ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS · GRANT
Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional)
- Deadline
- May 26, 2028 (580 days left)
- Who can apply
- Others
- Award range
- Not stated
- Expected awards
- Not stated
- Total program funding
- Not stated
- Your own money required
- No cost sharing or matching required
- Opportunity number
- PAR-26-121
- Posted
- Dec 11, 2025
- Assistance listing
- 93.859
More on who can apply
Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility.Foreign Organizations/Foreign CollaborationsNon-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.NIH will no longer issue awards (i.e., new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) to domestic or foreign entities that involve foreign subawards/subcontracts. All NIH-funded research involving foreign subaward
What it funds
The Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) provides support for individual investigators for research within the scientific mission of NIGMS via a single grant to achieve the following:Increase the stability of funding for NIGMS-supported investigators, which could enhance their ability to take on ambitious scientific projects and approach problems more creatively;Increase flexibility for investigators to follow important new research directions within the NIGMS mission as opportunities arise, rather than being bound to specific aims proposed in advance of the studies;More widely distribute funding among the nation's highly talented and promising investigators to increase overall scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs;Reduce the time spent by researchers writing and reviewing grant applications, allowing them to spend more time conducting research;Reduce the administrative burden associated with a PD/PI managing multiple NIGMS research grants; andEnable PD(s)/PI(s) to devote more time and energy to mentoring junior scientists in a more stable research environment.This NOFO invites applications from eligible NIGMS-funded investigators and from New Investigators proposing research that is aligned with NIGMS' scientific mission. The NOFO also allows renewal applications from all current MIRA grantees (including those previously funded as Early-Stage Investigators). Current Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs) should apply through the ESI MIRA NOFO, not this NOFO.
Open the official notice on Grants.gov ↗What to do next
- Open the official notice on Grants.gov and download the full announcement (the NOFO) and any attachments.
- Check you can apply: the eligible applicants above, and any detail in the notice's eligibility section.
- Register your organization in SAM.gov (choose "all awards") and create a Grants.gov account; allow several weeks the first time.
- Apply through Grants.gov exactly as the notice says, before May 26, 2028. Late applications are usually not accepted.
New to this? Applying for a federal grant, step by step · Register to apply · How to read the notice · Write the narrative · Build the budget · Agency contact: NIGMS_EINIMIRA@nigms.nih.gov
From Grants.gov's official daily extract of Oct 25, 2026. The notice on Grants.gov and its attachments are what count. UX Contract is independent and not a government website.