Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)
National Institutes of Health · Opportunity PAR-25-148
Who can apply
- Public and State institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Others
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) ; Non-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.
About this opportunity
The purpose of this Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions is 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. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) supports investigator-initiated mechanistic and/or minimal risk clinical trials addressing the mission and research interests of the participating NIH institutes. For the purpose of this NOFO, minimal risk clinical trials are defined as those that do not require FDA oversight, do not intend to formally establish efficacy, and have low risks to potentially cause physical or psychological harm.
Award history — this exact opportunity
NIH RePORTER lists 4 funded awards under PAR-25-148 across 4 organizations.
Total award obligations, not per-year amounts.
Recent awardees include: COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY, TOWSON UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WILMINGTON.
Source: NIH RePORTER, matched on the exact opportunity number. NIH publishes success rates by institute and activity code — source.
Portfolio context — this listing covers more than this opportunity
This opportunity is funded under Assistance Listing 93.172 (“Human Genome Research”), a broad federal program that made about 170 new awards per year over the last five fiscal years (median award $747k). Those figures describe that whole portfolio — not this specific solicitation, so we don't show them as if they were this opportunity's track record.
Applicant counts per solicitation are not published by any federal agency — no one can honestly sell you that number. NIH publishes success rates by institute and activity code — source.
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Similar grants still open
| Opportunity | Agency | Deadline | Award ceiling | Eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) | National Institutes of Health | September 28, 2026 19d left | — | Nonprofits |
| BRAIN Initiative: Clinical Studies to Advance Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) | National Institutes of Health | September 28, 2026 19d left | — | Nonprofits |
| Competing Revisions to Existing NIH Single Project Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Clinical Trial Optional) | National Institutes of Health | November 24, 2026 | — | Nonprofits |
| Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required) | National Institutes of Health | January 7, 2027 | $375k |