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Research Grants (R series)

Research grants make up the largest category of funding and support by the NIDCD. These grants may be awarded to universities, medical and other health professional schools, colleges, hospitals, research institutes, for-profit organizations, and government institutions that sponsor and conduct biomedical research and development. Research grants may provide funds for salaries, equipment, supplies, travel, and other allowable direct costs of the research as well as for indirect costs to the sponsoring institution or organization.

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Research Project Grant (R01)

Investigator-initiated Research Project Grants (R01) make up the largest single category of support provided by the NIDCD and by the NIH. The R01 is considered the traditional grant mechanism. These grants are awarded to organizations on behalf of an individual (a principal investigator, or PI) to facilitate pursuit of a research objective in the area of the investigator's research interests and competence.

Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01)

The Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant supports an innovative project in an area of science that represents a change in research direction for an early stage investigator (ESI) and for which no preliminary data exist.

NIDCD Research Opportunities for New Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)

This program supports early stage and new investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the health-related sciences. Staff contact for questions about this program: Kelly King, Au.D., Ph.D.

NIH Research Enhancement Award (R15)

The NIH Research Enhancement Award (R15) program supports small-scale research projects at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees for a significant number of the nation’s research scientists but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. The goals of the R15 are to support meritorious research, expose students to research, and strengthen the institution’s research environment.

This program replaces the NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Parent Announcement, which expired on January 7, 2019, and will not be reissued. The R15 activity code now includes two programs:

For more information, see:

Please contact the NIDCD’s R15 program coordinator, Susan Sullivan, Ph.D., with any questions about this program.

Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (R21)

The Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) program is intended to encourage exploratory and developmental research projects by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of these projects. These studies may involve considerable risk but may lead to a breakthrough in a particular area or to the development of novel techniques, agents, methodologies, models, or applications that could have a major impact on a field of biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.

Early Career Research (ECR) Award (R21)

The NIDCD Early Career Research (ECR) R21 Award supports both basic and clinical research from scientists who are beginning to establish an independent research career. It cannot be used for thesis or dissertation research. The research must be focused on one or more of the areas within the biomedical and behavioral scientific mission of the NIDCD: hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, or language.

The NIDCD ECR Award R21 grant mechanism supports different types of projects including secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; translational research; outcomes research; and development of new research technology. Irrespective of the type of project, the intent of the NIDCD ECR Award R21 is for the program director(s)/principal investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) to obtain sufficient preliminary data for a subsequent R01 application.

Staff contact for questions on the NIDCD ECR R21 Award:

Bracie Watson, Ph.D.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
(301) 402-3458

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