The Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) is designed to support current or recently completed NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 award recipients as they transition to fully independent investigator status. This opportunity aims to provide additional funding to expand current research objectives or pursue new studies arising from research conducted under the K award. Eligible applicants include active recipients of NHLBI K awards who have received their first noncompeting award or those whose K award project period ended within two years prior to the proposed start date of the R03. The program encourages projects that can be completed in a short time frame with limited resources, such as pilot studies, proof of concept projects, or secondary analyses of existing data.

The R03 small grant mechanism supports projects requiring no more than two years of funding, with budgets limited to seventy-five thousand dollars in direct costs annually. The total project period may not exceed two years. NHLBI intends to commit up to $2.4 million in fiscal year 2024 and up to $4.8 million annually in fiscal years 2025 and 2026 to fund approximately twenty awards each year. Eligible projects include small, self-contained research endeavors, feasibility studies, development of new methods or models, and research generating preliminary data to support future R01-equivalent applications. Applicants must maintain a minimum of forty percent overall research effort during the R03 award period, which can include combined effort across multiple projects.

Eligible institutions include public and private higher education institutions, non-profit organizations, small businesses, state and local governments, and federally recognized tribal entities. Foreign institutions and components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. Applicants must comply with required registrations, including System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity Code (for foreign entities), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov, which can take up to six weeks to complete.

Applications must adhere to NIH guidelines outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and include a three-page summary of the applicant's prior K award research and its relationship to the proposed R03 project. Additional required letters include one from the applicant’s mentor (if still active in the K award), a letter of support from the department head, and an institutional commitment letter detailing protected research time. Applications that lack these components will not be considered.

The review process will evaluate applications based on significance, innovation, approach, investigator qualifications, and the scientific environment. Specifically, reviewers will assess the relationship between the proposed R03 project and prior K award research, the feasibility of the project within the two-year time frame, and its potential to enhance the applicant's progress toward independent research. Successful applicants are expected to use R03 findings to strengthen subsequent R01 or similar grant applications.

Applications are due on standard NIH submission dates, including February 13, 2024, June 13, 2024, October 17, 2024, and subsequent cycles through 2025. Submissions must be made electronically via Grants.gov or the NIH ASSIST system. Late applications will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to contact program staff, including Qing Lu, Ph.D., for scientific or research inquiries and Laurel Kennedy for financial and grants management questions.

This funding opportunity reflects NHLBI’s commitment to supporting early-stage investigators in advancing their research careers and achieving independence.