Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 25 415
The Support for Research Excellence First Independent Research (SuRE-First) Award (R16 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity designed to strengthen research capacity at eligible, resource-limited higher education institutions by funding investigator-initiated biomedical research projects. In practical terms, it is meant to help institutions that may have fewer research resources build a stronger, more sustainable research environment by supporting new investigators and the student training opportunities that come with running a real research program. The funded work can fall across a wide range of NIH mission-relevant areas, including basic, social, clinical (non-trial), behavioral, and translational science, as long as it aligns with NIH priorities and is not a clinical trial.
A central focus of SuRE-First is supporting full-time faculty who are at the stage of launching their independent research careers. This mechanism is specifically for investigators who have not previously held independent, peer-reviewed, external research grant support. In other words, it is intended to function as an entry point for faculty who are ready to lead a project but have not yet had the kind of prior external funding that typically establishes a track record as an independent principal investigator. By backing these first-time independent projects, NIH aims to broaden participation in funded research and help new investigators generate the preliminary results, publications, and experience that can position them for future, larger-scale NIH funding.
Another major goal is student research training and workforce development within the institution. The program emphasizes providing students with high-quality undergraduate and/or graduate research experiences, which typically means hands-on participation in meaningful research activities, exposure to scientific thinking and research methods, and opportunities to contribute to outputs like posters, presentations, or publications. This student-centered element is part of the larger capacity-building mission: by supporting faculty-led research that actively involves trainees, the award helps strengthen the pipeline of future researchers and improves the overall research culture on campus.
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based higher education institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. In addition, foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed under this opportunity, which means the project must be structured so that the work is not carried out as a foreign component and does not rely on foreign performance sites in a way that NIH would categorize as such.
Administratively, this opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant under Funding Opportunity Number PAR-25-415, administered by the National Institutes of Health. The opportunity remains open until at least September 7, 2028 (Original Closing Date). The listed award ceiling is $125,000, indicating the maximum award amount anticipated under the program structure (applicants would still need to follow the detailed budget and project period rules in the full announcement). Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity, reflecting that it may be supported across different NIH institutes and centers or mission areas within NIH’s broader funding catalog.
Overall, SuRE-First is best understood as an NIH capacity-building and investigator-development award: it funds a faculty member’s first independently led research project at an institution with limited research resources, requires alignment with NIH mission areas, prohibits clinical trials, and intentionally ties the research to meaningful student training experiences and long-term improvements in the institution’s scientific research environment.Apply for PAR 25 415
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Support for Research Excellence First Independent Research (SuRE-First) Award (R16 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.361, 93.398, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, 93.879.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-06-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-09-07.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $125,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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SuRE-First (R16) Award (Clinical Trial Not Allowed) - FAQs
What is the SuRE-First Award?
The Support for Research Excellence First Independent Research (SuRE-First) Award is an NIH grant opportunity designed to strengthen research capacity at eligible, resource-limited U.S. higher education institutions by funding investigator-initiated biomedical research projects.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The program aims to build a stronger and more sustainable research environment at institutions with fewer research resources by supporting a faculty member's first independent research project and the student training opportunities that come with running an active research program.
What activity code is this award and are clinical trials allowed?
This is an R16 award mechanism and it is explicitly labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." Projects must be designed so they do not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial.
What types of research areas can be supported?
Funded work may span a wide range of NIH mission-relevant areas, including basic, social, clinical (non-trial), behavioral, and translational science, as long as the project aligns with NIH priorities and does not involve a clinical trial.
Who is the award primarily intended to support?
The SuRE-First mechanism is centered on supporting full-time faculty who are launching their independent research careers, specifically those ready to lead an investigator-initiated project but who have not previously had independent, peer-reviewed, external research grant support.
What does it mean that SuRE-First is for "first" independent research support?
It is intended as an entry point for investigators who have not previously held independent, peer-reviewed, external research grant funding. The goal is to help them establish an independent research track record by generating results, publications, and experience that can support future, larger-scale NIH applications.
How does student training fit into the SuRE-First program?
Student research training and workforce development are major goals of SuRE-First. The program emphasizes providing students with high-quality undergraduate and/or graduate research experiences through hands-on participation in meaningful research activities, exposure to research methods and scientific thinking, and opportunities to contribute to outputs such as posters, presentations, or publications.
What kinds of students are expected to be involved?
The opportunity emphasizes undergraduate and/or graduate student research experiences. Projects are expected to intentionally incorporate student participation as part of the broader capacity-building mission.
What types of institutions are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based higher education institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
No. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Can a U.S. institution include a non-U.S. component as part of the application?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible under this opportunity.
Are "foreign components" allowed in the project?
No. Foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. The project must be structured so the work is not carried out as a foreign component and does not rely on foreign performance sites in a way NIH would categorize as a foreign component.
Which agency administers this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA)?
The FOA is PAR-25-415.
What kind of funding instrument is this?
It is listed as a discretionary grant.
How long will this funding opportunity be open?
The opportunity is listed as open until at least September 7, 2028 (Original Closing Date).
What is the maximum award amount mentioned for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $125,000, which indicates the maximum award amount anticipated under the program structure. Applicants still need to follow the detailed budget and project period rules in the full announcement.
What does it mean that multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the opportunity?
Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity, reflecting that it may be supported across different NIH institutes and centers or mission areas within NIH's broader funding catalog.
How does SuRE-First help an institution build research capacity?
SuRE-First is designed to improve the long-term research environment at resource-limited institutions by supporting a faculty-led independent research program that generates scholarly outputs and embeds meaningful student training, helping build a stronger research culture and pipeline on campus.
Is SuRE-First intended for investigator-initiated projects or pre-defined topics?
The program supports investigator-initiated biomedical research projects, meaning the investigator proposes the research idea within NIH mission-relevant areas and priorities (while avoiding clinical trials).
What are the key takeaways of SuRE-First in plain terms?
SuRE-First is an NIH capacity-building and investigator-development award that funds a faculty member's first independently led research project at an eligible U.S. institution with limited research resources, requires alignment with NIH mission areas, prohibits clinical trials, and emphasizes student research training experiences that strengthen the institution's research environment over time.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PAR 25 415) also looked into and applied for these:
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| Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 25 322 Funding Number: PAR 25 322 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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