Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 25 169
The NIH Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (PA 25-169) is an R21 grant opportunity designed to help NIH-defined New Investigators and Early Stage Investigators launch bold, interdisciplinary research programs that blend engineering and the physical sciences with life science and biomedical questions. The program is built for projects that are exploratory or developmental in nature, including proof-of-concept studies and higher-risk, higher-reward ideas that may not yet fit comfortably into more traditional, data-heavy funding mechanisms. Applicants can frame their work as technology design-directed (building or refining tools), discovery-driven (finding new phenomena or patterns), or hypothesis-driven (testing a specific mechanistic idea), as long as the central theme is an integrative approach that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries.
A defining feature of this announcement is its stance on preliminary data. NIH is explicitly signaling that preliminary results are not required, not expected, and not encouraged, which is meant to lower the barrier for genuinely new directions that have not yet produced a full dataset. If an applicant does have preliminary work that is both minimal and relevant, it may be included, but it must be tightly constrained: it has to be clearly labeled as preliminary data, and it must fit within one-half page total, with no more than one figure. The opportunity is strict on compliance here. If the application includes more than one-half page of preliminary data or more than one figure, it will be considered noncompliant with the instructions and will not proceed to peer review. The notice also clarifies what counts as preliminary data for this purpose: it is material the applicant has independently produced that has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The funding instrument is a discretionary grant under the NIH R21 mechanism, with clinical trials listed as optional, meaning applicants may propose studies that do or do not involve clinical trial components as appropriate for the project. The funding activity falls under the NIH health research category and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.286, 93.866, and 93.867. While the excerpt does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the closing date shown is January 7, 2026, and the record indicates a creation date of January 8, 2025.
Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organization types. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and 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; certain non-federally recognized tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also highlights additional applicant categories often associated with capacity-building and community representation, 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, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
At the same time, there are clear limits on foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, which typically means a U.S. applicant organization may include certain foreign elements or collaborations if they are well-justified and meet NIH policy requirements.
Overall, this opportunity is tailored for early-career investigators who want to take a serious swing at an interdisciplinary idea that could open a new research direction, create a novel tool or platform, or demonstrate feasibility for a new approach, without needing the kind of extensive unpublished dataset that many other NIH applications effectively require. The most important practical takeaway is to lean into the novelty and integration across disciplines, keep any preliminary data to the strict half-page/one-figure limit if included at all, and ensure the applicant organization and any foreign involvement align with the eligibility rules described in the announcement.Apply for PA 25 169
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (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): 93.286, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-01-08.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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.
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FAQs: NIH Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (PA 25-169)
What is the NIH Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (PA 25-169)?
PA 25-169 is an NIH funding opportunity under the R21 mechanism designed to help NIH-defined New Investigators and Early Stage Investigators launch bold, interdisciplinary research programs. It specifically emphasizes projects that integrate engineering and the physical sciences with life science and biomedical questions.
What type of grant mechanism is used for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically used for exploratory or developmental research, including proof-of-concept efforts and higher-risk, higher-reward ideas.
Who is this program intended for?
The program is intended for NIH-defined New Investigators and Early Stage Investigators who are aiming to establish innovative, cross-disciplinary research directions that blend engineering/physical sciences with biomedical and life science problems.
What kinds of projects does this award support?
Projects should be exploratory or developmental in nature. Examples explicitly aligned with the announcement include proof-of-concept studies and higher-risk, higher-reward ideas that may not yet fit traditional, data-heavy funding mechanisms.
How can applicants frame their research approach under this announcement?
Applicants may frame their work as:
- Technology design-directed: building or refining tools
- Discovery-driven: finding new phenomena or patterns
- Hypothesis-driven: testing a specific mechanistic idea
Across these approaches, the central theme must be an integrative effort that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries.
Is preliminary data required for PA 25-169?
No. NIH explicitly states that preliminary results are not required, not expected, and not encouraged for this opportunity. This is meant to reduce barriers for genuinely new directions that do not yet have a full dataset.
Can an application include any preliminary data at all?
Yes, but only if it is minimal and directly relevant. If included, it must be clearly labeled as preliminary data and must follow strict space and figure limits.
What are the strict limits on preliminary data in this opportunity?
If preliminary data are included, they must be tightly constrained to:
- No more than one-half page total
- No more than one figure
What happens if an application exceeds the preliminary data limits?
The opportunity is strict on compliance. If the application includes more than one-half page of preliminary data or more than one figure, it will be considered noncompliant and will not proceed to peer review.
What counts as "preliminary data" for the purposes of the limit?
For this announcement, preliminary data are defined as material the applicant has independently produced that has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
Clinical trials are listed as optional. Applicants may propose studies that do or do not involve clinical trial components, depending on what best fits the project.
When is the closing date for this opportunity?
The closing date shown is January 7, 2026.
When was this opportunity record created?
The record indicates a creation date of January 8, 2025.
What is the general research area or category for this funding?
The funding activity falls under the NIH health research category and supports integrative biomedical research that connects engineering/physical sciences approaches with life science and biomedical questions.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.286, 93.866, and 93.867.
Does the excerpt provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. The excerpt does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
What U.S. organization types are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organization types. 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
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Certain non-federally recognized tribal organizations
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
Are specific institution types like HBCUs or Hispanic-serving Institutions called out as eligible?
Yes. The announcement highlights additional applicant categories often associated with capacity-building and community representation, 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
- Regional organizations
- Eligible federal agencies
- U.S. territories or possessions
Can non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply as the applicant organization?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.
Can a non-domestic component of a U.S. organization apply?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply.
Are foreign components allowed at all in projects funded under this announcement?
Yes. Foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. This generally means a U.S. applicant organization may include certain foreign elements or collaborations if they are well-justified and meet NIH policy requirements.
What is the main practical compliance risk highlighted in the announcement?
The most important compliance risk described is exceeding the preliminary data limit. Including more than one-half page of preliminary data or more than one figure makes the application noncompliant and it will not proceed to peer review.
What is the core theme NIH is looking for in funded projects?
The core theme is an integrative approach that crosses traditional disciplinary boundaries, blending engineering and physical sciences methods with life science and biomedical questions, and supporting bold new directions that may not yet have extensive unpublished data.
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| Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Northern Border Rural Workforce Apply for HRSA 25 011 Funding Number: HRSA 25 011 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: $400,000 |
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| Rural Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Planning and Development Apply for HRSA 25 101 Funding Number: HRSA 25 101 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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| NIA Postdoctoral Fellowship Award to Promote Broad Participation in Translational Research for AD/ADRD (F32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 24 332 Funding Number: PAR 24 332 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIA Predoctoral Fellowship Award to Promote Broad Participation in Translational Research for AD/ADRD (F31 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 24 333 Funding Number: PAR 24 333 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program - NEW (Year 1) Apply for CDC RFA CE 25 0114 Funding Number: CDC RFA CE 25 0114 Agency: Centers for Disease Control - NCIPC Category: Health Funding Amount: $125,000 |
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