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HCN Grants Est. 2026
No. PAR-24-214 · National Institutes of Health
Open

Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

grants.gov listing ↗ Full announcement (NOFO) ↗
Dealbreakers No cost share required
No audit required
“This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1.2 Definition of Terms.” — From the announcement
Reimbursement-only: not stated

At a glance

NIH is funding small biomedical research projects led by faculty at undergraduate-focused institutions, and the project must involve clinical trials that are low risk and not subject to FDA oversight. Eligible applicants are accredited public or nonprofit private baccalaureate-granting institutions that are not health professional schools, with undergraduate enrollment greater than graduate enrollment, and they must stay within NIH’s funding limit for non-health-professional components. The award allows up to $375,000 in direct costs, excluding consortium F&A, for up to 3 years, and the number of awards depends on NIH appropriations and meritorious applications. Foreign organizations and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, though foreign components are allowed.

AI-generated summary — verify against the announcement

What it funds

  • Education
  • Health
  • Income Security and Social Services
  • Research & Discovery
  • Researchers & Scholars
  • Students & Learners (K-12 and Postsecondary)
  • Biomedical & Disease Research
  • Higher Education Access, Institutions & Humanities
Official description from grants.gov

The purpose of this Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions is to support small scale research grants at institutions that do not receive substantial funding from the NIH, with an emphasis on providing biomedical research experiences primarily for undergraduate students and enhancing the research environment at applicant institutions.Eligible institutions must award baccalaureate science degrees and have received no more than $6 million dollars per year of NIH support (in both direct and F and A/indirect costs) in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years. For institutions composed of multiple schools and colleges, the $6 million funding limit is based on the amount of NIH funding received by all the non-health professional schools and colleges within the institution as a whole.This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports investigator-initiated mechanistic and/or minimal risk clinical trials addressing the mission and research interests of the participating NIH institutes. For the purpose of this NOFO, minimal risk clinical trials are defined as those that do not require FDA oversight, do not intend to formally establish efficacy, and have low risks to potentially cause physical or psychological harm.

Who can apply

  • Others
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Geographic restriction None found in the announcement — likely nationwide
Set-aside Set aside or prioritized for: HBCU; HSI; Tribal college (TCU)
“The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education: Hispanic-serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)” — From the announcement