NIH Directors New Innovator Award Program (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional) RFA-RM-26-002

The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Program, part of the National Institutes of Health’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research (HRHR) Program under the NIH Common Fund, is designed to support exceptionally creative early-stage investigators (ESIs) proposing innovative biomedical research projects. This initiative acknowledges the importance of encouraging bold, transformative ideas that may lack the preliminary data traditionally required in NIH funding mechanisms. The program’s goal is to catalyze significant advances across broad areas relevant to NIH’s mission, and it emphasizes creativity and high-impact potential over conventional research continuity. The funder, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), operates under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is one of the world’s foremost medical research centers. The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award reflects the agency's long-term strategy to support emerging scientific leaders, particularly those in the early stages of their careers who have not yet received a substantial NIH Research Project Grant (R01). This opportunity allows such investigators to pursue new directions that could substantially shift paradigms or address major challenges in biomedical research. This award supports projects with a budget structure allowing up to $475,000 in direct costs annually for five years, with total anticipated funding for the program estimated at $23,000,000. It is important to note that this amount is fixed, indicating a consistent funding structure across recipients. Indirect costs are added separately per standard NIH policy. As the award is part of the NIH’s HRHR program, it does not focus on any specific area of science within the biomedical field, enabling a wide array of research topics to be proposed, including clinical trials if the applicant chooses. Eligibility is extensive and inclusive. Eligible applicants include institutions from across sectors such as state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and others), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), tribal organizations (both federally recognized and otherwise), special district governments, public housing authorities, and others. The eligibility also extends to foreign institutions and U.S. territories, faith-based and community-based organizations, and regional or federal agencies outside the NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP). This opportunity is currently in the forecast stage, with key dates projected as follows: the estimated post date is June 19, 2026, with an application due date of August 19, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced by August 30, 2026, with project periods beginning on or around September 30, 2026. As the program is issued annually, it is expected to recur in 2027 and beyond. Given the recurring nature of the opportunity and the fixed application deadline, the next anticipated cycle would begin in August 2027, with preparatory checks ideally starting by June 2027. Applications are submitted through Grants.gov, and while no pre-application (such as an LOI or concept paper) is specified as required, applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review the program description and guidelines. The main point of contact for questions is the NIH New Innovator Awards Program Office, which can be reached via email at NewInnovatorAwards@mail.nih.gov. Applicants should monitor updates on Grants.gov and the NIH Common Fund website for any changes as the official announcement date approaches.