NIH Research Education Program - Research Experiences (Parent R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The NIH Research Education Program - Research Experiences (R25) is a federal funding opportunity administered by the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This program is designed to support research education activities that align with the NIH mission of advancing biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research. The initiative emphasizes workforce development by enhancing training opportunities, fostering research careers, and improving understanding of scientific research and its implications for human health. Multiple NIH Institutes and Centers participate in this opportunity, allowing a broad range of topic areas aligned with their respective missions. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support structured research education programs that provide mentored research experiences. These programs are intended to complement existing training mechanisms rather than replace them. Funded activities must focus on delivering hands-on research experiences alongside supplemental educational components such as scientific writing, presentation skills, and training in research rigor and reproducibility. Programs can vary in duration, ranging from short-term summer experiences to multi-year engagements, and must be tailored to the educational level of participants. Funding is provided through a grant mechanism, with application budgets not strictly capped but typically expected to remain at or below $500,000 in direct costs annually. The project period may extend up to five years depending on the scope of the proposed program. Allowable costs include personnel salaries, participant support (such as stipends, tuition, travel, and housing), and program-related expenses. Indirect costs are reimbursed at a fixed rate of 8 percent of modified total direct costs. Cost sharing is not required for this program. Eligibility is broad and includes higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and various levels of government entities, including tribal governments. However, foreign organizations and non-U.S. components are not eligible. Programs are expected to primarily serve U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Eligible participants may include high school students, teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty. Applicant organizations must demonstrate adequate institutional support and ensure the proposed program is distinct from existing federally funded training initiatives. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov using systems such as NIH ASSIST or institutional system-to-system solutions. Applicants must complete required registrations including SAM, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons prior to submission. Applications must follow the NIH Application Guide and include detailed components such as a research education program plan, evaluation strategy, dissemination plan, and institutional commitment documentation. Compliance with all submission instructions is strictly enforced, and noncompliant applications may not be reviewed. Applications are evaluated through NIH’s peer review process based on criteria including significance, investigator qualifications, innovation, approach, and environment. Additional considerations include participant protections, program evaluation plans, and adherence to responsible conduct of research standards. Successful applications proceed through advisory council review before funding decisions are made based on merit, funding availability, and alignment with NIH priorities. The program operates on recurring standard NIH submission cycles, with multiple annual deadlines. The earliest submission date for the current cycle is August 25, 2026, with the first application deadline on September 25, 2026. Subsequent deadlines occur three times per year. Awards follow a structured timeline including scientific review, council review, and earliest start dates approximately 9 to 10 months after submission. The funding opportunity remains active through May 26, 2029, allowing multiple cycles of applications during this period.

Align program with NIH institute priorities; clearly define participant outcomes; include strong evaluation metrics; ensure program distinct from existing federally funded training programs