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ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity RFA-RM-28-004

NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional) is a forecasted federal grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services). The agency's forecast estimates an application due date of September 10, 2027; forecast dates can change. Individual awards are listed as $350K, with about 10 awards expected and $5.7M in total estimated funding. 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 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).

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

Key facts

  1. Sep 3, 2026Forecast posted
  2. Mar 15, 2027 (est.)Full notice expectednext date
  3. Sep 10, 2027 (est.)Application deadline
  4. Aug 30, 2028 (est.)Est. award date
Posted
Sep 3, 2026
Est. close date
Sep 10, 2027
Est. award date
Aug 30, 2028
Award floor
$350,000
Award ceiling
$350,000
Est. total funding
$5,700,000
Expected awards
10
Cost sharing
Not required
Funding instrument
Grant
Opportunity category
Discretionary
Fiscal year
FY2028

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)

Other Eligible ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions).

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

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 NIH Director's Early Independence Award supports outstanding early-career investigators who are ready to pursue independent research soon after completing their doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training, without following the traditional postdoctoral path. The award is designed to accelerate the transition to an independent research career. Applications are welcome across all fields relevant to the NIH mission. The Early Independence Award is part of the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program.

How to apply

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Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

Reported obligations under ALN 93.310

Historical data · not a prediction
FY24$1.17B
FY25$1.06B
FY26$28.1M est.
Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.310. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

NIH Director's Early Independence Award Program
EarlyIndependence@od.nih.gov
Please contact via email.

Quick answers

Is “NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)” open for applications yet?

Not yet. It is a forecast — an agency's advance notice of an expected opportunity. The agency estimates posting the full notice around March 15, 2027. Forecast details and dates can change.

Who is eligible to apply for “NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)”?

The official notice names 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 much funding is available through “NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $350k, total estimated program funding is $5,700,000 and the agency expects to make about 10 awards.

How do I apply for “NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity RFA-RM-28-004), 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.