Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Sep 12, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations that organize and conduct scientific conferences, workshops, and meetings in NIH-relevant research areas. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, professional societies, and research organizations. The program supports planning, organization, and execution of conferences that bring together scientists and researchers to discuss advances in health and biomedical research. Activities must advance science through knowledge exchange and professional development, though clinical trial-focused meetings are excluded under this track. Applicants should have demonstrated experience managing scientific events or conferences relevant to their field.
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Program description
The purpose of the NIH Research Conference Grant (R13) is to support high quality conferences that are relevant to the public health and to the scientific mission of the participating Institutes and Centers.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (federal application form)
- Project narrative describing conference goals, scientific merit, and expected impact
- Detailed budget and budget justification
- Organizational capacity documentation and evidence of past conference management
- List of confirmed or prospective speakers/organizers
- Conference agenda or outline
- Letters of support from partnering organizations (if applicable)
- Evidence of tax-exempt status (501(c)(3) for nonprofit organizations)
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.394 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$75,651,803
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$42,615,772
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$42,479,238
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$41,104,414
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$37,552,767
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$35,037,695
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$32,779,637
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$20,516,387
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$18,390,244
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$16,667,828
Top States by Funding
- PA 10 awards $144.3M
- WA 6 awards $118.7M
- CA 13 awards $117.9M
- TX 8 awards $95.3M
- OH 5 awards $75.3M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.394). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $540,918,671 | |
| 2025 | $602,293,691 | |
| 2026 est. | $716,748,079 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this conference support grant?
Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, professional societies, research organizations, and other entities with a demonstrated capacity to organize scientific conferences. For-profit entities may not apply.
What types of conferences are supported?
NIH supports conferences and scientific meetings that advance biomedical and health research. Typical topics align with NIH research priorities. This particular track explicitly excludes meetings focused on clinical trials.
What activities and expenses can this funding cover?
Funding typically covers conference planning, logistics, speaker fees, venue costs, materials, registration support, and travel for invited speakers and participants. Some salary support for planning staff may be allowed.
How competitive is this program?
These grants are moderately competitive. Success depends on the conference's scientific merit, expected impact on the field, audience relevance to NIH priorities, and applicant's track record managing similar events.
What is the typical funding range?
Grants typically range from $10,000 to $75,000, though amounts vary by scope and duration of the conference. Check the program announcement for current guidance on budget limits.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly articulate the scientific importance and novelty of your conference topic and explain how it advances NIH research priorities in your field
- Demonstrate strong conference planning capacity by including detailed budgets, timelines, and evidence of past successful event management
- Build a prestigious and diverse speaker lineup that reflects current leaders and emerging researchers in your field to strengthen perceived impact
- Show a realistic plan for attracting participants and explain how the conference will disseminate findings (publications, proceedings, recordings)
- Submit applications well in advance of the deadline to allow time for NIH review and to ensure your event timing aligns with the funding timeline
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail when organizers underestimate the planning scope and budget needed for a high-quality event, or when the scientific relevance to NIH research priorities is unclear. Applicants frequently also struggle by not adequately documenting their organization's prior experience managing conferences of similar scale, or by proposing meetings that appear too narrowly specialized to generate meaningful impact on the broader research community.
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