NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)

Key facts

Funder

National Institutes of Health

Application deadline

April 28, 2027

Award range

Award amount not published

Eligibility

Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-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.

Geography

United States

Focus areas

Health

Opportunity number

RFA-HL-26-002

Program overview

The purpose of the NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) is to promote scientific productivity and innovation by providing long-term support and increased flexibility to experienced Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) who are currently PDs/PIs on at least two NHLBI R01-equivalent awards and whose outstanding record of research demonstrates their ability to make major contributions to heart, lung, blood and sleep (HLBS) research. The OIA is intended to support a research program, rather than a research project, by providing the primary and most likely sole source of NHLBI funding on individual grant awards. The OIA will support the research program of NHLBI-funded investigators for up to seven years. The OIA will provide investigators increased freedom to conduct research that breaks new ground or extends previous discoveries in new directions. It will also allow PDs/PIs to take greater risks and to pursue research that requires a longer timeframe. Research supported by the OIA must be within the scope of the NHLBI mission (https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/mission-statement). It is anticipated that the OIA will: Provide a stable funding environment, thereby improving productivity and facilitating nimble, ambitious, creative research; Accelerate scientific innovation by enabling flexibility in pursuing new research directions as they arise, since PDs/PIs will not be bound to specific aims proposed in advance of the studies; Reduce the time researchers spend writing grant applications and managing multiple grant awards, thereby allowing more time to be devoted to conducting research; Facilitate commitment of PDs/PIs to research through increased stability of funding; and Enable PDs/PIs to devote more time and energy to mentoring students and junior scientists and providing scientific service.

How to apply

1. Confirm your organization meets the eligibility criteria above.
2. Read the full funding opportunity announcement from National Institutes of Health.
3. Draft your narrative against the funder's stated priorities and review criteria.
4. Submit before April 28, 2027, allowing time for registration and validation.

View the official funding announcement

Related grant opportunities

• NHLBI Emerging Investigator Award (EIA) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)
• LPS Qubit Collaboratory (LQC)
• Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment or Prevention (SBIRT/P) for alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) use and misuse in adult populations that experience health disparities (R01, Clinical Trial Required)
• Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)