OpenOpportunity PAR-26-121

Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional)

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional) is an open federal grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services). Applications are due May 26, 2028. Applicant types listed as eligible include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts and 10 more. Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 93.859 (Biomedical Research and Research Training).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Posted: Dec 11, 2025
Close date: May 26, 2028
Archive date: Jul 25, 2028
Est. award date: Dec 1, 2026
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: Not specified
Expected awards: Not specified
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Grant
Opportunity category: Discretionary

Who can apply

State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Public colleges & universities
Federally recognized tribal governments
Public & Indian housing authorities
Native American tribal organizations
501(c)(3) nonprofits
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status
Private colleges & universities
For-profit organizations (not small businesses)
Small businesses
Others (see notice)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility.Foreign Organizations/Foreign CollaborationsNon-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.NIH will no longer issue awards (i.e., new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) to domestic or foreign entities that involve foreign subawards/subcontracts. All NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards/subcontracts must be submitted in response to a NOFO that is specifically designated for funded international collaborations. This new requirement was effective, May 1, 2025.Applications involving foreign subawards/subcontracts submitted in response to this NOFO will be deemed noncompliant and will not be considered for funding. This policy applies to all monetary international collaborations resulting in foreign subawards/subcontracts, however, it does not preclude unfunded international collaborations or foreign components, funding for foreign consultants, or procurement of unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) provides support for individual investigators for research within the scientific mission of NIGMS via a single grant to achieve the following:Increase the stability of funding for NIGMS-supported investigators, which could enhance their ability to take on ambitious scientific projects and approach problems more creatively;Increase flexibility for investigators to follow important new research directions within the NIGMS mission as opportunities arise, rather than being bound to specific aims proposed in advance of the studies;More widely distribute funding among the nation's highly talented and promising investigators to increase overall scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs;Reduce the time spent by researchers writing and reviewing grant applications, allowing them to spend more time conducting research;Reduce the administrative burden associated with a PD/PI managing multiple NIGMS research grants; andEnable PD(s)/PI(s) to devote more time and energy to mentoring junior scientists in a more stable research environment.This NOFO invites applications from eligible NIGMS-funded investigators and from New Investigators proposing research that is aligned with NIGMS' scientific mission. The NOFO also allows renewal applications from all current MIRA grantees (including those previously funded as Early-Stage Investigators). Current Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs) should apply through the ESI MIRA NOFO, not this NOFO.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

93.859Biomedical Research and Research TrainingProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 93.859

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$3.09B

FY25

$3.09B

FY26

$3.09B est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.859. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

National Institutes of Health
NIGMS_EINIMIRA@nigms.nih.gov
301-402-2541

Quick answers

When is the deadline for “Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional)”?

According to the official notice, applications are due May 26, 2028. Confirm the deadline and submission time on Grants.gov before applying.

Who is eligible to apply for “Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional)”?

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public colleges & universities, Federally recognized tribal governments, Public & Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, Private colleges & universities and 3 more. Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How do I apply for “Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional)”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity PAR-26-121), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

OpenALN 93.310, 93.859