Health Grants for Schools & universities

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH/NIMH research project grant (R01, clinical trial required) funding pilot effectiveness trials of post-acute therapeutic and service-delivery interventions for mental health conditions. A broad set of domestic and foreign institutions may apply, including universities, tribal governments, and community-based organizations. No specific award amount is stated. The clinical-trial requirement makes this best suited to research institutions running pilot effectiveness studies.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $75K

A limited-competition NIH/NIDDK Small Grant (R03) available only to existing NIDDK-supported K01, K08, K23, and K25 career-award recipients, to support their transition to independent investigator status. A broad set of domestic and foreign institutions may apply on their behalf, but the underlying applicant must already hold a qualifying NIDDK K award. The grant is capped at about $75,000. This is restricted to current NIDDK career-award holders, not new applicants.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH/NCI exploratory/developmental bioengineering research grant (EBRG, R21, clinical trial not allowed) funding feasibility-stage projects that develop new capabilities or improvements for biomedical, pre-clinical, or clinical research and care. A broad range of domestic and foreign institutions may apply, including universities, tribal governments, and community-based organizations. No specific award amount is stated. This is a bioengineering research mechanism aimed at research institutions.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH research project grant (R01, clinical trial optional) funding multi-level health-care research to improve care for older adults from populations that experience health disparities. Eligible applicants are domestic institutions such as universities, tribal governments, and community-based organizations; foreign organizations and foreign components are not eligible. No specific award amount is stated. This suits research institutions focused on aging and health-disparities care research.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH research project grant (R01, clinical trial optional) funding invasive neural recording and stimulation studies in humans to understand neural circuitry underlying mental health disorders. A broad set of domestic and foreign institutions may apply, including universities, tribal governments, and community-based organizations. No specific award amount is stated. Technology and therapy development are out of scope, so this suits research institutions conducting specific neuroscience studies.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

An NIH (R38) award supporting in-depth research experiences for resident clinicians early in their careers to build a pipeline of clinician-investigators. Eligible applicants are domestic institutions and organizations such as universities, tribal governments, and faith- or community-based organizations; foreign organizations and foreign components are not eligible. No award amount is stated. This is a structured research-training mechanism aimed at academic and clinical institutions rather than individuals applying directly.

National Institutes of Health · $2M–$8M

An NIH construction grant (C06, clinical trial not allowed) funding the development or modernization of shared-use biomedical research facilities and HIV/AIDS research facilities. Eligibility details are in the NOFO; foreign organizations, foreign components of U.S. organizations, and foreign components are not eligible. Awards range from about $2 million to $8 million. This is a facilities-construction mechanism for research institutions, and exact eligibility should be confirmed in the NOFO.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH program (Blueprint MedTech Translator) funds translational research and clinical feasibility studies for therapeutic and diagnostic devices targeting nervous- or neuromuscular-system disorders, open to a broad range of institutions including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges, faith- and community-based organizations, and individuals or businesses developing their own devices. It is a milestone-driven cooperative agreement requiring NIH staff involvement in project planning and monitoring. No award amount is specified, and the deadline is not imminent.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA · $250K–$975K

A CDC/NIOSH and Coast Guard training grant (T03) to develop and deliver safety training for U.S. commercial fishermen. Eligible applicants include school districts, public/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations, faith- or community-based organizations, regional organizations, bona fide state agents, and FFRDCs. Awards range from about $250,000 to $975,000. Eligibility is moderately broad across organizations but excludes individuals; review the listed categories to confirm fit.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

Open to U.S. universities, research institutions, nonprofits, and certain government and tribal organizations; foreign organizations are not eligible. This NIH R21 funds exploratory, early-stage projects developing methods or agents to target 'undruggable' molecules in serious diseases. Award size isn't specified and follows standard NIH R21 limits; best suited to researchers pursuing high-risk, innovative therapeutics.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

This NIH training grant funds domestic institutions of higher education (including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges) to build predoctoral and postdoctoral biomedical research training programs, not individual researchers directly. Eligibility is fairly broad among institution types, but non-domestic entities and their foreign components are excluded, and the program does not support short-term-only training plans. No dollar amount is listed, and the deadline is not near-term.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

Open to domestic institutions — universities, research institutions, nonprofits, and certain government/tribal organizations (foreign institutions are not eligible). This NIH T35 funds short-term (often summer) research-training experiences for health-professional and graduate students. It supports the institution's training program rather than an individual.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $1M

Open to U.S. universities, research institutions, nonprofits, foreign organizations, and certain government/tribal entities. This NIH R01 funds preclinical mouse-model testing of repurposed or investigational drugs — alone or with non-drug interventions — for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Awards up to about $1,000,000.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $500K

Open to U.S. schools and colleges of nursing and other research institutions, nonprofits, and certain government/tribal organizations; foreign organizations are not eligible. This NIH P20 funds new research centers that build nursing-led, community-partnered research infrastructure and pilot studies. Awards up to about $500,000.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

Open to U.S. universities, research institutions, nonprofits, foreign organizations, and certain government/tribal entities. This NIH X01 provides access to TOPMed genomic and multi-omics data resources to study heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders — it offers data generation, not direct funding. Aimed at researchers doing functional-genomics and mechanism studies.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $2.1M

Open to U.S. research institutions and universities, nonprofits, and certain government/tribal organizations; foreign organizations cannot apply, and (as of May 2025) projects with foreign subawards are ineligible. This NIH U2C-TL1 funds institutional networks that recruit and train researchers in kidney, urologic, and hematologic disease research. Awards up to about $2,100,000.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

Open to eligible NIGMS-funded investigators and new investigators at U.S. institutions; foreign organizations are not eligible, and projects with foreign subawards are excluded. This NIH R35 (MIRA) gives an investigator stable, flexible single-grant support for their lab's research within the NIGMS mission, rather than project-by-project funding. Early-stage investigators should use the separate ESI MIRA notice.

National Institutes of Health · Amount varies

Open to U.S. universities, research institutions, nonprofits, and certain government/tribal organizations; foreign organizations are not eligible. This NIH R61/R33 funds mechanistic clinical research on how mind-and-body interventions (e.g., meditation, yoga, acupuncture) affect emotional well-being and whole-person health, in two milestone-tied phases. Strong preliminary data are expected.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $500K

Open to U.S. and foreign research institutions, universities, nonprofits, and certain government/tribal organizations. This NIH R01 funds groundbreaking, high-impact Down syndrome research across any relevant topic, with no preliminary data required. Awards up to about $500,000.

National Institutes of Health · Up to $200K

Open to U.S. and foreign research institutions, universities, nonprofits, and certain government/tribal organizations. This NIH R21 funds exploratory, higher-risk Down syndrome research — feasibility studies, novel methods, or new applications of existing techniques. Awards up to about $200,000.