Exploratory/Developmental Research Project Grant (Parent R21 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers and institutions seeking funding to conduct exploratory and developmental research projects involving human subjects. Eligible applicants include universities, medical schools, teaching hospitals, independent research institutes, and other domestic nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Federal agencies and units of state and local government are also eligible. The research must involve basic experimental studies with human participation. Applications may be submitted by institutions with an active NIH DUNS number and established grant management infrastructure. Geographic scope is limited to the United States. This mechanism is designed to support high-risk, innovative research in early stages that would not be appropriate for larger, traditional R01 grants. Projects should address significant gaps in knowledge and may explore novel methodologies.
Program description
The NIH Exploratory/Developmental Grant supports exploratory and developmental research projects by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of these projects. These studies may involve considerable risk but may lead to a breakthrough in a particular area, or to the development of novel techniques, agents, methodologies, models, or applications that could have a major impact on a field of biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.This Parent Notice of Funding Opportunity is for basic science experimental studies involving humans, referred to in NOT-OD-18-212 as prospective basic science studies involving human participants. These studies fall within the NIH definition of a clinical trial and also meet the definition of basic research. Types of studies that should submit under this FOA include studies that prospectively assign human participants to conditions (i.e., experimentally manipulate independent variables) and that assess biomedical or behavioral outcomes in humans for the purpose of understanding the fundamental aspects of phenomena without specific application towards processes or products in mind. Studies conducted with specific applications toward processes or products in mind should submit under the appropriate Clinical Trials Required or Clinical Trial Optional FOA.The proposed project must be related to the programmatic interests of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on their scientific missions
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- NIH Form SF-424 (R&R) (face page)
- Project Narrative (6–9 pages, including research strategy, significance, innovation, and approach)
- Budget and Budget Justification (with line-item detail for personnel, equipment, travel, and other costs)
- NIH Biographical Sketch (for PD/PI and other senior/key personnel)
- Facilities and Administrative Costs (Indirect Cost) documentation
- Letter(s) of Institutional Commitment and support
- IRB approval letter or evidence of IRB review plan
- Human Subjects Protection Plan (including recruitment strategy, informed consent, privacy/confidentiality measures)
- Letters of support from collaborators (if applicable)
- Current and Pending Support (funding disclosure form)
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.233 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$16,277,433
-
$13,970,558
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$12,669,690
-
$8,456,005
-
$7,924,752
-
$7,402,941
-
$7,333,951
-
$7,218,079
-
$6,771,213
-
$6,674,878
Top States by Funding
- MA 17 awards $92.5M
- PA 11 awards $51.0M
- IL 10 awards $44.8M
- CA 11 awards $36.0M
- MD 7 awards $30.3M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.233). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $104,734,238 | |
| 2025 | $116,468,492 |
FAQ
Who can submit an R21 application for this grant?
Any domestic public or private nonprofit organization, for-profit organization, federal agency, or unit of state or local government with an active DUNS number and ability to administer federal grants. Principal Investigators must hold a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, DO, DDS, DVM, or equivalent) and typically have research support from their institution.
What research activities are supported by R21 grants?
High-risk, innovative exploratory and developmental research projects involving basic experimental studies with human subjects. Projects should be in early stages and address significant gaps in knowledge or test novel methodologies that may be too preliminary for traditional R01 funding.
What is the typical funding level and project duration for an R21?
R21 grants typically provide between $150,000–$450,000 in total costs (direct + indirect) over 2 years. Exact amounts vary by IC (Institute or Center). Project periods are typically 24 months, though some institutes may allow different durations.
How competitive are R21 applications?
R21s are highly competitive. They attract early-stage researchers, established investigators exploring new directions, and innovative high-risk studies. Strong emphasis is placed on innovation, feasibility, and the significance of the research gap. Preliminary data strengthens competitiveness.
What are the key evaluation criteria?
Reviewers assess innovation, significance, approach, investigator qualifications, and environment. Because R21s fund exploratory work, preliminary data may be less extensive than for R01s, but the research plan must still be clear and achievable within the 2-year timeframe.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize innovation and the gap in knowledge your research addresses. R21s are designed for high-risk, exploratory work, so frame your project as addressing a significant but previously unanswered question.
- Keep your project scope realistic for a 24-month timeline with modest budget. R21s are not meant to be scaled-down R01s; plan specific, achievable aims that pilot new concepts or methodologies.
- Use preliminary data strategically. While R21s typically require less extensive preliminary data than R01s, demonstrating feasibility and your team's capability to execute is essential.
- Clearly articulate the human subjects involvement. Since this mechanism requires basic experimental studies with humans, provide detailed plans for recruitment, informed consent, IRB approval, and protection of human subjects.
- Address potential reviewer concerns about feasibility head-on. Explicitly acknowledge risks and limitations, then explain mitigation strategies. Reviewers value transparency and thoughtful planning over unrealistic optimism.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because the research scope is either too broad for a 2-year R21 timeline or too incremental to warrant exploratory funding. Reviewers also downgrade applications that lack adequate preliminary data to support feasibility or human subjects protections that are insufficiently detailed. Additionally, many applicants underestimate the time required for IRB approval and human recruitment, leading to unrealistic project timelines.
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