Pilot Projects to Enhance the Human Virome Program (R03, Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for early-stage research exploring the human virome (viruses in the human body). Eligible applicants include researchers at academic institutions, research hospitals, and nonprofit research organizations. Applicants must have an NIH institutional affiliation through their organization's grants administration office. Clinical trials are not permitted under this funding mechanism. The R03 mechanism supports pilot and feasibility studies with smaller budgets than R01 grants.
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Key dates
- Mar 10, 2026 Applications open
- Nov 10, 2026 Application deadline in 116 days
- Jul 1, 2027 Award announced
- Aug 1, 2027 Project start
Program description
The Common Fund Human Virome Program (HVP) aims to extensively and comprehensively characterize the human virome and create tools, models, and methods that will enable an in-depth study of its variation and composition in relation to host factors and its influence on health and disease. The purpose of this NOFO is to support small pilot projects that extend the goals of the HVP, including further validating, improving, and complementing existing and newly developed tools from the HVP program by leveraging human specimens collected from the cohorts under the program; samples from animals to promote the refinement, utilization, and translation of these tools to better serve the goals of the HVP program; expanding existing cohorts and/or biospecimen sampling sites for virome characterization; developing tools and methods to study the human virome; and defining interactions between the human virome and host. These pilot projects will encourage collaboration across the HVP and expand the consortium. Pilot projects should not overlap with existing HVP efforts. The R03 is intended to support small research projects that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- County Government
- Hospital
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Researcher (independent)
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (R&R) form
- Research plan/project narrative
- Budget and budget narrative
- Biosketches of key personnel
- Letters of support from collaborators
- IRB approval or exemption documentation (if human subjects or biospecimens involved)
- Institutional certification of NIH compliance
Program contact
- 👤 Human Virome Program
- 📧 HumanVirome@od.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via email.
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.310 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$973,507,476
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$383,462,829
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$190,396,050
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$179,737,926
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$169,422,678
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$167,922,818
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$147,947,250
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$143,679,156
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$115,739,255
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$91,722,927
Top States by Funding
- CA 3 awards $1,196.2M
- NC 4 awards $446.1M
- WA 1 awards $383.5M
- MD 2 awards $317.4M
- NY 4 awards $261.2M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.310). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,174,839,078 | |
| 2025 | $1,062,277,534 | |
| 2026 est. | $28,100,048 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Researchers affiliated with accredited research institutions, including universities, hospitals, and nonprofits. Your institution must have an NIH grants administration office.
Are clinical trials allowed?
No. This program explicitly excludes clinical trials. You must propose laboratory or observational research only.
What is the typical funding range for R03 awards?
R03 awards are typically smaller than R01 grants, usually $50,000-$150,000 total costs. Check the most recent RFP for exact limits.
How competitive is this grant?
R03 grants are moderately competitive. Success depends on a clearly defined pilot question and feasible timeline for the proposed study period.
What kind of research is supported?
Research exploring human viral ecology, pathogenesis, or detection methods. Work must advance understanding of the human virome specifically.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Read the full program announcement carefully. NIH funding opportunities often have specific eligibility rules and allowable costs that differ from standard R01 grants.
- Clearly frame your project as a pilot study with achievable milestones. R03 reviewers expect feasibility and proof-of-concept, not comprehensive research.
- Secure institutional support early. Your grants administration office must verify eligibility and submit the application on your behalf.
- Focus on innovation in methods or approach. Pilot funding rewards novel questions or approaches, not preliminary data from ongoing R01 work.
- Budget conservatively and justify all costs. R03 budgets are tight; every dollar should directly support your pilot hypothesis.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposing a clinical trial or patient treatment study. This mechanism does not support clinical intervention research. Submitting an underdeveloped or overly ambitious project. R03 applications fail when scope exceeds a realistic 2-year timeline or budget limits. Lacking institutional grants administration involvement early. Late engagement delays submission and may cause missing eligibility requirements.
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