PAR-21-121: Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of National Institutes of Health notices from 2021.
National Institutes of Health offered grants of up to $50,000 to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. Applications closed on October 17, 2023.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed January 4, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$50,000
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeR03
- Clinical trialsOptional
- Funded byNCATS
- Median yearly award$79,646
- Typical project length2 years
- R03, Small Grant. A small, short project such as pilot work, a feasibility study, secondary data analysis or a new method, usually for up to two years. Other open R03 notices.
Projects funded under PAR-21-121 were run by National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS, 26 projects). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read PAR-21-121 in the NIH Guide.
Other notices with this title
| Notice | Posted | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAR-25-155 | December 11, 2024 | Closed October 19, 2026 | Closed |
| PAR-24-042 | November 22, 2023 | Closed December 10, 2024 | Closed |
Key dates
| Posted | January 4, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | October 17, 2023 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | November 22, 2023 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
All 15 applicant types the notice lists
- 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); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) 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.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Projects NIH funded under this notice had a median yearly award of $79,646; it allows up to $50,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (82% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The purpose of this FOA is to enhance the capability of NCATS CTSA Program KL2 scholars and recipients of diversity and re-entry supplements supported by the CTSA Program to conduct research as they complete the transition to fully independent academic translational scientists. These R03 grants will support different clinical and translational science research projects, including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary data analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology. Research proposed in the R03 application may or may not include patient-oriented research. The R03 is, therefore, intended to support research projects that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources and that provide preliminary data to support submission of a subsequent R01, or equivalent, application.
Funded under PAR-21-121 so far
NIH funded 26 projects under PAR-21-121 in fiscal 2022 to 2025, at 23 institutions. The median yearly award was $79,646.
Who has won National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (93.350) awarded $3.1 billion across 867 grant awards, an average of $3.6 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education | Pennsylvania | 15 | $95.3 million |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Tennessee | 10 | $94.6 million |
| Duke University | North Carolina | 11 | $88.9 million |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | 16 | $74.5 million |
| The Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 20 | $70.7 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is PAR-21-121 still open?
No. It closed on October 17, 2023.
Who can apply for Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program (R03 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 Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closed October 17, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $50,000 each.
Who has been funded under PAR-21-121?
NIH RePORTER lists 26 projects funded under PAR-21-121 in fiscal 2022 to 2025, at 23 institutions. The most were at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ, Emory University, University of Cincinnati.
Who has won National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Duke University. The program made 867 awards worth $3.1 billion in that time.
Similar open grants
- Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Small Research Grant (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
- Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional)
- Pilot Projects to Enhance the Human Virome Program (R03 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
- Pilot Projects Investigating Understudied Proteins Associated with Rare Diseases (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- NICHD Small Research Grant Program (R03 Clinical Trial Required)