Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 16 200
Apply for PA 16 200
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academic Research Enhancement Award (Parent R15)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.351, 93.361, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.856, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867, 93.879,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 18, 2016 and posted on Apr 18, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 07, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA), also known as the NIH Parent R15 mechanism, is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH). It is designed to broaden participation in NIH-funded research by supporting institutions that educate a meaningful share of future U.S. researchers but historically have not been major recipients of NIH funding. In practical terms, the program aims to bring more colleges and universities into the NIH research ecosystem by helping them run credible, well-scoped biomedical and behavioral research projects that fit the size and resources of primarily undergraduate or otherwise NIH-underrepresented research environments.
At the center of the R15 program is the goal of stimulating research activity at eligible, domestic degree-granting institutions, especially those awarding baccalaureate and/or advanced degrees, where faculty and students can make real contributions but may lack the infrastructure or track record typically seen at research-intensive universities. The program is intentionally structured to support small-scale projects led by faculty investigators, with a strong emphasis on student involvement. One of the key expected outcomes is hands-on research exposure for undergraduate and/or graduate students through participation in meritorious research projects, which helps build the next generation of scientists while also strengthening the applicant institution's overall research culture and capacity.
The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Announcement number PA-16-200 and supports research across a broad range of NIH mission areas, reflected by the large set of CFDA program numbers associated with it (including, for example, 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.273, 93.837, and many others). This wide coverage indicates that the Parent R15 is not limited to a narrow topic area; instead, it generally serves as a parent funding mechanism that can align with multiple NIH institutes and centers, depending on the scientific focus of a particular application. The funding activity category spans several public interest areas, including education and health, and it is fundamentally tied to enhancing research and training environments in eligible academic settings.
Eligibility is aimed at higher education institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, with additional eligibility conditions referenced in the announcement's eligibility clarification text. The award is structured as a grant, and the listed award ceiling is $300,000. The funding opportunity was created and posted on April 18, 2016, and the cited closing date for this specific listing was May 7, 2019. Overall, the R15 AREA program functions as a capacity-building research award: it funds solid, achievable research projects while intentionally integrating student research experiences and strengthening institutional research environments at colleges and universities that are not typically large NIH funding recipients.
Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA / NIH Parent R15) FAQs
1. What is the Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) or NIH Parent R15?
The Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH). It is also referred to as the NIH Parent R15 mechanism. The program supports well-scoped biomedical and behavioral research projects at eligible U.S. colleges and universities that have historically not been major recipients of NIH funding.
2. What is the main purpose of the R15 (AREA) program?
The program is designed to broaden participation in NIH-funded research by bringing more colleges and universities into the NIH research ecosystem. It aims to stimulate research activity at eligible, domestic degree-granting institutions and strengthen their overall research culture and capacity through credible, achievable projects.
3. Who is this opportunity intended to benefit?
The opportunity is intended to benefit institutions that educate a meaningful share of future U.S. researchers but historically have not been major NIH funding recipients. It also benefits students by providing hands-on research exposure through participation in meritorious research projects.
4. What types of institutions are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at higher education institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. The announcement also references additional eligibility conditions in its eligibility clarification text.
5. Is the program limited to undergraduate-only institutions?
The program is structured to fit the size and resources of primarily undergraduate or otherwise NIH-underrepresented research environments. It is especially focused on domestic degree-granting institutions that award baccalaureate and/or advanced degrees.
6. What kinds of research does the Parent R15 support?
The Parent R15 supports research across a broad range of NIH mission areas, including biomedical and behavioral research. It is not limited to a narrow topic area and can align with multiple NIH institutes and centers depending on the scientific focus of an application.
7. How do NIH mission areas relate to this Parent R15 opportunity?
This mechanism functions as a "parent" funding opportunity, meaning it is designed to be broadly applicable across many NIH priorities. The wide set of associated CFDA program numbers reflects that applications may fit within different NIH institutes and centers based on the proposed science.
8. What is the funding opportunity announcement (FOA) number for this grant?
The funding opportunity announcement number listed for this opportunity is PA-16-200.
9. What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling for this opportunity is $300,000.
10. What type of funding mechanism is the R15 AREA?
The award is structured as a grant.
