An official website of the United States government
The R21 grant mechanism is intended to encourage exploratory/developmental research by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of project development. The NIH has standardized the Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) application characteristics, requirements, preparation, and review procedures in order to accommodate investigator-initiated (unsolicited) grant applications. See the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21) page for more information.
There is also a list of ICs that do not accept unsolicited R21 applications. Non-participating ICs might solicit other R21 applications using Requests for Applications (RFAs) or Program Announcements (PAs) to meet specific program needs. Information about such initiatives can be obtained in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts and by consulting with NIH staff. In some cases those announcements may specify different application characteristics, review criteria, and receipt dates.
PA-20-195
Release Date: May 8,
2020
Expiration Date: May 8, 2024
Contacts and Special Interests
R21 Participating Institutes and Centers
- NIH Institutes and Centers that accept Investigator-Initiated R21 applications in response to the Parent R21 Announcement - (PA-20-NNN): NCCIH, EI, NHGRI, NIA, NIAAA, NIAID, NIAMS, NIDA, NIDCD, NIDCR, NIEHS, NIMHD, NINR, NICHD and NLM.
R21 Non-Participating Institutes and Centers
- NIH Institutes and Centers that DO NOT ACCEPT R21 applications in response to the Parent R21 Announcement but ONLY accept R21 applications in response to their specific funding opportunity announcements: FIC , NCATS, NCI, NHLBI, NIDDK, NIGMS, NIMH, NINDS, and ORIP.
| NIH Institute/Center | Scientific/Research Contact Scientific Research Areas of Interest | Financial or Grants Management Contacts |
|---|---|---|
| National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) | Wen G. Chen, MMSc, PhD Telephone: 301-451-3989 Email: chenw@mail.nih.gov |
Shelley Carow Telephone: 301-594-3788 Email: carows@mail.nih.gov |
| Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) | Inquiries: NICHD Referral Office Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Email: NICHDReferral@mail.nih.gov The NICHD supports research in areas relevant to normal and abnormal human development, including contraception, fertilization, pregnancy, childbirth, prenatal and postnatal development; childhood development through adolescence; intellectual and developmental disabilities; and rehabilitation medicine. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/grants-funding/opportunities-mechanisms/areas-research/Pages/default.aspx. Grant applications and project proposals must fall within the missions of the scientific branches of NICHD's Division of Extramural Research or its National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to visit these pages for recent scientific advances and emerging public health topics. If you have questions about projects within a specific research area, you may find an NICHD program officer. |
Margaret Young Grants Management Branch Telephone: 301-642-4552 Email: margaret.young@nih.gov |
| National Eye Institute (NEI) | Ellen Liberman, PhD Telephone 301- 451-2020 Email: ellenliberman@nei.nih.gov |
Karen Robinson Smith Telephone: 301-451-2020 Email: Karen.Robinson.Smith@nei.nih.gov |
| National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) | Jennifer Troyer, Ph.D. Telephone: 301-312-3276 Email: troyerj@mail.nih.gov NHGRI will support the development of resources, approaches, and technologies that will accelerate genomic research on the structure of genomes, the biology of genomes, and the biology of disease; that will use genomics to advance the science of medicine; and that will incorporate genomics to improve the effectiveness of healthcare. NHGRI will also support genomic research in several cross-cutting areas, including the ethical, legal and societal implications of genomics and genetics research, bioinformatics, technology development, and research training and career development. In general, NHGRI supports studies that provide generalizable methods and knowledge. Applications for studies relevant only to a particular disease or organ system should be directed to the appropriate Institute or Center. NHGRI strongly encourages potential applicants to contact program staff in the early stages of developing your application. The contact information for the three scientific programs are: Division of Genome Science: https://www.genome.gov/27550609/division-of-genome-sciences-staff/ Division of Genomic Medicine: https://www.genome.gov/27550610/division-of-genomic-medicine-staff/ Division of Genomics and Society: https://www.genome.gov/27550080/division-of-genomics-and-society/ |
Deanna L. Ingersoll Grants Administration Branch Telephone: 301-435-7858 Email: Deanna.Ingersoll@nih.gov |
| National Institute on Aging (NIA) | Dr. Sally Marik Division of Extramural Activities Telephone: 301- 594-2360 Email: sally.marik@nih.gov |
Traci Lafferty National Institute on Aging (NIA) Telephone: 301-496-8987 Email: laffertt@mail.nih.gov |
| National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) | Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research Gregory Bloss Telephone: 301-443-3865 Email: gbloss@mail.nih.gov Division of Medications Development Research Joanne B. Fertig, Ph.D. Telephone: 301-443-0635 Email: jfertig@mail.nih.gov Division of Metabolism and Health Effects Svetlana Radaeva, Ph.D. Telephone: 301-443-1189 Email: sradaeva@mail.nih.gov |
Judy Fox Telephone: 301-443-4704 Email: jfox@mail.nih.gov |
| National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) | Conrad Mallia, Ph.D. Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT) Telephone: 240-627-3491 Email: cmallia@niaid.nih.gov Madelon Halula, PhD Division of AIDS (DAIDS) Telephone: 240-292-4843 Email: mhalula@niaid.nih.gov Suman Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D. Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) Telephone: (240) 627-3321 Email: mukhopadhyays@mail.nih.gov |
Ann Devine Telephone: 240-669-2988 Email: adevine@niaid.nih.gov |
| National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) | For information regarding NIAMS supported scientific areas/programs and contacts, please see: https://www.niams.nih.gov/grants-funding/supported-scientific-areas. | Erik Edgerton Telephone: 301- 594-7760 Email: edgertont@mail.nih.gov |
| Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) |
NICHD Referral Office The NICHD supports research in areas relevant to normal and abnormal human development, including contraception, fertilization, pregnancy, childbirth, prenatal and postnatal development; childhood development through adolescence; intellectual and developmental disabilities; and rehabilitation medicine. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/grants-funding/opportunities-mechanisms/areas-research/Pages/default.aspx. Grant applications and project proposals must fall within the missions of the scientific branches of NICHD's Division of Extramural Research or its National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to visit these pages for recent scientific advances and emerging public health topics. If you have questions about projects within a specific research area, you may find an NICHD program officer at https://www.nichd.nih.gov/grants-contracts/research-areas/priorities.
