Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23 Recipients (R03 - Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA HL 20 029

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 20 029

The Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23 Recipients (R03 - Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) funding opportunity designed specifically for investigators who are currently supported by, or have recently completed, an NHLBI career development award under mechanisms K01, K08, or K23. The central goal is to help these early-career researchers strengthen and extend the work they began during their K award period, either by expanding the scope of their existing research aims or by launching a related, logical next study that emerged directly from their K-funded research. In practical terms, this FOA is meant to smooth the transition from mentored career development to full research independence by giving K awardees a small, focused pot of research support to generate results they can leverage into a larger independent grant (most commonly an R01 or an equivalent mechanism).

Eligibility is intentionally limited to this K awardee population, with an important timing rule for those whose K award has ended. Investigators who have recently completed an NHLBI K01, K08, or K23 remain eligible as long as the earliest possible start date of the proposed R03 would fall within two years of the end of the prior NHLBI K project period. That window is meant to capture researchers who are in the critical post-K phase where they are building a track record of independent productivity and need targeted support to keep research momentum going while preparing a competitive larger application.

The R03 mechanism itself is built for small, time-limited projects that can be completed with modest resources. Under this announcement, acceptable project types include pilot and feasibility studies, secondary analyses of existing datasets, small self-contained research projects, development or refinement of research methods, and early development of research technologies. The emphasis is on work that can be executed quickly and efficiently while still producing meaningful preliminary data, proof-of-concept findings, or methodological advances that strengthen the rationale and competitiveness of a subsequent larger grant application. For investigators coming from the K23 pathway, the FOA is flexible: the R03 project may include patient-oriented research, but it does not have to. Also notable is that clinical trials are optional under this opportunity, meaning applicants can propose a clinical trial if it fits the project goals and they can meet NIH requirements, but non-trial research is equally within scope.

From an applicant organization standpoint, the opportunity is broadly accessible across many U.S.-based institution types and sectors, reflecting standard NIH eligibility patterns. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and a range of governmental entities such as state, county, and city governments, special district governments, and certain tribal governments and organizations. The FOA explicitly highlights inclusion of organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it draws firm boundaries around foreign involvement: non-U.S. (non-domestic) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed.

In terms of the basic funding profile reflected in the source details, the opportunity is a discretionary grant program administered by NIH under a health-related funding activity category. The funding opportunity number is RFA-HL-20-029, and the award ceiling listed is $50,000, consistent with the R03 concept of supporting narrowly focused, early-stage work. The original closing date shown in the record is January 10, 2022, and the opportunity record indicates a creation date of October 17, 2019. The program is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840), reflecting NHLBI-related assistance listings.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as a bridge mechanism for NHLBI K awardees: it provides a small, competitive, limited-entry style opportunity to extend or pivot research coming out of a K01/K08/K23, produce publishable and fundable preliminary results, and strengthen an investigator's trajectory toward independent NIH research funding.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI 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): 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-10-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-10. (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 RFA HL 20 029

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