Date Posted: June 22, 2020

MUIThe High-Risk, High-Reward Research program of the NIH Office of Strategic Coordination—The Common Fund offers four funding opportunities for exceptionally creative scientists at all career stages. Researchers pursuing highly innovative research with the potential for broad impact in biomedical, behavioral, or social sciences within the NIH mission may be eligible. The program’s four constituent NIH Director’s awards provide a diverse set of funding opportunities.

The NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (RFA-RM-20-011) is for scientists at all career stages with outstanding records of creativity pursuing pioneering approaches to major challenges in research.

The NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (RFA-RM-20-012) recognizes exceptionally creative early-career investigators who propose innovative, high-impact projects within the NIH mission.

The NIH Director’s Transformative Research Awards (RFA-RM-20-013 and RFA-RM-20-020) support individuals or teams proposing transformative projects that are inherently risky and untested but have the potential to create or overturn fundamental paradigms and may require very large budgets.

The NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards (RFA-RM-20-014 and RFA-RM-20-021) recognize outstanding junior scientists with the intellect, scientific creativity, drive, and maturity to bypass the traditional postdoctoral training period to launch independent research careers.

More information on these awards, including eligibility requirements and fund amounts, is available here. 

Q&A Webinars. Those interested in applying can learn more and pose questions in informative webinars offered by NIH program and review staff:

  • NIH Director’s New Innovator Award Webinar: June 25, 2020, 3:00 p.m. Eastern. Questions are due June 22.
  • NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Webinar: June 26, 2020, 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Questions are due June 23.
  • NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards Webinar: June 29, 2020, 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Questions are due June 25.
  • NIH Director’s Transformative Research Awards Webinar: June 29, 2020, 3:00 p.m. Eastern. Questions are due June 25.

More information on the webinars, including instructions for registering and submitting questions, is available in Guide Notice NOT-RM-20-021. Note that pre-registration for the webinars is required.

Back to In the Spotlight