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NIH Small Research Grant Program

Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for NHLBI K01/K08/K23/K25 Recipients

Funds a small follow-on grant for NHLBI's own K01, K08, K23 or K25 awardees only, to extend or branch out from their K-award research.

OpenNational Institutes of HealthUnited States

A K award pays a scientist's salary while they build toward independence, but it rarely stretches to cover a genuinely new research direction. This notice exists for NHLBI's own K-awardees who have an idea worth testing before that runway runs out.

Eligibility is entirely about who already holds the award: current NHLBI K01, K08, K23 or K25 recipients in the third year or later of their K project…

A small follow-on research grant open only to current or recently completed NHLBI K01, K08, K23 or K25 award recipients, funding up to two years of pilot studies, secondary data analysis, small self-contained projects, new methodology or new experimental models growing out of the awardee's K-funded research. Not open to investigators without an NHLBI K award of one of these four kinds.

CycleiHow often this grant runs — e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.Multiple per year
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.7 Nov 2028
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.26 weeks
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.—
Award typeiThe form of funding — grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.—
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.$3.9M

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Last verified: 25 Aug 2026Funder reference: RFA-HL-27-004Source: www.grants.gov