Emergency Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Awards (Emergency Supplement – Clinical Trial Optional)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers with existing NIH awards who need to request emergency or urgent supplemental funding to address unforeseen research challenges, opportunities, or disruptions. Eligible applicants are PIs or co-investigators with current, active NIH-funded grants (R01, R21, R03, and other research project grant mechanisms). The supplement is available across all NIH institutes and centers. Activities supported include addressing research delays caused by emergencies, taking advantage of time-sensitive research opportunities, managing personnel changes, acquiring equipment needed for active research, or conducting additional research activities. Non-competing continuing grants cannot apply. The applicant institution must hold the original NIH grant and maintain compliance with all federal grant requirements.
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Program description
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) hereby notify the applicant community that funds may be available for applications based on a presidentially declared disaster under the Stafford Act, a public health emergency declared by the Secretary, HHS, or other local, regional or national disaster. Applications in response to Emergency Notices of Special Interest (NOSIs) will be routed directly to the NIH awarding component signed on to the Emergency NOSI.
Only applications submitted in response to an Emergency NOSI published by an IC will be allowed to apply to this NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Original NIH grant award notice and current budget pages
- Supplement budget form (SF-424 or applicable NIH budget template)
- Detailed justification narrative (typically 2-3 pages) explaining the emergency, timeline, and alignment with original award
- Letter of institutional support from research office and/or department chair
- Biographical sketch(es) for any new key personnel (if applicable)
- Budget narrative justifying all requested expenses
- Human subjects or animal care approvals (if applicable to the supplement)
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.142 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$58,848,645
-
$44,441,204
-
$40,434,015
-
$38,123,343
-
$37,221,206
-
$35,505,477
-
$35,403,490
-
Oai Inc IL$30,997,076
-
$27,084,951
-
$26,666,380
Top States by Funding
- MD 5 awards $85.8M
- DC 4 awards $80.3M
- PA 2 awards $63.5M
- OH 2 awards $48.2M
- NJ 3 awards $38.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.142). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $35,159,076 | |
| 2025 | $35,859,076 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this emergency supplement?
Only researchers with an active, non-expiring NIH research award can request an emergency supplement. You must be the PI or authorized co-investigator on the original award. The supplement must be requested through your institution's grant office.
What are typical funding levels for emergency supplements?
Emergency supplements typically range from $25,000 to $100,000 in additional funding, though amounts vary by NIH institute and research type. The request should be proportional to the emergency need and feasible within the remaining project period.
What qualifies as an emergency or urgent situation?
Common justifications include unexpected loss of key personnel, natural disasters affecting research facilities, time-sensitive research opportunities, equipment failure, or pandemic-related disruptions. Your justification must be specific and demonstrate why standard grant mechanisms cannot address the need.
When should I submit my request?
Emergency supplements should be submitted as soon as the need arises. The fixed deadline in April is informational; NIH accepts emergency supplement requests on a rolling basis throughout the year when genuine emergencies occur.
How competitive is this funding?
While success rates are generally higher than R01 mechanisms, competition varies by institute. Strong justification, clear alignment with existing award goals, and demonstrated institutional support significantly improve chances of approval.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly demonstrate the emergency or time-sensitive nature of your request; vague or routine requests are typically rejected. Provide specific dates and concrete evidence of the urgent situation.
- Ensure your supplement aligns directly with the scope of your existing NIH award. Do not use emergency supplements to expand research directions; funds must support or enhance the original project goals.
- Include a detailed budget justification and timeline showing how the supplemental funds will be used within the remaining project period. Explain why standard grant modification procedures are insufficient.
- Obtain strong institutional support before submitting. Your institution's research office and your department chair should endorse the supplement and confirm commitment of any required cost-sharing.
- Address feasibility directly: demonstrate that you have the personnel capacity, facilities, and expertise to complete the supplemented research on schedule. NIH reviewers want confidence that the supplement will be productive, not burdensome.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lacking genuine urgency or attempting to use emergency supplements for routine budget adjustments are routinely denied. Additionally, supplements that significantly expand the original project scope, lack specific timelines and deliverables, or fail to demonstrate institutional support often receive unfavorable reviews. Finally, requesting excessive amounts relative to the emergency need or submitting vague justifications without concrete evidence of the crisis weakens competitiveness.
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