Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 20 066

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 066

The Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) designed to help U.S.-based institutions build strong, modern research education and mentoring programs for recent college graduates. The overall purpose is to create evidence-informed training environments that match the fast-changing biomedical research landscape and to better prepare postbaccalaureate participants, especially those from diverse backgrounds, to successfully enter and finish rigorous research-focused doctoral programs such as the Ph.D. or combined M.D./Ph.D. in biomedical fields.

At its core, the program supports institutions in developing structured, high-impact research education experiences rather than simply placing individuals in laboratories. NIGMS expects programs to include substantial hands-on research experiences, alongside thoughtful coursework or training modules focused on skill building. These skills can include scientific communication, quantitative or computational methods, rigor and reproducibility practices, responsible conduct of research, and other competencies that help participants become competitive doctoral applicants and resilient graduate students. The FOA also emphasizes strong mentoring practices, meaning applicants should propose intentional mentor selection, mentor training or support, and clear plans for oversight and participant progress. Cohort-building is another key expectation, encouraging programs to create community among participants through shared activities, peer support, and professional identity development. Career development elements are also central, such as guidance on graduate school selection and applications, exposure to different biomedical research careers, networking opportunities, and preparation for the cultural and academic expectations of doctoral training.

Eligibility is primarily aimed at domestic, doctoral degree-granting, research-intensive institutions, reflecting the program's goal of preparing participants to transition into demanding doctoral research environments. While a wide range of applicant types are listed as eligible (including state, county, and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; certain nonprofits; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses), the program is explicitly limited to doctoral degree-granting research-intensive institutions. The FOA also highlights interest in applications from or involving institutions that serve historically underrepresented communities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), among others. Importantly, non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are not allowed, keeping the program fully domestic in scope.

A key compliance point is the clinical trial restriction. Participants supported under this FOA are not allowed to lead an independent clinical trial, meaning they cannot serve as the person responsible for initiating and directing a trial as the primary investigator. However, they are allowed to gain experience by working on a clinical trial that is led by a mentor or co-mentor. This allows participants to learn about clinical research operations, ethics, data collection, and team-based trial conduct without taking on the responsibilities of trial leadership that NIH considers independent.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant mechanism under the NIH with the activity category in health and the CFDA number 93.859. The opportunity number is PAR-20-066. The listed award ceiling is $400,000, indicating an upper bound on expected funding levels per award (with final budgets typically dependent on the approved scope and NIH policies). The original closing date shown is January 27, 2022, and the FOA was created on December 2, 2019, which matters for applicants checking whether the announcement is still active, reissued, or superseded by a newer version.

In practical terms, successful proposals typically need to show that the institution has a coherent program model with clear participant recruitment and selection strategies, a well-defined curriculum and research placement structure, strong mentoring and support systems, and meaningful evaluation plans. Because NIGMS emphasizes evidence-informed approaches, applicants are generally expected to justify program components using prior research or training outcomes, and to include assessment methods that track participant development and longer-term outcomes such as matriculation into and progress through doctoral programs.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-12-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-01-27. (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 $400,000.00 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 20 066

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