Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NIH funds small-scale biomedical research projects at undergraduate-focused institutions that award baccalaureate science degrees and meet NIH funding limits, with the goal of giving undergraduate students research experience and strengthening the institution’s research environment.
RESTRICTED TO: MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS
⚑ Clinical Trial Not Allowed · applicant institution must award baccalaureate science degrees · NIH funding cap: no more than $6M/year in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years (applies across non-health professional schools/colleges within a multi-school institution) · foreign organizations ineligible
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 58 good | peripheral portfolio topic: public_health; social/behavioral work is minor; funds basic research; biomedical core — IPPRA health lane is communication/crisis/policy (capped); clinical-trial/biomedical core — IPPRA angle is policy/community (capped) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 55 good | technical depth: minor; funds basic research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 15 none | deep-tech content; no commercialization signal |
Description
The purpose of this Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutionsis to support small scale research grants at institutions that do not receive substantial funding from the NIH, with an emphasis on providing biomedical research experiences primarily for undergraduate students, and enhancing the research environment at applicant institutions. Eligible institutions must award baccalaureate science degrees and have received no more than $6 million dollars per year of NIH support (in both direct and F and A/indirect costs) in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years. For institutions composed of multiple schools and colleges, the $6 million funding limit is based on the amount of NIH funding received by all the non-health professional schools and colleges within the institution as a whole. See Part II. Section 3.1 Eligible Organizations for more information.
Eligibility
Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; See NOFO for further eligibility requirements.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: National Institutes of Health <grantsinfo@nih.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · National Institutes of Health conventions SEE AN NIH EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — National Institutes of Health's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.