NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-04-29. Official notice and agency instructions control.
If you're conducting fundamental biomedical or behavioral science research with human participants (not developing a product), this is the flagship NIH grant mechanism to pursue.
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What this is
This is a parent grant mechanism from the National Institutes of Health supporting discrete research projects in basic science that involve human participants in prospective, experimental study designs. The research must fall within NIH's definition of both clinical trials and basic research—meaning you're testing fundamental scientific questions (not developing specific products or processes) while assigning humans to experimental conditions. Eligible applicants span nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, small businesses, state/local governments, and tribal organizations. This is a high-bar, competitive funding source requiring strong preliminary data and investigator track record.
Who can apply
Broad eligibility: nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, private and public universities, small businesses, state and local governments, tribal governments, and other entities. The key requirement is that your research must align with the scientific mission of at least one participating NIH Institute or Center and involve prospective, experimental studies with human subjects. No geographic restrictions.
Eligible applicant types
- County governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- City or township governments
- Independent school districts
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Special district governments
- Private institutions of higher education
- State governments
- Small businesses
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Full description — from the agency
The NIH Research Project Grant supports a discrete, specified, circumscribed project in areas representing the specific interests and competencies of the investigator(s).This Parent Notice of Funding Opportunity is for basic science experimental studies involving humans, referred to in NOT-OD-18-212 as prospective basic science studies involving human participants. These studies fall within the NIH definition of a clinical trial and also meet the definition of basic research. Types of studies that should submit under this NOFO include studies that prospectively assign human participants to conditions (i.e., experimentally manipulate independent variables) and that assess biomedical or behavioral outcomes in humans for the purpose of understanding the fundamental aspects of phenomena without specific application towards processes or products in mind. Studies conducted with specific applications toward processes or products in mind should submit under the appropriate Clinical Trials Required or Clinical Trial Optional NOFO.The proposed project must be related to the programmatic interests of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on their scientific missions.
Topics: nih r01 grant · basic research human subjects · clinical trial basic science · experimental human studies · biomedical research funding · nih institutes centers
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.