NIDA Research Education Program for Clinical Researchers and Clinicians (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The NIDA Research Education Program for Clinical Researchers and Clinicians, funding opportunity PAR-25-204, is a federal grant program administered by the National Institutes of Health through the National Institute on Drug Abuse within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program uses the R25 Education Projects activity code and supports research education activities that complement or enhance the preparation of the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce. Its specific purpose is to increase the number and preparation of highly trained clinical scientists able to reduce the burden of substance use and substance use disorders, identify emerging substance use crises, and respond to changing substance use events and related health consequences. The opportunity is intended for clinicians, clinicians in training, clinical researchers, and other appropriate participants whose education and research activities are relevant to the NIDA mission. Proposed programs must include both courses for skills development and research experiences, with primary emphasis on research experiences. Skills development may address research methods, measurement, data analysis, ethical considerations, community-engaged research, grant writing, and writing for peer-reviewed publication. Research experiences may involve planning, conducting, analyzing, and disseminating substance use and substance use disorder research involving humans in laboratory, clinical, or community settings, or analysis of relevant data. Programs may address areas such as etiology, clinical assessment and diagnostics, treatment, prevention, services research, clinical neuroscience, medical consequences, implementation science, translational research, and related interdisciplinary topics. The mechanism cannot support non-research-related clinical training, although research experiences may complement residency or other clinical training. Proposed educational experiences must also be distinct from federally supported training and education programs already operating at the applicant institution. Application budgets are limited to 350000 in direct costs annually, and the total project period may not exceed five years. Personnel designing, directing, and implementing the program may receive appropriate salary and fringe benefits, subject to institutional policies and applicable salary limitations. Salary support for the PD, PI, co-investigators, or their combination is limited to 2.4 person months, or 20 percent on a 12-month basis, depending on effort devoted to program administration. Properly justified participant costs, partial tuition and education expenses, consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel, and other program-related expenses may be allowable. Full-time participant support for 40 hours per week for a continuous 12-month period is not allowable because the R25 is not a substitute for an NRSA institutional training program. Indirect costs are reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs, excluding specified tuition and fees, equipment expenditures, and consortium costs above 25000. Cost sharing is not required. Eligible organizations include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; small businesses and other for-profit organizations; state, county, city or township, and special district governments; federally recognized and other tribal governments; U.S. territories or possessions; independent school districts; public and Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations; faith-based or community-based organizations; and regional organizations. Foreign organizations and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, although foreign components are allowed. Sponsoring institutions must demonstrate appropriate institutional support, including adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources. Programs may support graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical, nursing, dental, and pharmacy students, residents or equivalent participants, and independent scientists. Research education programs should primarily educate U.S. citizens and permanent residents unless exceptional relevance to NIH strongly justifies otherwise. Applications must follow the Research R Instructions in the NIH How to Apply - Application Guide together with the program-specific requirements in the funding opportunity. Required planning elements include the Proposed Research Education Program, Program Director or Principal Investigator, Program Faculty, Program Participants, Institutional Environment and Commitment, Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, Evaluation Plan, and Dissemination Plan. An institutional commitment letter of support is required. Applicants must describe learning objectives, courses and research experiences, participant recruitment and selection, mentor selection, coordination with existing activities, rigor and reproducibility, measurement of participant achievement, and how the program differs from existing federally supported training programs. Applications lacking a Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research will not be reviewed. A letter of intent is encouraged but is not required or binding. Applications must be submitted electronically using NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or an institutional system-to-system solution, with submission subsequently tracked through eRA Commons. Peer review evaluates Overall Impact and the scored criteria of Significance, Investigators, Innovation, Approach, and Environment, along with applicable additional review criteria. Funding decisions also consider scientific and technical merit, availability of funds, and relevance to program priorities. As of the analysis date of August 7, 2026, the opportunity is accepting applications. The earliest submission date was February 11, 2025, and the remaining application deadline is August 12, 2026, with applications due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. The opportunity has been given an early expiration date of August 13, 2026, replacing the original November 13, 2027 expiration. For the August 12, 2026 cycle, scientific merit review is expected in November 2026, Advisory Council review in January 2027, and the earliest start date is April 2027. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact NIDA scientific and research staff before preparing an application. Scientific contacts include Keisher Highsmith at keisher.highsmith@nih.gov and 301-402-1984, Guifang Lao at guifang.lao@nih.gov and 301-443-6173, and Yu Woody Lin at ylin1@nida.nih.gov and 301-435-1318. Questions concerning application submission may be directed to the eRA Service Desk at 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552, while general NIH grants questions may be directed to GrantsInfo@nih.gov or 301-480-7075. The program requires annual Research Performance Progress Reports when multiple years are involved, applicable financial reporting, participant appointment and termination reporting when required, and final closeout reporting. NIH and NIDA may also evaluate participant demographics, educational progress, research participation, publications, research-related employment, subsequent grant support, acquired skills, and participant feedback.

Emphasize a research education program that includes both courses for skills development and research experiences, with primary emphasis on research experiences. Clearly distinguish the proposed activities from federally supported training already at the institution. Tie objectives to NIDA priorities, define measurable learning and career outcomes, integrate rigor and reproducibility, provide strong mentoring and institutional commitment, and present a sound evaluation and dissemination plan. Address the scored criteria of Significance, Investigators, Innovation, Approach, and Environment, and ensure the Responsible Conduct of Research plan covers all five required components.