Weekly Research Updates & Guidance
Please check this page regularly for guidance and research updates.
Last updated: 7/14/26
NIH General Announcements and Notices of Special Interest
High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program (HRHR)
The National Institutes of Health’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program has released four funding opportunities for the FY27 NIH Director’s Awards. These awards support exceptionally creative researchers who pursue highly innovative and bold approaches to address major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research across the NIH mission.
As part of an ongoing effort to ensure broad awareness of NIH funding opportunities, we are reaching out directly to research offices at institutions whose researchers may benefit from this program.
Among these awards is the Early Independence Award, which enables rigorous and promising early career investigators to bypass the traditional postdoctoral training period and launch an independent research career. This prestigious award is for applicants who recently completed or will soon complete their doctoral degree or clinical training. Importantly, to be eligible, the applicant must have a guaranteed independent research position at the submitting institution and must be able to begin independent research by the project start date. (This year, that will be September 2027.) Any research topic relevant to the broad mission of NIH is welcome, including basic, clinical, or translational work. The primary requirements are that the research is highly innovative and has the potential for unusually broad impact.
- Funding Opportunity: RFA-RM-27-004
- Application assistance webinar: July 13, 2 - 3:30pm ET. Register today!
- Application deadline: September 10, 2026
Please see the resources below for more information about this exciting opportunity.
- FAQs
- NIH grant application resources
- Recorded webinar (will be posted following the live event)
We invite your institution to explore this opportunity and to share it with any interested, eligible applicants.
Any further questions can be submitted to EarlyIndependence@od.nih.gov.
The HRHR Research Program is managed by the Office of Strategic Coordination, Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the NIH Office of the Director, in partnership with the NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices.
NSF – National Science Foundation General Announcements
NSF BIO Virtual Office Hour: Updates from the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences
Thursday, July 16, 2026, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
This virtual office hour will focus on updates from the U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Biological Sciences that may be of interest to the biological sciences research community.
Thursday, July 16, 2026, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The U. S. National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR) Collaborations for Optimizing Research Ecosystems Research Infrastructure Improvement Program (E-CORE RII) team is hosting virtual office hours to answer questions from researchers and research administrators in NSF EPSCoR jurisdictions, who intend to submit research proposals in response to the E-CORE RII solicitation (NSF 25-523). They are welcome to join this session to engage in Q&A with EPSCoR program officers.
Register to attend the July 16 E-CORE RII virtual office hour session.
Department of Defense (DOD)
Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) funding announcements for Department of War (DOW) programs managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
Funding announcements released:
The Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) released the following funding opportunities:
- Exploration Hypothesis Development Award
- Investigator-Initiated Research Award
- Neurofibromatosis Research Award (NFRA)
o NFRA Leadership Award
o NFRA Scholar Award
- Synergistic Idea Award
To view the funding opportunity announcement and submit a pre-application visit https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/ProgramFY.htm?programFYId=735101
Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) program announcements for Department of War (DOW) programs managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
Cost caps for all FY26 CDMRP funding opportunities are total costs (direct plus indirect costs).
FY26 program announcements released:
The Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program (DMDRP) released program announcements for the following funding opportunities:
- Idea Development Award
- Clinical Translation Research Award
To view the DMDRP funding opportunity announcements and submit a pre-application, visit https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/ProgramFY.htm?programFYId=719113
The Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) released program announcements for the following funding opportunities:
- Early Investigator Research Award
- Investigator-Initiated Research Award
To view the PRP funding opportunity announcements and submit a pre-application, visit https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/ProgramFY.htm?programFYId=731101
The Combat Readiness—Medical Research Program (CRRP) released a program announcement for the following funding opportunity:
- Translational Research Award
To view the PRP funding opportunity announcements and submit a pre-application, visit https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/ProgramFY.htm?programFYId=733101
Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) pre-announcement for Department of War (DOW) programs managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
The Reconstructive Transplant Research Program (RTRP) released a pre-announcement for the following funding opportunities:
- Concept Award
To view the RTRP pre-announcement visit https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2026/rtrppreann
BrightFocus Foundation
American Heart Association
Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training
Proposal deadline: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
This award is made to qualified institutions that can offer a meaningful research experience that supports the AHA mission that encourages undergraduate college students from all disciplines to consider research careers.
AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA)
Proposal deadline: Thursday, September 10, 2026
Stimulates research at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees related to scientific research training. Eligible institutions may not have been major recipients of NIH support. Awards provide funding for small-scale research projects related to cardiovascular diseases and brain health, enhancing the research environment at eligible institutions, and exposing students to research opportunities.
Proposal deadline: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Enhances the training of promising students in pre-doctoral or clinical health professional degree training programs and who intend careers as scientists, physician-scientists or other clinician-scientists, or related careers aimed at improving global health and wellbeing.
Career Development Award
Proposal deadline: Tuesday, December 1, 2026
Supports highly promising healthcare and academic professionals in the early years of first professional appointment to assure the applicant’s future success as a research scientist in the field of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular disease research.
Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the California Walnut Commission and the AHA/VIVA Physician Research Award.
PCORI – Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Register Now: Virtual Applicant Town Halls for Upcoming Research Funding Opportunities
Preannouncements are now available for several upcoming PCORI Funding Announcements (PFAs).
These funding opportunities seek to advance patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research — research that compares treatment options to provide evidence people can use to make informed healthcare choices.
To help you prepare your Letter of Intent for these funding opportunities, PCORI is hosting free virtual Applicant Town Halls beginning in August. These sessions will provide an overview of the funding process and are an opportunity to ask PCORI staff questions beyond those addressed in the FAQs.
During these virtual events you will:
- Learn more about the PFA that aligns with your research interest.
- Gain insight into the PFA submission and evaluation process.
Engage directly in a live Q&A with PCORI staff.
