodologies or technologies, and other self-contained small research projects.

Eligibility Criteria:

Who May Apply: Investigators at domestic or foreign institutions.
Degree: No specific degree requirement—doctoral students may use R03 funds if the work lies outside their dissertation scope.
Prior Funding: May not hold concurrent NIH career awards duplicative of R03 support.
Renewals: R03 awards are non-renewable.

Funding Details:

Instrument: Grant (RP – Research Projects).
Direct Costs: Up to $50,000 per year (check specific IC announcement for exceptions).
Project Period: Usually 1–2 years (some ICs allow up to 3).
Preliminary Data: Not required but may strengthen the application.
Research Strategy Length: ≤6 pages.

Common Uses:

Pilot or feasibility studies
Secondary analysis of existing data
Small self-contained projects
Methodology or technology development

Deadline & Submission:

Standard NIH Due Dates (by 5:00 PM local time):

New Applications: February 16, June 16, October 16
Resubmissions: March 16, July 16, November 16

Follow instructions in the R03 Parent Announcement and the NIH Application Guide. Submit electronically via Grants.gov and eRA Commons.

Where to Go for Further Information:

Parent FOAs: Search “NIH Parent R03”
Apply at:
- Grants.gov Funding Opportunity Portal
- eRA Commons for institutional submission and tracking
Contact: Your institution’s Sponsored Programs Office or the Scientific/Research contacts listed in the IC-specific NOFO.