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Funder · Federal agency

NIH Common Fund

Funds bold cross-institute discovery through the NIH Common Fund and its time-limited challenge-driven programs for major breakthroughs.

United Statescommonfund.nih.gov
Key stats
Annual funding$685.0M
Programs10
Active grants6
Total grants9
About

The NIH Common Fund is a funding entity within the NIH Office of the Director, managed by the Office of Strategic Coordination in DPCPSI. It backs time-limited, goal-driven programs that catalyze discovery across biomedical and behavioral research, with annual funding of $685 million in FY2024 and FY2025 and a FY2026 President's Budget request of $347.4 million.

It funds grants, cooperative agree…

Programs & grants under this funder
CARE for Health

Supports primary care networks that embed research and implementation in rural clinics.

1 grant
CARE for Health — Open Funding (Seed)
Open
$18.3M pool·Rolling submission
Complement Animal Research In Experimentation (Complement-ARIE)

Funds human-based alternatives to animal testing through investments in replacement methodologies.

1 grant
Complement-ARIE — Open Funding (Seed)
Open
$39.9M pool·Rolling submission
NIH Director's Early Independence Award

Funds exceptional early researchers moving directly into independent science leadership.

1 grant
NIH Director's Early Independence Award
Between cycles
$21.4M pool
High-Risk, High-Reward Research (HRHR) Program

Funds unusually high-risk ideas with the potential for major scientific payoff.

Human Virome Program (HVP)

Funds large-scale mapping of healthy human virome communities to improve biological understanding.

1 grant
Human Virome Program — Open Funding (Seed)
Open
$31.9M pool·Rolling submission
NIH Director's New Innovator Award

Funds early innovators with steady support for unconventional research concepts.

1 grant
NIH Director's New Innovator Award
Between cycles
$69.4M pool
NIH Director's Pioneer Award

Funds researchers pursuing transformative directions with sustained support and flexible project design.

1 grant
NIH Director's Pioneer Award
Between cycles
$33.5M pool
Replication to Enhance Research Impact Initiative

Funds independent replication efforts to strengthen confidence in biomedical findings.

1 grant
Replication Initiative — Open Funding (Seed)
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
NIH Director's Transformative Research Award

Funds interdisciplinary teams pursuing transformative projects through flexible long-term resources.

1 grant
NIH Director's Transformative Research Award
Open
$31.2M pool·11 days
NIH Common Fund Venture Program

Funds short-term cross-institute initiatives with focused resources for emerging biomedical opportunities.

1 grant
NIH Common Fund Venture Program — Open Funding (Seed)
Open
$4.0M pool·Rolling submission
Parent entityNational Institutes of Health
Last verified: 29 May 2026Source: commonfund.nih.gov