# Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/pa-25-169-trailblazer-award-for-new-and-early-stage-investigators/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/358073

> National Institutes of Health offered grants to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. Applications closed on May 7, 2026.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | PA-25-169 |
| Agency | National Institutes of Health |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | May 7, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | not stated |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | not stated |
| Total funding | not stated |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 93.286, 93.866, 93.867 |

## Who can apply

- 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 (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

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; 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.

## What the grant funds

This Trailblazer Award is an opportunity for NIH-defined New and Early Stage Investigators (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/early-investigators/index.htm) to pursue research programs that integrate engineering and the physical sciences with the life and/or biomedical sciences. A Trailblazer project may be exploratory, developmental, proof of concept, or high risk-high impact, and may be technology design-directed, discovery-driven, or hypothesis-driven. Importantly, applicants must propose research approaches for which there are minimal or no preliminary data.A distinct feature for this FOA is that no preliminary data are required, expected, or encouraged. However, if available, minimal preliminary data are allowed. Preliminary data are defined as material which the applicant has independently produced and not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal. All preliminary data should be clearly marked and limited to one-half page, which may include one figure. Applications including data more than one-half page or more than one figure will be considered noncompliant with the FOA instructions and will not go forward to review.

## Questions people ask

### Is PA-25-169 still open?

No. It closed on May 7, 2026.

### Who can apply for Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)?

National Institutes of Health accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)?

Closed May 7, 2026. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### Who has been funded under PA-25-169?

NIH RePORTER lists 50 projects funded under PA-25-169 in fiscal 2026, at 39 institutions. The most were at Massachusetts General Hospital, Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah, University of Kentucky.

### Who has won Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The General Hospital Corporation, The Johns Hopkins University, The Leland Stanford Junior University. The program made 1,983 awards worth $1.8 billion in that time.