Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 20 011
The NIH Directors Pioneer Award Program (DP1, clinical trial optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity designed to back individual scientists who show exceptional creativity and who want to pursue research that is unusually bold, highly innovative, and potentially transformative. The central idea is to give talented investigators room to take major scientific risks in ways that could meaningfully advance human health. It is part of the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, which specifically exists to support projects that may be too unconventional for more traditional funding mechanisms but could produce outsized impact if successful.
This opportunity is intentionally broad in scientific scope. NIH welcomes proposals across the full range of topics tied to its mission, including behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences. Projects can be basic, translational, or clinical in nature, and the "clinical trial optional" designation indicates that applications may include clinical trial work when appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required. What matters most is that the work truly qualifies as "pioneering": the proposed research must represent a substantially different scientific direction than what the investigator is already doing, and it should be distinct from approaches already being pursued elsewhere. In other words, the program is looking for genuine shifts in direction and originality, not incremental extensions of an existing line of research.
A major emphasis of the announcement is building a strong and diverse applicant pool so that NIH can fund the best ideas and the best researchers. Applicants are encouraged from the full diversity of the research workforce, across all geographic regions and across the spectrum of eligible institutions. The eligibility landscape is wide and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities such as state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights interest in applications connected to institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). It also notes eligibility for certain community-based and faith-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal government agencies.
Restrictions on foreign involvement are clearly spelled out. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. At the same time, foreign components may be allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning that while the applicant organization must be eligible and domestic, certain forms of foreign collaboration can still be permissible under NIH rules.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by NIH in the health funding category, associated with CFDA number 93.310. The funding opportunity number is RFA-RM-20-011, and the original closing date listed for the competition was September 11, 2020, with the opportunity created on May 19, 2020. The source information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so those details would typically need to be confirmed in the full Funding Opportunity Announcement or related NIH program materials.Apply for RFA RM 20 011
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Directors Pioneer Award Program (DP1 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-05-19.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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.
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NIH Director's Pioneer Award (DP1) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NIH Director's Pioneer Award Program (DP1)?
The NIH Director's Pioneer Award Program (DP1, clinical trial optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity meant to support individual scientists who demonstrate exceptional creativity and want to pursue research that is unusually bold, highly innovative, and potentially transformative for human health.
What is the purpose of this funding opportunity?
The program is designed to give talented investigators room to take major scientific risks. It targets unconventional projects that might be difficult to fund through more traditional mechanisms, but that could have an outsized impact if successful.
How does this opportunity fit within NIH programs?
This award is part of the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, which exists specifically to support high-risk ideas that could significantly advance the NIH mission and human health.
What types of research topics are eligible?
The scientific scope is intentionally broad. NIH welcomes proposals across the full range of topics tied to its mission, including behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences.
Can projects be basic, translational, or clinical?
Yes. Projects may be basic, translational, or clinical in nature, as long as they align with the NIH mission and meet the program's emphasis on bold innovation and potential to transform a field.
What does "clinical trial optional" mean for DP1?
"Clinical trial optional" means an application may include clinical trial work when appropriate, but a clinical trial is not required. The key requirement is that the proposed research is truly "pioneering."
What does NIH mean by "pioneering" research in this program?
To qualify as pioneering, the proposed work must represent a substantially different scientific direction than what the investigator is already doing. The approach should also be distinct from approaches already being pursued elsewhere, indicating genuine originality rather than an incremental extension of an existing research line.
Is incremental research eligible under this announcement?
Based on the description provided, the program is seeking genuine shifts in direction and originality, not incremental extensions of an existing line of research.
Who is the award intended to support: teams or individuals?
The opportunity is described as backing individual scientists who show exceptional creativity and want to pursue bold, innovative, potentially transformative research.
Which organizations are eligible to apply?
The eligibility landscape described is wide and includes many U.S.-based organizations and government entities, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations (with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education)
- Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
- Small businesses
- Eligible federal government agencies
- Regional organizations
- U.S. territories or possessions
- Certain community-based and faith-based organizations (as noted in the description)
Does NIH encourage applications from specific types of institutions?
Yes. The announcement emphasizes building a strong and diverse applicant pool and explicitly highlights interest in applications connected to institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations, including:
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI)
- Hispanic-serving Institutions
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic (non-U.S.) institutions are not eligible to apply directly under the description provided.
Can a U.S. organization apply if it has a non-U.S. component?
The description states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components may be allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning certain forms of foreign collaboration can still be permissible under NIH rules as long as the applicant organization is eligible and domestic.
What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?
The funding opportunity number is RFA-RM-20-011.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The announcement is associated with CFDA number 93.310.
What agency administers this discretionary grant opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the health funding category.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on May 19, 2020. The original closing date listed for the competition was September 11, 2020.
Does the provided information list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. The source information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards. Those details would typically need to be confirmed in the full Funding Opportunity Announcement or related NIH program materials.
Is the scientific scope limited to a specific disease area?
No specific disease area limitation is stated in the provided description. The opportunity is described as broad in scientific scope and welcomes proposals across topics tied to the NIH mission.
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