Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA GM 17 004
Apply for RFA GM 17 004
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Maximizing Investigator's Research Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R35)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 18, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 04, 2016. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 70 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Maximizing Investigator's Research Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R35), listed as RFA-GM-17-004, is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It sits within the health funding activity category (CFDA 93.859) and is administered under the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The core purpose of this opportunity is to support an investigator's overall program of research rather than a single narrowly defined project. In practical terms, the award is designed to provide stable, flexible funding for the collection of related research projects taking place within an investigator's laboratory, as long as that body of work aligns with the mission areas supported by NIGMS.
A key feature of this funding opportunity is its emphasis on the investigator and their research direction instead of tying support to one specific aim that cannot evolve. For this FOA, "program of research" is explicitly defined as the set of projects in the investigator's lab that are relevant to NIGMS's mission. That framing matters because it encourages applicants to describe a coherent, mission-relevant research vision and explain how multiple lines of work in the lab fit together scientifically, rather than treating each subproject as an isolated effort. The intention behind MIRA is to enable investigators, especially those early in their careers, to pursue promising leads, adjust priorities as data emerge, and maintain momentum without constantly reshaping their science to match highly constrained project-based mechanisms.
This particular FOA targets new and early stage investigators, and it is offered as a grant funding instrument (R35). While the source information provided here does not lay out all eligibility nuances for "new" or "early stage" status, the title makes clear that the applicant pool is intended to include investigators who are at the beginning phases of establishing independent research programs. The opportunity is broadly accessible across many organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as eligible Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations, and public housing/Indian housing authorities. The listing also notes an "Others" category with additional eligibility clarification in the full announcement, indicating that some applicants not captured by standard categories may still be able to apply depending on the specifics in the complete FOA.
In terms of funding scale and competitiveness, the opportunity indicates an award ceiling of $250,000 and an expected number of awards around 70. Those figures signal a program intended to make a meaningful number of awards while still maintaining selectivity. The presence of an award ceiling also implies applicants need to shape their proposed research program to fit within a defined budget cap, emphasizing prioritization and a clear articulation of how the funding will sustain the lab's broader research trajectory.
Administratively, the opportunity record shows a creation date of August 18, 2016, with an original closing date of November 4, 2016. While those dates indicate the specific cycle referenced in the posting, the larger MIRA concept is part of an ongoing approach NIGMS has used to fund investigators, so applicants typically use the specific FOA details for the relevant cycle they are targeting. Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as a mechanism meant to give early-career researchers room to build and refine an NIGMS-relevant research program, with funding structured to support the integrated work of an entire laboratory rather than a single tightly bounded project.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is called the Maximizing Investigator's Research Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (MIRA), and it uses the NIH grant mechanism R35. The listing is identified as RFA-GM-17-004.
Which federal agency offers this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Which NIH Institute administers the award?
The award is administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).
What funding activity category and CFDA number are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under the health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA 93.859.
What is the main purpose of the MIRA (R35) for new and early stage investigators?
The core purpose is to support an investigator's overall program of research rather than a single narrowly defined project. The intent is to provide stable and flexible funding that supports a set of related research efforts in an investigator's laboratory, as long as they align with NIGMS mission areas.
Does this award fund a single project or an investigator's broader research program?
This opportunity is designed to fund an investigator's broader program of research. It emphasizes the investigator and the overall research direction instead of tying support to one specific aim that cannot evolve.
How does this FOA define a "program of research"?
For this FOA, a "program of research" is defined as the set of projects in the investigator's laboratory that are relevant to NIGMS's mission.
Why does the program-of-research approach matter for applicants?
Because the focus is on a coherent, mission-relevant research vision, applicants are expected to explain how multiple lines of work in their lab fit together scientifically, rather than presenting each subproject as isolated. This framing is intended to support work that can adapt as new results emerge.
What is meant by "stable, flexible funding" in this context?
The opportunity is intended to give investigators room to pursue promising leads, adjust priorities as data emerge, and maintain research momentum without constantly reshaping the science to fit highly constrained, project-specific mechanisms.
Who is this specific MIRA FOA intended to support?
This particular FOA targets new and early stage investigators. While the provided information does not detail every eligibility nuance, the title indicates the applicant pool is intended to include investigators who are in the early phases of establishing independent research programs.
What grant funding instrument is used for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant, using the NIH R35 mechanism.
Which types of organizations are eligible to apply based on the information provided?
The opportunity is described as broadly accessible across many organization types, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Eligible Native American tribal governments
- Tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
What does the "Others" eligibility category mean?
The listing notes an "Others" category with additional eligibility clarification in the full announcement. This indicates that some applicants not captured by the standard categories may still be able to apply depending on the specifics in the complete FOA.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The opportunity indicates an award ceiling of $250,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity lists an expected number of awards of around 70.
What do the award ceiling and expected number of awards suggest about competitiveness?
With an award ceiling of $250,000 and an anticipated total of about 70 awards, the program is positioned to make a meaningful number of awards while still being selective. The ceiling also implies that applicants should shape their proposed research program to fit within a defined budget cap.
How should applicants think about budgeting given the award ceiling?
Because a ceiling is stated, applicants generally need to prioritize and clearly explain how the capped level of support will sustain the lab's broader research trajectory and integrated set of mission-relevant projects.
When was this opportunity record created and when did it close?
The opportunity record shows a creation date of August 18, 2016, and an original closing date of November 4, 2016.
Do these dates mean the program is no longer relevant?
The listed dates refer to the specific posting cycle referenced in the record. The broader MIRA concept is described as part of an ongoing approach NIGMS has used to fund investigators, so applicants typically rely on the FOA details for the relevant cycle they are targeting.
What research areas are appropriate for this award?
The supported work should align with mission areas supported by NIGMS. The program of research is framed as the set of lab projects that are relevant to the NIGMS mission.
What is the overall takeaway for potential applicants?
This opportunity is best understood as a mechanism intended to give early-career researchers room to build and refine an NIGMS-relevant research program, with funding structured to support the integrated work of an entire laboratory rather than a single tightly bounded project.
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