NIH R03 Grants — Small Research Grant
Reviewed by Dr. Meng ZhaoLast reviewed June 9, 2026Data refreshed June 9, 2026Editorial standards
Small, short-term projects (pilot studies, secondary analyses, methods development)
Funding
Up to $50,000 direct costs per year
Duration
Up to 2 years
Eligibility
Any qualified investigator
Activity code
R03
What is the NIH R03 grant?
The R03 is the NIH Small Research Grant — a focused 2-year award capped at $50,000 in direct costs per year. It is designed for small, well-defined projects: pilot studies, secondary analyses of existing data, methods development, or short studies that can be completed in 2 years. Not all NIH institutes participate in the R03 program.
Recent R03 awards from NIH RePORTER
Examples of funded R03 projects across the last two fiscal years. The matching-award count comes from the full result set; funding totals, averages, rankings, and examples use the first 500 records returned by NIH RePORTER. Figures reflect a snapshot last refreshed on June 9, 2026.
Example R03 projects from the sample
Immune evasive mouse models for transplantation research
1R03AI196408-01Deepta Bhattacharya · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, AZ · $155,479 · awarded Jun 4, 2026 · NIHAbstract: Decades of research on transplantation have made it clear that the immunological barriers to engraftment are substantial. The goal of this proposal is to generate transgenic mouse models that will allow standardized and orthogonal testing of pathways important for overcoming transplantation barriers, and through this work, instruct efforts in…
Identification and Characterization of Mutation-Induced Alternative Splicing Events in Cancer Using Multi-Omics Data
1R03CA313545-01Song Cao · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, MO · $155,500 · awarded Jun 3, 2026 · NIHIdentification and Characterization of Mutation-Induced Alternative Splicing Events in Cancer Using Multi-Omics Data Project Summary The goal of this project is to discover mutation-induced alternative splicing events (MAS), understand their functional relevance, and identify neoantigens arising from these events to advance cancer immunotherapy. Large-scale…
Enhancing Personal Air Pollution Exposure Data for Mechanistic Health Research
1R03ES038687-01Ryan Chartier · RESEARCH TRIANGLE INSTITUTE, NC · $221,941 · awarded Jun 3, 2026 · NIHPROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a leading global environmental health risk, contributing to millions of premature deaths annually. However, conventional exposure assessments often rely on mass- based metrics that fail to capture critical particle characteristics such as size distribution, which influences respiratory…
Defining long-term sequelae and humoral immunity in Sudan ebolavirus survivors
1R03AI197002-01Bronwyn Gunn · WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY, WA · $76,500 · awarded Jun 3, 2026 · NIHPROJECT SUMMARY Uganda has experienced seven outbreaks of the highly pathogenic orthoebolavirus, Sudan virus (SUDV) since 2000. SUDV has reemerged in Uganda twice since September 2022 - first with an outbreak with 142 confirmed cases and 55 known deaths between September-December 2022, and again in January 2025, with 9 confirmed cases and 1 death as of…
Investigation of RASopathy variants and Raf and Actin-Myosin regulation
1R03HD121999-01Claire de la Cova · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MILWAUKEE, WI · $144,064 · awarded Jun 2, 2026 · NIHProject Summary This proposal aims to discover insights into how pathogenic, RASopathy-associated genetic variants of human BRAF and RAF1 genes alter Raf protein and the Actin-Myosin cytoskeleton. Our work in Caenorhabditis elegans produced a collection of strains with Raf variants modeled on those found in human the RASopathy disorders Noonan syndrome and…
Surface EMG-driven home exercise program for postoperative rehabilitation after peripheral nerve injuries
1R03HD120500-01Yusha Liu · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, WA · $324,875 · awarded Jun 2, 2026 · NIHAbstract Brachial plexus and other peripheral nerve injuries often lead to severe functional impairments, with impacts on one's independence and quality of life. Nerve reconstruction surgeries offer the best chance for restoring motor function, however, return of muscle strength occurs slowly over the course of 1-2 years. Rehabilitation and hand/physical…
The impact of chronic low dose cadmium exposure on skeletal growth and maintenance in mice models
1R03HD122165-01Sadaf Dabeer · EMORY UNIVERSITY, GA · $156,500 · awarded Jun 1, 2026 · NIHPROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Osteoporosis is a debilitating skeletal disease affecting over 50% of women and 25% of men over the age of 50, often resulting in painful and disabling fractures that significantly reduce quality of life and increase mortality. Achieving optimal peak bone mass and strength during early life is one of the most critical factors in…
Genetic characterization of MesV sensory cells in normal development and in the neurodegenerative disease spinal muscular atrophy
