Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: May 16, 2025 (New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision)
Funding Amounts: New Investigators: $250,000/year direct costs (up to 5 years); Established: commensurate with prior NIGMS funding, up to $750,000/year direct costs.
Summary: Provides stable, flexible support for NIGMS mission-aligned research programs, enabling investigators to pursue innovative directions and reduce administrative burden.
Key Information: Applicants must devote at least 51% of total research effort to the award; ESIs must apply through the ESI MIRA FOA, not this one.
Description
This opportunity supports the Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA, R35) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the NIH. MIRA provides a single, long-term grant to fund the overall research program in an investigator’s laboratory, rather than individual projects. The program aims to:
- Increase funding stability for NIGMS-supported investigators.
- Enhance flexibility to pursue new research directions within the NIGMS mission.
- Broaden the distribution of funding among talented investigators.
- Reduce time spent on grant writing and review.
- Enable more time for research and mentoring trainees.
MIRA is open to eligible NIGMS-funded investigators and new investigators proposing research within the NIGMS mission. Renewal applications are allowed for current MIRA grantees. Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) must apply through the separate ESI MIRA FOA.
Due Dates
- Next deadline: May 16, 2025 (for new, renewal, resubmission, and revision applications)
- Applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
- No letter of intent is required.
Funding Amount
- New Investigators: Generally $250,000 in annual direct costs (up to 5 years).
- Established Investigators: May request up to $750,000/year direct costs, but awards are typically commensurate with the investigator’s recent NIGMS funding history.
- Well-funded investigators (>$400,000/year NIGMS direct costs) should anticipate ~12% budget reduction.
- Modest increases may be considered for those previously supported at <$250,000/year.
- Renewals: Award levels are flexible and determined based on review, prior funding, and NIGMS priorities.
- Project period: Up to 5 years.
Eligibility
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Eligible organizations:
- Public and private higher education institutions
- Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Independent school districts, public housing authorities
- Faith-based and community-based organizations
- Regional organizations
- U.S. territories and possessions
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Ineligible: Non-U.S. (foreign) institutions and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations. However, foreign components (as defined by NIH) are allowed as part of a U.S. application.
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PI/PD requirements:
- Must have at least one NIGMS single-PD/PI R01-equivalent award (R01, R37, DP1, DP2, SC1, or NIGMS R35) or be a new investigator proposing NIGMS-mission research.
- Must devote at least 51% of total research effort to the MIRA award.
- ESIs must apply through the ESI MIRA FOA.
- Multi-PD/PI grants alone do not confer eligibility.
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Other notes:
- Applicants with overlapping NIGMS research grant applications under review are not eligible.
- MIRA recipients must relinquish other NIGMS research project funding (with some exceptions).
Application Process
- Submission: Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or institutional system-to-system solutions.
- Forms: Use SF424 (R&R) Forms Version H and follow the NIH Research Application Guide.
- Key application elements:
- No Specific Aims page; instead, provide a program overview, recent progress, and future research plans.
- Biosketch for PD/PI (and rare collaborators).
- Budget: Provide total direct costs per year (no detailed categorical budget required).
- Data Management and Sharing Plan required.
- Human Subjects/Vertebrate Animals sections as applicable.
- Review: Peer review focuses on the overall impact of the research program, investigator creativity, productivity, and alignment with NIGMS mission.
Additional Information
- Clinical Trials: Mechanistic clinical trials are allowed if essential to the research program. Efficacy, effectiveness, or large multi-site clinical trials are not permitted.
- Overlap: Applicants cannot have another NIGMS research grant application pending review at the same time as a MIRA application (with limited exceptions).
- Effort: At least 51% of the PI’s total research effort (across all appointments) must be devoted to the MIRA.
- Renewals: Higher success rates are anticipated for MIRA renewals compared to R01s.
- Supplements: Administrative supplements for equipment and other purposes may be available.
External Links
Contact Information
For additional contacts by research area, see the NIGMS contact directory.