NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21)*
Procedure:
R21 is designed for experienced investigators who want to pursue a new direction in research.
*All information obtained from http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/r21.htm
Allow a project period of up to 2 years and cannot be renewed.
Investigators who are not highly knowledgeable about NIH activity codes should contact a program officer for help before choosing a small grant.
Examples of project suitable for R21:
- Pilot or feasibility studies.
- Secondary analysis of existing data.
- Small, self-contained research projects.
- Development of research methodology.
- Development of new research technology.
Application:
- Submit an R03 application for investigator-initiated applications; for an Institute-specific program announcement, use the due date in the FOA.
- Submit an R21 application by Standard Due Dates for Competing Applications for investigator-initiated applications; for an NIAID-specific announcement, use the due date in the FOA.
- Request up to $275,000 in direct costs for a two-year period, with no more than $200,000 in a single year, unless otherwise specified in the FOA.
- Limit your Research Strategy to six pages. You may include reduced versions of relevant images.
- Create a modular budget using the PHS 398 Modular Budget form. Foreign institutions create a detailed budget using the Research and Related Budget form.
- Exploratory/developmental grants do not have any cost-sharing requirements.
- For investigator-initiated applications, you may revise and resubmit an R21 application once as a resubmission (A1). Summarize changes in an Introduction letter that does not exceed one page.
Research Grants – R21 (Exploratory/Developmental) new |
February 16 | June 16 | October 16 | Electronic SF424 |
Research Grants – R21 (Exploratory/Developmental) renewal, resubmission, revision |
March 16 | July 16 | November 16 | Electronic SF424 |
Funded Projects:
- PI: LEONARD, LAURENCE BAKER,
Title: SENSITIVITY TO MORPHOLOGICAL CUES IN CHILDREN WITH SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT
Total Funding: $231,000 | Direct Costs: $150,000 | Indirect Costs: $81,000 |
Year | Funding IC | FY Total Cost by IC |
2014 | NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS | $231,000 |
2.PI: WALLACE, MARK THOMAS,
Title: NEURONAL CORRELATES OF THE VISUAL MODULATION OF AUDITORY PERFORMANCE
Total Funding: $224,015 | Direct Costs: $148,500 | Indirect Costs: $75,515 |
Year | Funding IC | FY Total Cost by IC |
2015 | NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS |
Appealing Pros:
- Purpose 1: To support small-scale exploratory and even high-risk research is encouraged:
- It provides investigators with funding to introduce novel scientific ideas, model systems, tools, and technologies that have the potential to substantially advance biomedical research.
- Purpose 2:Smaller than R01
- Purpose 3: For generation of preliminary data for a future R21.
Cons/ Drawbacks:
- Not easy to get R21 to gather preliminary data
- If you are a new or early-stage investigator, you may need more than 2 years to complete a project that yields enough data for preliminary data for an R01 application. Thus, timing may be an issue.
- As NIH says, R21 may not be a means for new investigators to obtain their first NIH grant. Although NIH does not require preliminary data for an R21, reviewers tend to expect it.