Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NIDDK K01/K08/K23 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 103

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 103

This opportunity, titled "Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NIDDK K01/K08/K23 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-18-103), is a National Institutes of Health program run by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). It is designed specifically for researchers who already hold certain NIDDK-supported career development awards: the K01, K08, or K23. The core purpose is to give these K award recipients a chance to apply for a small, targeted R03 research grant during a very specific window, namely at some point in the final two years of their active K award period. In practical terms, it is meant to help investigators strengthen their research portfolio right as they are moving from mentored career development into fully independent investigator status.

The mechanism being offered is the NIH R03, which is intentionally smaller and shorter-term than large research project grants. NIDDK describes the R03 as a way to fund projects that can be completed relatively quickly with limited resources, while still producing meaningful outputs. The program emphasizes that the R03 can support several common early-stage research activities, including pilot and feasibility studies, secondary analyses of existing datasets, small and self-contained research projects, the development or refinement of research methods, and the development of new research technologies. The bigger strategic goal behind all of these project types is to help investigators generate preliminary evidence, proof-of-concept results, or enabling methods that can later underpin a stronger application for an R01 or an equivalent independent research grant.

The competition is "limited" because it targets a defined applicant pool: NIDDK-supported K01/K08/K23 awardees who are approaching the end of their K award. The intent is developmental rather than purely exploratory; it is meant to enhance the applicant's ability to operate independently by providing a discrete, manageable research project they can lead, publish from, and use to demonstrate momentum beyond their mentored award. The announcement also notes that clinical trials are optional under this R03 opportunity, meaning a project may include a clinical trial component if it fits NIH and NIDDK policies and the aims can realistically be completed within the R03 scope.

In terms of who can apply organizationally, the eligible applicant types are broad and reflect standard NIH eligibility categories. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The announcement also allows nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education) as well as for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and other categories. It explicitly highlights additional eligible institution types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

The foreign eligibility rules are more restrictive than the domestic ones. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. At the same time, the opportunity allows foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S.-based applicant may include certain clearly justified international elements within the project when permitted by NIH policy, even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

Key administrative details provided in the source information include the activity being categorized under health-related areas such as food and nutrition and health, with CFDA number 93.847. The funding instrument is a grant under the discretionary opportunity category. The listed award ceiling is $50,000. The original closing date shown in the source material is 2019-09-07, and the opportunity record creation date is 2017-11-17. Overall, the program is best understood as a bridge: it helps late-stage NIDDK K award recipients run a focused, achievable project that can produce preliminary data or methodological advances and position them more strongly for the next step into independent funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NIDDK K01/K08/K23 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-09-07. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

Apply for PAR 18 103

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