Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
🏛 Food and Drug Administration (HHS-FDA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, government agencies, and other entities seeking support to organize scientific conferences and meetings focused on FDA-regulated products and topics of scientific and public health interest. The program typically supports meetings that advance knowledge in areas under FDA oversight, including drugs, biologics, devices, food, and cosmetics. Applicants must demonstrate scientific merit and show how the conference will benefit the scientific community and advance FDA's public health mission. Clinical trial meetings are not eligible under this mechanism. Geographic scope is U.S.-based organizations, though the meeting itself may have international participation. Support helps cover costs associated with organizing, hosting, and publicizing the scientific meeting.
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Program description
The purpose of the FDA (R13) Scientific Conference Grant Program is to facilitate the provision of federal financial assistance in support of high-quality conferences and scientific meetings designed to research and investigate a topic clearly aligned with the FDA mission. The FDA recognizes the value of supporting high quality conferences and scientific meetings relevant to its mission and to the public health. A conference or scientific meeting is defined as a symposium, seminar, workshop, or any formal meeting, whether conducted face-to-face or virtually to exchange information and explore a defined subject, issue, or area of concern impacting the public’s health within the scope of the FDA’s mission. Permission to submit a conference grant application does not assure funding or funding at the level requested. FDA will not issue a conference grant award unless it can be issued before the conference start date.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative describing the scientific merit and FDA relevance of the proposed conference
- Detailed budget and budget justification with itemized expenses
- Organizational capacity documentation (past conference experience, certifications)
- Curriculum vitae or biosketches of key organizers
- Letters of support or commitment from co-sponsors, speakers, or partner organizations
- Conference agenda or preliminary program outline
- Marketing and dissemination plan for reaching target audience
- Organizational tax status documentation (proof of 501(c)(3) or government status, if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Janelle Fundersburg Grants Management Specialist
- 📧 Janelle.Fundersburg@fda.hhs.gov
- 📞 301-796-2533
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.103 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$121,795,918
-
$76,105,626
-
$50,217,964
-
$47,940,304
-
$36,000,000
-
$35,573,997
-
$35,391,995
-
$30,732,300
-
$23,332,999
-
$21,347,288
Top States by Funding
- AZ 3 awards $131.4M
- MD 7 awards $108.7M
- CA 9 awards $106.5M
- VA 5 awards $96.6M
- PA 10 awards $77.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.103). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2016 | $170,482,435 | |
| 2017 est. | $208,900,832 | |
| 2018 | $173,077,408 | |
| 2019 | $198,507,896 | |
| 2020 | $212,448,590 | |
| 2021 | $218,918,739 | |
| 2022 est. | $255,910,458 | |
| 2023 est. | $246,894,600 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this FDA conference grant?
Universities, nonprofits, hospitals, academic medical centers, research institutions, and other organizations with expertise in FDA-regulated areas are typically eligible. For-profit companies are usually not eligible, though there may be exceptions for nonprofit subsidiaries.
What types of meetings are supported?
Scientific conferences, seminars, workshops, and symposia focused on FDA-regulated products (drugs, biologics, devices, food, cosmetics) are supported. Clinical trial-focused meetings are explicitly not eligible under this mechanism.
What are typical funding amounts?
Conference support grants typically range from $10,000 to $50,000 depending on the scope and nature of the meeting, though amounts vary by year and institute.
What timeline should I expect?
Applications are typically reviewed on a rolling basis or in set cycles. Plan for 4-6 months from application to funding decision. Most grants take effect within 6 months of award.
How competitive is this funding?
Moderately competitive. Reviewers evaluate scientific merit, relevance to FDA mission, potential impact on the field, and budget reasonableness. Established organizations with strong track records in hosting conferences have higher success rates.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly articulate the scientific merit and significance of the proposed conference topic in relation to FDA-regulated products and public health. Show how it advances the field.
- Provide detailed budget narrative explaining each expense category. FDA reviewers scrutinize conference budgets carefully for necessity and reasonableness of costs.
- Demonstrate broad participation and impact by listing confirmed or expected attendees, speakers, and dissemination plans for proceedings and findings presented at the conference.
- Include a detailed timeline for planning and executing the conference, showing realistic milestones from award date through conference completion and final reporting.
- Ensure your organization has infrastructure and experience hosting successful scientific conferences. Include evidence of past conference coordination, attendee feedback, and how the organization manages logistics.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack clear connection between the conference topic and FDA's regulatory mission, propose meetings that resemble clinical trial symposia (which are not eligible), or submit unrealistic budgets that don't account for actual conference expenses. Weak applications also underestimate the importance of demonstrating scientific merit and potential field impact rather than focusing solely on logistics.
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