Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA GM 16 002
Apply for RFA GM 16 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Maximizing Investigators Research Award (R35)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 27, 2015 and posted on Jan 27, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 20, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $60,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments 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 Independent school districts Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Special district governments State governments City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA), also labeled as an R35 mechanism, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity created by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to support the full body of research taking place in an investigator's lab, as long as that work fits within the NIGMS mission. Instead of backing a narrow, pre-defined project with rigid specific aims, MIRA is designed to fund an investigator's overall research program. The central idea is to make NIGMS funding work better by focusing on people and their scientific direction rather than a collection of separate, aim-driven grants, and to test whether this approach is feasible through a pilot program with restricted eligibility.
A major emphasis of MIRA is improving how research is conducted and sustained in laboratories that NIGMS supports. The program is intended to provide more stable funding so investigators can plan further ahead, maintain momentum, and take on larger or more ambitious scientific questions without constantly worrying about short-term funding gaps. That stability is also meant to encourage more creative and risk-tolerant science, since investigators are not as tightly bound to the exact experiments they proposed long before the research began. Alongside stability, MIRA aims to give investigators greater flexibility to pivot when new findings or opportunities emerge, which is often essential in biomedical research where unexpected results can quickly open up better directions than the original plan.
The opportunity also reflects an efficiency goal for the research enterprise. By supporting an entire research program through a single award, MIRA is expected to reduce the time investigators spend writing multiple grant applications and the time the community spends reviewing them. In practical terms, that means more time for hands-on research, training, and supervision in the lab. NIGMS also anticipates that a more predictable funding environment will help principal investigators devote more consistent time and energy to mentoring students and postdoctoral researchers, which can be difficult when labs are repeatedly forced into short grant-writing cycles or sudden budget uncertainty.
Another stated objective is to distribute NIGMS funds more broadly across the pool of highly talented and promising investigators in the United States. By doing so, NIGMS expects to increase overall scientific productivity and improve the chances of major breakthroughs, based on the idea that spreading support across more strong programs can generate more total discovery than concentrating resources too narrowly. This redistribution goal aligns with the broader program aim of increasing the overall effectiveness and impact of NIGMS investments.
Administratively, this funding opportunity is a discretionary grant in the health category, issued by NIH under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-GM-16-002 (posted January 27, 2015). The program anticipated about 100 awards with an estimated total funding amount of $60,000,000, and it listed an award ceiling of $750,000. The CFDA number attached to the opportunity is 93.859 (Biomedical Research and Research Training). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The original and current closing date for this archived announcement was May 20, 2015, with an archive date of June 20, 2015.
Eligibility is broad across many types of U.S.-based organizations, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), small businesses, other for-profit organizations, state and local governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, independent school districts, and certain housing authorities and special district governments. The announcement also explicitly includes categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISIs, as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. At the same time, non-U.S. (foreign) institutions and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were not eligible to apply, although foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) were allowed.
For reference, the full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide (link provided in the source data), and NIH listed the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for technical access or linking issues.
Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA, R35) - FAQ
What is the Maximizing Investigators Research Award (MIRA)?
MIRA is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity created by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) that supports the full body of research taking place in an investigator's laboratory, as long as that work fits within the NIGMS mission.
What does "R35 mechanism" mean in this opportunity?
This opportunity is labeled as an R35 mechanism, which in this context refers to the MIRA award format used by NIGMS to fund an investigator's overall research program rather than a single, narrowly defined project.
What is the main purpose of MIRA?
The central purpose is to make NIGMS funding work better by focusing on investigators and their scientific direction rather than a collection of separate, aim-driven grants, and to test whether this approach is feasible through a pilot program with restricted eligibility.
How is MIRA different from a traditional project-based grant?
Instead of funding a narrow, pre-defined project with rigid specific aims, MIRA is designed to fund an investigator's overall research program. The intent is to avoid tying support to experiments proposed long before the research unfolds and to allow scientific direction to evolve as new findings emerge.
What kinds of research activities does MIRA support?
MIRA supports the overall research taking place in an investigator's lab, provided it fits within the NIGMS mission. The award is intended to cover the broader research program rather than a single specific-aims package.
Why does MIRA emphasize stability in funding?
The program is intended to provide more stable funding so investigators can plan further ahead, maintain momentum, and take on larger or more ambitious scientific questions without constantly worrying about short-term funding gaps.
How does MIRA encourage creative or risk-tolerant science?
By providing stability and reducing tight reliance on pre-specified experiments, MIRA is meant to encourage more creative and risk-tolerant science, since investigators are less constrained by the exact experiments proposed before the work began.
Does MIRA allow investigators to change direction during the award?
Yes. A stated goal is to give investigators greater flexibility to pivot when new findings or opportunities emerge, which is often essential in biomedical research.
How does MIRA aim to improve efficiency in the research enterprise?
NIGMS expects that supporting an entire research program through a single award will reduce the time investigators spend writing multiple grant applications and the time the community spends reviewing them, leaving more time for research, training, and supervision.
How does MIRA relate to mentoring and training in laboratories?
NIGMS anticipates that a more predictable funding environment will help principal investigators devote more consistent time and energy to mentoring students and postdoctoral researchers, which can be disrupted by repeated grant-writing cycles or budget uncertainty.
Does MIRA have a goal related to distributing NIGMS funds?
Yes. Another stated objective is to distribute NIGMS funds more broadly across the pool of highly talented and promising investigators in the United States, with the expectation that broader distribution can increase overall productivity and improve the chances of major breakthroughs.
What agency issued this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-GM-16-002.
When was this opportunity posted?
It was posted on January 27, 2015.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The announcement is archived. The closing date was May 20, 2015, and the archive date was June 20, 2015.
What type of grant is this?
It is described as a discretionary grant in the health category, issued by NIH.
How many awards were anticipated?
The program anticipated about 100 awards.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total program funding amount listed was $60,000,000.
What was the award ceiling?
The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $750,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number attached to the opportunity is 93.859 (Biomedical Research and Research Training).
Who is eligible to apply (organizational eligibility)?
Eligibility includes a wide range of U.S.-based organizations, including public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities); small businesses and other for-profit organizations; state and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; independent school districts; and certain housing authorities and special district governments.
Are minority-serving institutions included in the eligible organization types?
Yes. The announcement explicitly includes categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and AANAPISIs.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible applicants.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The announcement includes eligible federal agencies among the eligible applicant categories.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) institutions eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. (foreign) institutions were not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible to apply.
Are any foreign components allowed under this opportunity?
Yes. Foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) were allowed, even though non-U.S. institutions and non-U.S. organizational components were not eligible to apply.
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide (a link was provided in the source data for the opportunity).
Who was listed for technical help with access or linking issues?
NIH listed NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts for technical access or linking issues.
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