|
Bryan S. Clark, MBA Grants Management Branch Telephone: 301-402-0915 Email: clarkb1@mail.nih.gov |
| National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) | Yuki Lama, PhD Phone: 301-443-4577 NIDAreferral@mail.nih.gov |
Pam Fleming Telephone: 301-480-1159 Email: pfleming@nida.nih.gov |
| National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) | Nancy L. Freeman, Ph.D. Telephone: 301-402-3458 Email: FreemanN@mail.NIH.gov The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) uses the Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21) to support the development of novel ideas, technologies, or methodologies at an early stage of development which have the potential to break new ground or extend toward new directions or applications. The NIDCD supports basic and clinical biomedical and behavioral research in the communication sciences of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language. The proposed research must be focused on one or more of these scientific mission areas. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/ |
Samantha Tempchin Telephone: 301-435-1404 Email: tempchins@mail.nih.gov |
| National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) | Contact information can be found at: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/Research/DER/ContactRA.htm Integrative Biology and Infectious Diseases Branch Amanda Melillo, Ph.D. Phone: 301-594-7703 Email: Amanda.melillo@nih.gov Center for Clinical Research Dena Fischer, DDS, MSD, MS Telephone: 301-594-4876 Email: fischerdj@nidcr.nih.gov Translational Genomics Research Branch Zubaida Saifudeen, PhD. Telephone: 301-827-3334 Email: zubaida.saifudeen@nih.gov Behavioral and Social Science Research Branch Melissa Riddle, Ph.D. Telephone: 301-451-3888 Email: riddleme@nidcr.nih.gov For current funding opportunities and contacts, see https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/grantsandfunding/FundingOpportunityAnnouncements/ByTopic.htm |
Dede Rutberg, MBA Chief Grants Management Officer Telephone: 301-594-4798 Email:rutbergd@mail.nih.gov |
| National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) | The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) will accept investigator-initiated
research projects using the R21 mechanism for all areas of environmental health science research;
particularly those defined as NIEHS special emphasis areas. Details on these areas can be found at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/programs/index.cfm. To obtain more information about existing NIEHS program areas and their corresponding program administrators, see http://www.niehs.nih.gov/funding/grants/contacts.cfm |
Michelle Victalino Telephone: 984-287-3336 Email: victalinom@niehs.nih.gov Bryann Benton Telephone: 919-323-5577 Email: Bryann.Benton@nih.gov |
| National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) | The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) will accept
investigator-initiated exploratory/developmental projects (R21) for all program areas supported by the
Institute. Please click on links below for descriptions of NIMHD’s main research interest areas and contact information for a scientific program contact in each area: Community Health and Population Sciences Clinical and Health Services Research Integrative Biological and Behavioral Sciences |
Priscilla Grant, JD Telephone: 301-594-8412 Email: pg38h@nih.gov |
| National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) | The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) will accept investigator-initiated R21 applications
for exploratory/developmental projects in areas that are mission-relevant (http://www.ninr.nih.gov/AboutNINR/NINRMissionandStrategicPlan/).
This includes potentially high-risk/high payoff projects in the early stages of development and projects
having innovative scientific ideas. Please contact the NINR Program Director listed in the area of
science in which you are interested. NINR Program Staff contacts may be found at: http://www.ninr.nih.gov/ResearchAndFunding/ DEA/OEP/AreasofscienceFile.htm |
Brian Albertini Telephone: 301-594-6869 Email: albertib@mail.nih.gov |
| National Library of Medicine (NLM) | Meryl Sufian, PhD Catherine Farrell, PhD Sung Sug (Sarah) Yoon, PhD Goutham Reddy, MD, MS Clayton Bingham, PhD The National Library of Medicine (NLM) will accept investigator-initiated R21 applications that explore new areas in its mission relevant areas, which include data science, healthcare/clinical informatics, public health informatics, translational informatics, bioinformatics, consumer health informatics and information sciences. NLM is particularly interested in highly innovative, high-risk/high impact biomedical informatics projects. The range and scope of NLM's research interests is described at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/GrantExDev.html. |
Andrea Culhane |