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Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award Extension Request (Type 4 eSubmission Clinical Trial Optional)

National Institutes of Health · Opportunity PAR-25-324

Deadline September 7, 2028 729 days left
Award range Not stated
Total program funding
PostedJanuary 6, 2025

Who can apply

Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession.

About this opportunity

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) (R37) Award provides extended grant support to Early Stage Investigators (ESIs). By providing such an opportunity for longer term support to ESIs, the NCI intends to offer flexibility and opportunity for creativity and innovation and additional time to successfully launch their careers and to become more established before having to submit renewal applications (NOT-CA-18-037). The objective of the NCI's ESI MERIT Award is to allow eligible investigators the opportunity to obtain up to 7 years of support in two segments:

Award history — this exact opportunity

NIH RePORTER lists 8 funded awards under PAR-25-324 across 8 organizations.

Awards by fiscal year 2026: 8
Award size (min / median / max) $352k / $417k / $645k

Total award obligations, not per-year amounts.

Recent awardees include: UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER, UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON, UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR, MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

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 93.393 (“Cancer Cause and Prevention Research”), a broad federal program that made about 318 new awards per year over the last five fiscal years (median award $1.1M). 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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