Data / Federal grants / RFA-RM-28-004
NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services) expects to post this opportunity around March 15, 2027, with applications due around September 10, 2027. It lists awards of up to $350,000, 10 awards expected, $5.7 million in total.
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Key facts
- Opportunity number
- RFA-RM-28-004
- Status
- Forecast
- Posted
- September 3, 2026
- Closes
- September 10, 2027
- Award ceiling
- $350,000
- Award floor
- $350,000
- Expected awards
- 10
- Total funding
- $5,700,000
- Cost sharing
- Not required
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
- Health
- Assistance listing
- 93.310 Trans-NIH Research Support
- Contact
- NIH Director's Early Independence Award Program · [email protected] · Please contact via email.
Who can apply
- State governments
- Independent school districts
- Special district governments
- Private institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- County governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- City or township governments
Other Eligible ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions).
What the agency says
The NIH Director's Early Independence Award supports outstanding early-career investigators who are ready to pursue independent research soon after completing their doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training, without following the traditional postdoctoral path. The award is designed to accelerate the transition to an independent research career. Applications are welcome across all fields relevant to the NIH mission. The Early Independence Award is part of the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program .
Other open grants from the Department of Health and Human Services
| Opportunity | Status | Closes | Award ceiling | Total funding | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-term health outcomes of people living with spina bifida CDC-RFA-DD-26-0222 | Open | Oct 26 | $300,000 | $3,000,000 | grants.gov |
| GREGoRi Data Coordination and Outreach Center (U01, Clinical Trials Not Allowed) RFA-HG-27-011 | Open | Oct 30 | $1,250,000 | $2,000,000 | grants.gov |
| GREGoRi Innovation Projects (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) RFA-HG-27-013 | Open | Oct 30 | $500,000 | $7,500,000 | grants.gov |
| GREGoRi Technology Integration Center (U01, Clinical Trials Optional) RFA-HG-27-012 | Open | Oct 30 | $2,250,000 | $3,000,000 | grants.gov |
| HEAL Initiative: Whole Joint Health Program (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required) PAR-27-045 | Open | Oct 30 | grants.gov | ||
| Clinical Observational (CO) Studies in Musculoskeletal, Rheumatic, and Skin Diseases (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) PAR-24-280 | Open | Nov 2 | grants.gov |
All grants open to State governments · All grants open to Independent school districts · All grants open to Special district governments · Everything closing in September 2027
Read from the Grants.gov API, last updated 2026-10-23. The agency's notice on Grants.gov is the official record; check it before you apply.