Planning Grant (R34)

Purpose

The NIH Planning Grant Program (R34) provides support for the initial development of a clinical trial or research project. This program may support:

• establishment of the research team,
• development of tools for data management and research oversight
• development of a trial design or experimental research designs
• finalization of the protocol
• preparation of an operations/procedures manual
• pilot studies or collection of feasibility data for subsequent research projects*

*When used as a planning grant for clinical trials, this program is not designed for the collection of preliminary data or the conduct of pilot studies to support the rationale for a clinical trial.

R34 Characteristics

• Renewal applications not allowed
• Project period limited to 3 years
• Direct costs limited to $225,000 per year and $450,000 over the 3-year project period
• Modular budgets required except for applications from foreign institutions
• Funding opportunity should define outcomes to be achieved by the end of the project period
• For a list of institutes and centers participating in the R34 program, see your funding opportunity.

For clinical trials, the planning grant is designed to:

• permit early peer review of the rationale and concept for the proposed clinical trial;
• support development of essential elements of a clinical trial
• lead to an application for support of a full-scale trial, based on elements developed under the planning period

Special Considerations

• Do you provide peer review service?
  • An alternative submission policy is available for R01, R21, and R34 grant applications where one or more of the designated PD/PIs serve as an appointed member of an NIH chartered standing study section, NIH Board of Scientific Counselors, NIH Advisory Board or Council, or an NIH Program Advisory Committee. This policy allows applications to be submitted on a continuous basis, peer reviewed in a timely manner, and assigned to an Advisory Council per designated council round deadlines. See Continuous Submission to learn more.

Award Information

• Funding Instrument: Grant
• Funding Category: Research and Development
• Budget Mechanism Code: RP - Research Projects