Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21)
🏛 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA (HHS-CDC-HHSCDCERA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 27, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers conducting exploratory and developmental occupational safety and health research. Eligible applicants typically include academic institutions, research organizations, and healthcare entities with capacity to conduct NIH-funded research. Proposals must address a clear occupational health burden and present innovative scientific concepts, new model systems, or technologies. The focus is translating research findings into prevention measures and products that reduce work-related illnesses and injuries.
Research must identify workplace health risks, develop risk reduction strategies, and advance occupational safety science. Multi-institutional collaborations are permitted. Applicants should demonstrate institutional support and access to necessary resources for exploratory research projects.
Foreign applicants may apply if their institutions have appropriate NIH agreements. Indirect costs are typically allowable under federal rates.
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Key dates
- Jul 27, 2026 Applications open
- Feb 16, 2027 Application deadline in 202 days
- Aug 2, 2027 Award announced
- Sep 1, 2027 Project start
Program description
The R21 grant program is designed to advance our understanding of occupational diseases and injuries by focusing on the following three objectives:
- Identify the risks and conditions linked to workplace health issues.
- Develop strategies to reduce risks and limit exposure to hazardous environments.
- Translate significant scientific discoveries into prevention measures and products that can effectively reduce work-related illnesses and injuries.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) actively supports exploratory and developmental research projects (R21) that pursue:
- Innovative scientific concepts.
- New model systems.
- Tools or technologies with the potential to make a meaningful impact on occupational safety and health.
Through this NOFO, applicants will:
- Provide a clear and concise description of the specific occupational health burden the proposal addresses.
- Demonstrate how the proposed research activities will lead to outputs that directly contribute to alleviating this burden.
- Outline the expected outcomes and impacts of their research during the project and in the long term.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) Application Form
- Project Narrative (Research Strategy)
- Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketch (PIs and Key Personnel)
- Facilities and Resources
- Protection of Human Subjects (if applicable)
- Letters of Support (institutional commitment)
Program contact
- 👤 Bridgette Garrett, PhD, Scientific Program Official
- 📧 bgarrett@cdc.gov
- 📞 770-488-5715
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.262 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$119,835,396
-
$84,316,965
-
$32,293,512
-
$31,307,359
-
$31,273,504
-
$31,109,864
-
$30,624,479
-
$30,094,184
-
$29,920,153
-
$29,746,441
Top States by Funding
- NY 22 awards $229.1M
- MD 3 awards $121.4M
- CA 6 awards $109.6M
- MA 6 awards $80.8M
- MI 3 awards $76.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.262). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $130,993,880 | |
| 2025 | $127,849,749 | |
| 2026 est. | $113,003,523 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this NIOSH R21 grant?
Institutions with federal funding experience—universities, research centers, and hospitals. Individual researchers at eligible institutions can serve as principal investigators.
What is the deadline and funding amount?
The deadline is February 16, 2027. Awards typically support exploratory projects up to $300,000 total for the project period.
What types of research activities are funded?
Projects addressing occupational health risks, prevention strategies, and innovative tools or technologies. Emphasis is on exploratory research with potential for significant occupational safety impact.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant program.
What makes an application competitive?
Clear articulation of an occupational health burden, innovative research approach, feasibility within budget, and clear pathway to practical prevention applications or products.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Frame your occupational health problem clearly. Specify the worker population affected and the disease or injury burden the research addresses.
- Emphasize innovation. Highlight novel scientific concepts, new model systems, or technologies rather than incremental improvements to existing approaches.
- Connect research to real-world impact. Explain how your findings will translate to prevention measures, products, or policy recommendations that reduce worker risk.
- Budget realistically for exploratory work. R21 grants support early-stage research, so demonstrate that your scope is appropriate for this developmental phase.
- Build a strong research team. Include collaborators with relevant expertise in occupational health, engineering, toxicology, or epidemiology as appropriate.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals that describe occupational health problems without clear research objectives or outcomes tend to be rejected. Applications proposing research already at an advanced stage—rather than exploratory—do not fit R21 scope. Weak plans to translate findings into practical prevention applications significantly reduce competitiveness.
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