The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering an "Urgent Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements" funding opportunity (PA-23-044) to address public health crises in a timely manner. This opportunity allows Principal Investigators (PIs) with active NIH research grants to apply for competitive revisions to address emergent needs that were unforeseen during the original grant submission. This funding mechanism is intended to provide supplemental resources to existing projects, enabling them to pivot and address critical health issues quickly. Only applications submitted in response to an Urgent Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) from specific NIH Institutes or Centers (ICs) will be accepted.

The funding opportunity is designed to expand the scope of an existing project. Applications can propose clinical trials, but they are optional. There are no preset budget limits; applicants should request budgets reflecting the actual needs of the urgent project. The additional funding must fall within the current grant period of the parent award, and the parent award must be active at the time of application. Applicants must carefully follow specific guidance provided in the Urgent NOSI and ensure that all components of the application, including project plans, budgets, and IRB or IACUC approvals, are in place before submission.

Eligible applicants include U.S. and foreign higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, small businesses, and government entities that have an active NIH grant. To qualify for the revision, applicants must have completed all required registrations, including System for Award Management (SAM) and eRA Commons. The application must be submitted electronically via NIH’s ASSIST system or Grants.gov, and the process follows the SF424 (R&R) guidelines, with specific instructions from the relevant NOSI.

Key areas of focus for reviewers include the urgency of the public health crisis, the expansion of the original project’s scope, and the project’s responsiveness to the specific public health issue identified in the NOSI. Applications will be evaluated for their scientific merit, alignment with the urgent need, and overall impact on addressing the crisis.

The NIH will notify successful applicants via a Notice of Award (NoA), and grant terms will follow NIH policies, including clinical trial reporting and data sharing requirements. Awardees must submit annual progress reports, detailing the use of the supplemental funds and the outcomes achieved.

This funding opportunity is open through October 26, 2025, with application deadlines depending on the associated Urgent Guide Notices. Interested applicants should closely monitor NIH communications for specific public health crises eligible for funding under this mechanism.