PAR-21-138: Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award Extension Request (Type 4 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 to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. Applications closed on December 1, 2024.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed June 4, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award amountsNot given on Grants.gov
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeR37
- Clinical trialsOptional
- Funded byNCI, NIDCR
- Median yearly award$450,318
- Typical project length2 years
Projects funded under PAR-21-138 were run by National Cancer Institute (NCI, 167 projects) and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR, 1 project). 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-21-138 in the NIH Guide.
Key dates
| Posted | June 3, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | December 1, 2024 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | January 6, 2025 |
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); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the money in the 6 programs behind this notice (62% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
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:
Funded under PAR-21-138 so far
NIH funded 168 projects under PAR-21-138 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 82 institutions. The median yearly award was $450,318.
Who has won Cancer Treatment Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Cancer Treatment Research (93.395) awarded $5.6 billion across 3,622 grant awards, an average of $1.5 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | Texas | 144 | $188 million |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | Massachusetts | 68 | $185 million |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | New York | 35 | $179 million |
| Public Health Institute | California | 4 | $168 million |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | Washington | 57 | $156 million |
Who has won Cancer Biology Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Cancer Biology Research (93.396) awarded $4.3 billion across 3,142 grant awards, an average of $1.4 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 70 | $151 million |
| The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | Texas | 109 | $144 million |
| Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research | New York | 66 | $136 million |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | Massachusetts | 47 | $107 million |
| The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco | California | 64 | $95.5 million |
Who has won Cancer Cause and Prevention Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Cancer Cause and Prevention Research (93.393) awarded $3.6 billion across 2,517 grant awards, an average of $1.4 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | Texas | 81 | $107 million |
| Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research | New York | 65 | $99.1 million |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 48 | $85.3 million |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | Massachusetts | 51 | $83.1 million |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | 49 | $76.1 million |
Other programs behind this notice
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-21-138 still open?
No. It closed on December 1, 2024.
Who can apply for Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award Extension Request (Type 4 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 Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award Extension Request (Type 4 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closed December 1, 2024. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
Who has been funded under PAR-21-138?
NIH RePORTER lists 168 projects funded under PAR-21-138 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 82 institutions. The most were at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
Who has won Cancer Cause and Prevention Research grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. The program made 2,517 awards worth $3.6 billion in that time.
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