NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 25 302

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 25 302

The NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PA-25-302, is a discretionary grant program from the National Institutes of Health designed to fund small, focused research projects that can be completed relatively quickly and with limited resources. It is aimed at supporting early-stage or narrowly scoped scientific work that can generate preliminary findings, test ideas, or build tools and methods that can later be scaled into larger studies. A key restriction is that this notice will not accept applications that propose clinical trials, meaning the work must stay outside NIH's definition of a clinical trial and should be structured accordingly.

The program is well-suited for several project types that NIH often considers high-value at a smaller scale. This includes pilot and feasibility studies that help determine whether an approach is workable before committing to a larger project, as well as secondary analyses of existing data where investigators use already-collected datasets to answer new questions. It also supports small, self-contained research projects with clear boundaries and deliverables, plus efforts focused on developing or improving research methodology and creating new research technologies. In practice, these R03 projects are typically designed to produce a specific proof-of-concept, a validated method, an analytic approach, or preliminary evidence that strengthens a future, larger application.

The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $50,000, signaling that applicants should propose a tightly budgeted scope with realistic milestones that match a small-grant scale. While the opportunity summary does not specify an expected number of awards in the provided text, the program itself is an established NIH mechanism used across many NIH Institutes and Centers, and it appears under multiple CFDA numbers (including 93.113, 93.143, 93.172, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.310, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.853, 93.855, 93.865, 93.866, 93.879), indicating broad relevance across NIH mission areas. The original closing date shown is January 7, 2028, which suggests an ongoing, multi-year parent announcement window with standard NIH submission cycles rather than a single one-time deadline.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of government, academic, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations. Eligible applicants explicitly include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. In addition, the opportunity highlights other eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal government agencies; regional organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; and even non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This breadth makes the R03 mechanism accessible to many institutional contexts, including those that serve underrepresented communities or operate outside the continental U.S.

Overall, PA-25-302 is best understood as a flexible NIH entry point for compact, methodical research efforts that can be completed efficiently and that do not involve clinical trials. Competitive applications generally align the project aims tightly with the limited budget, emphasize feasibility and clear outputs, and explain how the results will meaningfully advance a scientific question, a research method, or a technology in a way that fits within a small-grant framework.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.143, 93.172, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.310, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.853, 93.855, 93.865, 93.866, 93.879.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-12-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-01-07.
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PA 25 302

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