Pilot and Feasibility Clinical Research Grants in Kidney Diseases (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 744

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 744

The Pilot and Feasibility Clinical Research Grants in Kidney Diseases (R21 Clinical Trial Optional), opportunity number PAR 18 744, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to fund early-stage, small-scale clinical and translational kidney disease research. The intent is to support exploratory or developmental projects that can quickly test ideas, generate initial human data, and establish feasibility for larger, definitive studies later on. The FOA emphasizes clinical relevance, meaning proposed work should tackle meaningful patient-centered or population-level questions in kidney disease and have a credible path toward measurable clinical and public health impact.

This announcement uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is commonly used for pilot efforts that are not yet ready for large budgets or long timelines. The focus is on pilot and feasibility clinical and translational studies, and it explicitly includes epidemiological studies as well as clinical trials. Because it is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," applicants may propose studies that either do or do not meet NIH’s definition of a clinical trial, depending on the scientific needs of the project. The central theme is that the work should help de-risk a larger program of research by demonstrating feasibility, producing preliminary estimates (such as recruitment, adherence, effect sizes, or diagnostic performance), or refining methods that would be required for a subsequent full-scale clinical study.

Projects supported under this FOA are expected to address important clinical and translational questions related to kidney diseases, such as improving diagnosis, understanding disease progression, identifying modifiable risk factors, testing prevention strategies, or exploring treatment approaches. A key goal is to seed future larger efforts, including expanded diagnostic strategy studies, more robust epidemiological investigations, or randomized clinical trials aimed at the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of kidney diseases. In other words, a strong application typically makes clear what the pilot will prove, what decisions the pilot data will enable, and how the results could logically justify and inform a larger follow-on study.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations. Domestic applicants may include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The FOA also allows nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education in those categories), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. In addition, the FOA highlights a range of other eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility is meant to encourage participation from diverse institutional settings and communities, which can be especially important for kidney disease research given disparities in risk, access to care, and outcomes.

From the provided source details, the award ceiling is listed as $200,000. The original closing date shown is 2020-09-07, and the FOA was created on 2018-04-04. The program is listed under CFDA number 93.847, and it falls under the broader activity categories of health (and also tagged in the source as food and nutrition/health). Overall, this opportunity is structured to help investigators move promising kidney disease concepts into practical, human-centered research by supporting targeted pilot work that can lay the groundwork for larger and more definitive clinical studies.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pilot and Feasibility Clinical Research Grants in Kidney Diseases (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-04-04.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 18 744

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