Rigor Scholar Cohort Awards (K12)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 29, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for early-career researchers who want to advance expertise in rigorous scientific practices. Applicants work within multi-institutional collaborations and local/national cohorts to develop procedures and share lessons in good scientific practice.
The program emphasizes preregistration, blinding, randomization, and transparent dissemination. Researchers at eligible institutions can apply, typically including universities, research centers, and nonprofit research organizations.
Funding supports career development and collaborative research activities. Projects span multiple institutions working toward shared rigor and reproducibility goals.
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Key dates
- Sep 11, 2026 Applications open
- Oct 1, 2027 Application deadline in 336 days
- Jul 1, 2028 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2028 Project start
Program description
Rigor Scholar Cohort Awards support early-career researchers to advance expertise in rigorous scientific practices, such as preregistration, blinding, randomization, and transparent dissemination, through multi-institutional collaboration. Working within local and national cohorts, scholars will co-develop procedures and share lessons, building the vital skills needed to champion good scientific practice. This effort is a part of the NIH Common Fund’s Rigor, Replicability, & Reproducibility to Promote Excellence, Accuracy, & Translation in Science (R3PEATS) program.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (or equivalent federal application form)
- Project Narrative/Proposal
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Institutional Support Letters (from collaborating institutions)
- CV or Biosketch
Program contact
- 👤 R3PEATS Program
- 📧 R3PEATS@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail.
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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$198,364,987
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$179,737,926
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$169,422,678
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$148,383,140
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$143,679,156
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$115,739,255
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$79,886,847
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$68,845,964
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$60,300,930
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$56,167,589
Top States by Funding
- MD 2 awards $317.8M
- CA 1 awards $198.4M
- NJ 1 awards $179.7M
- TN 1 awards $143.7M
- NY 2 awards $116.5M
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 R3PEATS Rigor Scholar Cohort Awards?
Early-career researchers at eligible institutions can apply. Your institution typically needs to be an accredited research organization.
What is the application deadline?
The deadline is October 1, 2027. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling.
What types of activities does this grant support?
The grant supports developing expertise in rigorous practices like preregistration, blinding, and randomization. Multi-institutional collaboration and cohort-based learning are key components.
How competitive is this grant?
This is a selective NIH award. Strong applications demonstrate commitment to rigor and clear collaborative plans with partner institutions.
What is the funding range?
The total program funding is $4.25 million. Individual award amounts are not specified in the current guidance.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize your early-career stage and prior commitment to rigorous research practices. Use concrete examples of work you've done applying preregistration or similar methods.
- Clearly define your multi-institutional collaboration. Explain who your partners are and what each contributes to the cohort's learning.
- Show how your cohort will develop and share procedures. Describe specific deliverables like written guides, workshops, or dissemination activities.
- Connect your work to NIH's reproducibility goals. Explain how improved rigor practices will advance your field and benefit the broader research community.
- Build a realistic timeline for cohort formation, skill-building, and outcomes. Account for coordination across multiple institutions.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak collaboration plans with vague partner roles. Failing to connect proposed activities to specific rigor practices like preregistration or blinding. Unclear or overly broad scope without concrete cohort deliverables.
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