1R03DE036052-01Danny Florez Paz · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES, NY · $329,000 · awarded Jun 1, 2026 · NIHProject summary Proper feeding behavior during early postnatal development is essential for survival, relying on a seamless transition from suckling to mastication as cranial sensory-motor circuits mature. In mammals, orofacial movements required for nutrient intake depend on the coordinated development of specific motor and sensory pathways, yet the…
Manipulating PIWI-interacting RNA to generate sterile ticks
1R03AI199321-01Shahid Karim · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI, MS · $150,000 · awarded Jun 1, 2026 · NIHSUMMARY The Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is a conserved genome surveillance mechanism essential for germline integrity and fertility in invertebrates, including ticks. Piwi (P-element Induced Wimpy Testis) proteins play a critical role in silencing transposable elements (TEs) to preserve genome stability in germ cells. Our preliminary data shows…
Impact of Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation on Blood Pressure and Orthostasis in Spinal Cord Injury: Short and Long-Term Effects
1R03HD120505-01Einat Haber · KESSLER FOUNDATION, INC., NJ · $281,114 · awarded May 28, 2026 · NIHIndividuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) in the cervical or high thoracic (≥T6) regions often experience unstable low blood pressure (BP) and orthostatic hypotension (OH), a sudden BP drop upon moving to an upright position. OH can cause dizziness, blurred vision, syncope, and falls, negatively impacting quality of life (QOL) and increasing long-term…
Understanding the role of TB disclosure and stigma in the context of TB care
1R03HL183275-01Colleen Hanrahan · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, MD · $194,094 · awarded May 28, 2026 · NIHPROJECT SUMMARY Tuberculosis (TB) is a global health emergency and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. As a social determinant of health, stigma associated with TB affects those with the disease, their families and communities. TB stigma is prevalent, with global estimates ranging from 25-80% of people with TB experiencing TB stigma. It…
Develop a human pluripotent stem cell-derived preclinical model for NUT Carcinoma
1R03CA313287-01Bin Gu · HENRY FORD HEALTH + MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES, MI · $157,000 · awarded May 26, 2026 · NIHTitle: Develop a human pluripotent stem cell-derived preclinical model for NUT Carcinoma Project Summary: NUT Carcinoma (NC) is a devastating cancer with no effective treatment. A deeper understanding of its oncogenesis mechanism is vital for developing treatments that improve its prognosis. Although NC cases are strongly associated with Nuclear Protein in…
Funding institutes in the sample
| Institute | Awards | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| NIH | 500 | $77.3M |
Most frequent institutions in the sample
- COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES — 13 awards
- UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH — 13 awards
- UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR — 10 awards
- MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL — 10 awards
- BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE — 10 awards
- JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY — 10 awards
- UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER — 9 awards
- ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI — 9 awards
Source: NIH RePORTER. Verify any award in the official record by searching its project number. See our data methodology for how this sample is built and its limitations.
Decision guide
Choose R03 when
Choose R03 when your project is small, focused, and finishable in 2 years on a $50K/year budget. Good fits include secondary analyses of public datasets, pilot work to support a future R01, or methods comparisons.
Choose another mechanism when
Skip R03 if your project needs more than $50K/year, more than 2 years, or doesn't have a clearly bounded scope. Pick R21 for exploratory work needing $275K total over 2 years.
Who applies for R03
R03 applicants span the full career range. New investigators sometimes use R03 as a low-stakes entry into NIH funding. Established investigators use R03s to fund discrete side projects or pilot work that will support a future R01.
Compare nearby NIH grant mechanisms
Searchers often land on R03 while deciding between adjacent NIH activity codes. Compare scope, NIH staff involvement, budget scale, and applicant stage before choosing a funding opportunity.
Discrete, specified investigator-led research project
Novel, high-risk/high-reward exploratory research
Strengthen research at undergraduate-focused institutions
For broad grant lookup, use the NIH grant search to find funded examples by activity code, PI, institution, and award year.
Search tips for R03
- R03 awards often precede a related R01 from the same investigator — useful for tracking emerging research lines.
- Some institutes (e.g., NIA, NIDCR) participate heavily in R03; others rarely do.
Search NIH grants by activity code
Find R03-funded PIs
R03 funding trends
R03 frequently asked questions
What is the page limit for an R03?
The Research Strategy is 6 pages for an R03 (compared to 12 pages for an R01).
Can R03 grants be renewed?
R03 awards are not renewable. Once the 2-year project period ends, you cannot apply for a continuation. You must move to a different mechanism (R21, R01, etc.).