11. Is this considered a capacity-building or research project award?
It functions as a capacity-building research award. It funds solid, achievable research projects while strengthening institutional research environments and expanding meaningful student research experiences at eligible colleges and universities.
12. What role does student involvement play in the R15 program?
Student involvement is a strong emphasis of the R15 AREA program. One key expected outcome is hands-on research exposure for undergraduate and/or graduate students through participation in meritorious research projects.
13. What kinds of outcomes are expected from an R15-funded project?
Expected outcomes include stimulating research activity at the institution, producing credible and well-scoped research aligned with NIH mission areas, providing meaningful student research experiences, and strengthening the institution's research culture and capacity.
14. What scale of project is the R15 designed to support?
The program is intentionally structured to support small-scale projects led by faculty investigators, designed to be achievable within the resources and environment of eligible institutions.
15. Which federal agency and component administer this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
16. What general public interest areas does this opportunity fall under?
The funding activity category spans several public interest areas, including education and health, reflecting the program's focus on strengthening academic research and training environments while advancing NIH-relevant science.
17. When was this funding opportunity created and posted?
The opportunity was created and posted on April 18, 2016.
18. What was the closing date listed for this specific opportunity listing?
The cited closing date for this specific listing was May 7, 2019.
19. Does the broad list of CFDA numbers mean the program covers multiple research areas?
Yes. The large set of CFDA program numbers associated with the opportunity indicates broad coverage across NIH mission areas, rather than a narrow, single-topic program.
20. In practical terms, what does the R15 program try to change?
In practical terms, it aims to bring more colleges and universities into NIH-funded research by supporting credible, well-scoped projects that fit institutions that may not have the infrastructure or NIH funding track record typical of research-intensive universities, while also expanding student participation in research.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: DoD Peer Reviewed Cancer Career Development Award
Previous opportunity: Health Informatics Governance and Data Analytics (HIGDA)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PA 16 200
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 16 200) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25) Apply for PA 16 194 Funding Number: PA 16 194 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BD2K Mentored Career Development Award in Biomedical Big Data Science for Intramural Investigators (K22) Apply for RFA ES 16 003 Funding Number: RFA ES 16 003 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BD2K Mentored Career Development Award in Biomedical Big Data Science for Clinicians and Doctorally Prepared Scientists (K01) Apply for RFA ES 16 002 Funding Number: RFA ES 16 002 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BD2K Predoctoral Training in Biomedical Big Data Science (T32) Apply for RFA LM 16 002 Funding Number: RFA LM 16 002 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BD2K Open Educational Resources for Skills Development in Biomedical Big Data Science (R25) Apply for RFA HG 16 016 Funding Number: RFA HG 16 016 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Change of Grantee Organization (Type 7 Parent) Apply for PA 16 285 Funding Number: PA 16 285 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Successor-in-Interest (Type 6 Parent) Apply for PA 16 286 Funding Number: PA 16 286 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 16 288 Funding Number: PA 16 288 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers (Admin Supp) Apply for PA 16 289 Funding Number: PA 16 289 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13) Apply for PA 16 294 Funding Number: PA 16 294 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2016-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42]) Apply for PA 16 303 Funding Number: PA 16 303 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellowship for Students at Institutions With NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 16 305 Funding Number: PA 16 305 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2016-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA and ACF for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44]) Apply for PA 16 302 Funding Number: PA 16 302 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 16 306 Funding Number: PA 16 306 Agency: HHS-NIH11 Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Big Data to Knowledge (BD2K) Community-based Data and Metadata Standards Efforts (R24) Apply for RFA ES 16 010 Funding Number: RFA ES 16 010 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) Awards (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA OD 19 014 Funding Number: RFA OD 19 014 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program (Si2/R00 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 19 262 Funding Number: PAR 19 262 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program (Si2/R00 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 20 167 Funding Number: PAR 20 167 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Emergency Awards: RADx-rad Data Coordination Center (DCC) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA OD 20 019 Funding Number: RFA OD 20 019 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp) Apply for PA 16 287 Funding Number: PA 16 287 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PA 16 200", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.
