Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

---

Description

This opportunity supports small-scale biomedical research projects at undergraduate-focused institutions that have not been major recipients of NIH funding. The program aims to:

• Provide support for meritorious research at eligible institutions.
• Strengthen the research environment at these institutions.
• Offer undergraduate students significant hands-on experience in biomedical research.

Projects must propose a clinical trial (mechanistic and/or minimal risk) that aligns with the mission and research interests of participating NIH institutes. The research team should be composed primarily of undergraduate students, who must be actively involved in the research process.

This is a research grant, not a training or fellowship program; applications should focus on research activities rather than didactic or professional development training.

---

Due Dates

• Standard Deadlines: June 25, 2025 | October 25, 2025 | February 25, 2026 | June 25, 2026 | October 25, 2026 | February 25, 2027 | June 25, 2027 | October 25, 2027
• AIDS-Related Applications: September 7, 2025 | January 7, 2026 | May 7, 2026 | September 7, 2026 | January 7, 2027 | May 7, 2027 | September 7, 2027 | January 7, 2028

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. The opportunity expires January 8, 2028.

---

Funding Amount

• Maximum Direct Costs: $375,000 total (excluding consortium F&A) for the entire project period (up to 3 years).
• Budget Structure: All years’ direct costs must be requested in Budget Period 1.
• No cost sharing or matching required.
• Compensation: Undergraduate students must be compensated for research participation (salary or course credit, per institutional policy).

---

Eligibility

Eligible Institutions

• Accredited public or non-profit private institutions of higher education in the U.S. that grant baccalaureate degrees in biomedical sciences.
• Must have received no more than $6 million/year in NIH support (direct + indirect costs) in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years (excluding health professional schools/colleges).
• Undergraduate enrollment must exceed graduate enrollment in the applying component.
• Health professional schools/colleges (e.g., medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health) are not eligible.
• Foreign organizations and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible; foreign components as defined by NIH are allowed.

Eligible Individuals

• PD/PI must have a primary appointment at a non-health professional school/college within the eligible institution.
• PD/PI may not be the PI of an active NIH research grant (including another R15) at the time of award.
• Only one R15 grant per PD/PI at a time is allowed.

Other

• A signed letter from the Provost (or equivalent) verifying institutional eligibility is required with the application.
• Multiple applications per institution are allowed if scientifically distinct.

---

Application Process

• Submission Platforms: NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solution.
• Required Registrations: SAM, eRA Commons, Grants.gov, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
• Application Guide: Follow the NIH How to Apply - Application Guide and program-specific instructions in the NOFO.
• Provost Letter: Must be uploaded as “ProvostLetter.pdf” confirming eligibility criteria.
• Budget: Use Modular Budget for ≤$250,000 direct costs; use R&R Budget for $250,001–$375,000.
• Student Involvement: Clearly describe undergraduate roles and compensation.
• Clinical Trial: Application must propose a mechanistic and/or minimal risk clinical trial (not requiring FDA IND/IDE, not intended to establish efficacy, and with low risk).
• Review Criteria: Scientific merit, undergraduate engagement, research environment, and feasibility.

---

Additional Information

• Participating NIH Institutes: Multiple, including NICHD, NEI, NHLBI, NHGRI, NIA, NIAAA, NIDCD, NIDA, NIMH, NINR, NCI.
• Pre-application Consultation: Strongly encouraged to contact relevant NIH program staff for guidance.
• Reporting: Annual progress reports must detail undergraduate involvement and outcomes.
• Data Management: All applications must include a Data Management and Sharing Plan.
• No support for research at health professional schools/colleges.
• See the full NOFO for detailed requirements and instructions.

---

External Links

• NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (PAR-25-148)
• NIH Research Enhancement Award (R15) Program Overview
• NIH Standard Due Dates
• NIH Clinical Trial Definition & Guidance
• NIH RePORT Awards by Location and Organization
• Grants.gov Opportunity Listing

---

Contact Information

For institute-specific scientific or grants management contacts, refer to the full list in Section VII of the NOFO.