Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Institutes of Health, through the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is offering the Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional), funding opportunity number RFA-HL-27-004. NHLBI provides leadership for research, training, and education intended to advance the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, and blood diseases and improve health. This limited competition is designed specifically to support current or recently completed NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 awardees as they transition toward research independence. The program provides small grant support for investigators to expand existing research objectives or pursue new studies emerging from their K award research. The R03 mechanism supports discrete research projects that can be completed within a maximum of two years using limited resources. Projects are expected to generate preliminary data that can strengthen a subsequent R01-equivalent application. Appropriate activities may include pilot or feasibility studies, proof of concept studies, secondary analyses of existing data, small self-contained research projects, development of new research methodologies or technologies, and creation of novel experimental model systems. For current and former K23 recipients, proposed research may or may not include patient-oriented research. Applicants proposing NIH-defined clinical trials are permitted because the opportunity is clinical trial optional. Delayed onset studies are not allowed because of the short award period. Current NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 awardees may apply beginning in the third year of their K award Project Period. Recently completed recipients of these awards may apply, or submit an A1 resubmission, when the earliest potential R03 award start date is within two years after the end of their K award Project Period. Applicants who have already received an R01 or another substantial NIH independent research award are not eligible. Applicants must maintain at least 40 percent protected research effort, equivalent to 4.8 person months of full-time professional effort, throughout the R03 award period. This effort may be distributed between the R03 project and other research projects regardless of funding source. Eligible applicant organizations include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, small businesses and other for-profit organizations, state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, eligible federal agencies, United States territories or possessions, independent school districts, public housing authorities, faith-based or community-based organizations, and regional organizations. Foreign organizations, foreign components of United States organizations, and foreign components are not eligible. For the July 9, 2026 receipt date, application budgets were limited to direct costs of up to 85000 dollars per year. For receipt dates on or after October 6, 2026, application budgets are limited to direct costs of up to 75000 dollars per year. Budgets must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. The maximum project period is two years. NHLBI intends to commit total costs of up to 3.9 million dollars in FY2027, 7.8 million dollars in FY2028, 7.8 million dollars in FY2029, and 3.9 million dollars in FY2030, and intends to fund up to 29 new awards per year in FY2027, FY2028, and FY2029. Cost sharing is not required. NIH grants policies, applicable cost principles, award terms, and funding restrictions apply, and pre-award costs are allowable only as provided under NIH grants policy. Applications must be submitted electronically using NIH ASSIST, an institutional system-to-system solution through Grants.gov, or Grants.gov Workspace, with application status subsequently tracked through eRA Commons. Required organizational registrations must be completed before submission. Applications must follow the Research instructions in the NIH How to Apply Application Guide and the program-specific instructions in the NOFO. Required materials include the applicable SF424 and PHS components and a Summary of K Award Research Progress attachment of no more than three pages. Current awardees must summarize progress under their funded K award, while recently completed awardees must summarize their K award and current research efforts. The Research Strategy must address the feasibility of completing the proposed work within two years, explain how R03 support advances the applicant toward research independence, and provide a timeline for seeking an R01 or other independent research support. Required letters include an Institutional Commitment Letter and, for current K awardees, a Mentor Letter of Support. A Data Management and Sharing Plan is required when the proposed NIH-funded research will generate scientific data. Applications undergo administrative checks for completeness, compliance, and responsiveness before peer review. Scientific review considers the importance of the research, including significance and innovation; rigor and feasibility of the approach; and investigator expertise and institutional resources. Reviewers specifically assess how the R03 work evolved from the K award research, its potential to generate critical preliminary data for a later R01-equivalent application, the applicant's plans and timeline for independent funding, and the extent to which the R03 can advance an independent line of investigation. Funding decisions also consider scientific and technical merit, availability of funds, and relevance to program priorities. Applications may receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board. Preliminary data are not required, particularly for pilot or feasibility projects. The opportunity opened June 9, 2026, and contains multiple application receipt dates through November 2028. As of September 4, 2026, the next new application deadline is October 6, 2026, while the corresponding resubmission deadline is November 6, 2026. Applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization, and late applications will not be accepted. Subsequent new application due dates include February 10, 2027, June 9, 2027, October 8, 2027, February 10, 2028, June 7, 2028, and October 6, 2028, with corresponding review and award cycles stated in the NOFO. The earliest start date associated with the October 2026 new application cycle is July 2027. The NOFO expires November 8, 2028. Scientific and research questions may be directed to NHLBI_R03@nih.gov with RFA-HL-27-004 in the subject line, while financial or grants management questions may be directed to NHLBIOGMInbox@nhlbi.nih.gov.

Clearly explain how the proposed R03 evolved from or diverges from the K award research and how it advances research independence. Demonstrate that the project is feasible within two years and can generate critical preliminary data for a subsequent R01-equivalent application. Provide a credible timeline for seeking independent research support. Ensure the Institutional Commitment Letter documents at least 40 percent protected research effort. Include every required letter and the required Summary of K Award Research Progress attachment and observe its 3-page limit because noncompliant applications may be withdrawn. Submit early enough to identify and correct electronic submission errors before the deadline.