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National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

NIDCR Small Grant Program for New Investigators (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Open · Opportunity PAR-25-105 · Assistance Listing 93.121

Key facts

Deadline
Due Jan 7, 2028 · 457 days left
Award size
Not specified — see notice
Cost share / match ?
Not required · Work out your budget and match
Who can apply
Larger business, Other (see eligibility), Small business, Nonprofit without 501(c)(3), State government, School district, Tribal organization, Private college or university, Tribal government, Special district (utility, fire, etc.), City or town government, Nonprofit with 501(c)(3), Public college or university, County government
Where
Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee

Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Grant-ready checklist

How this fits you

  • Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
  • No cost share required
  • Past Tennessee awards on file: 26

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

More from National Institutes of Health

Read the official notice View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar Sign in to save

About this grant

This NIDCR Small Grant Program for New Investigators supports basic and clinical research conducted by scientists who are in the early stages of establishing an independent research career in oral, dental and craniofacial research. This R03 program supports pilot or feasibility studies and developmental research projects with the intention of obtaining sufficient preliminary data for a subsequent investigator initiated Research Project Grant (R01) or equivalent application.

Eligibility (from the notice)

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.

Should we apply? (2-minute check) Ask a partner for a letter

Your schedule, working back from the deadline

  1. Oct7
    Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
    Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov
  2. Dec17
    Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
    Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters.
  3. Dec31
    Finish a complete draft for a final review
    Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft.
  4. Jan5
    Submit
    Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog
  5. Jan7
    Deadline
    From the funder.

Save this grant to put these dates in your tracker and private calendar.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

20 awards to Tennessee recipients in 4 counties since 2014. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee recipients
RecipientWhereAmountFY
Ut-Battelle LlcOak Ridge, Anderson County$8M2014
Tennessee State UniversityNashville, Davidson County$2.8M2021
Meharry Medical CollegeNashville, Davidson County$2.3M2023
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$2.3M2018
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$2.3M2020
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$2.2M2022
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$2M2021
University Of MemphisMemphis, Shelby County$1.8M2017
Tennessee State UniversityNashville, Davidson County$1.2M2021
Meharry Medical CollegeNashville, Davidson County$684K2026
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$646K2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$632K2019

Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.

Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another grantee

This federal money also reaches local groups as subawards. 6 subawards on file. Largest shown:

Tennessee subaward recipients
RecipientWhereThroughAmountFY
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyResearch Foundation for the State University of New York, the$367K2023
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyUniversity of Kentucky Research Foundation, the$292K2023
St Jude Children'S Research Hospital IncMemphis, Shelby CountyPresident and Fellows of Harvard College$152K2026
University Of TennesseeMemphis, Shelby CountyFred Hutchinson Cancer Center$97K2023
University Of TennesseeMemphis, Shelby CountyTexas A & M University System Health Science Center$92K2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyUniversity of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education$88K2023

Source: USAspending.gov subaward reports (prime recipients report subawards of $30,000 or more).

About the program (93.121)

Oral Diseases and Disorders Research — Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research.

How applications are judged

The primary criteria for evaluating grant applications include assessment of: (1) the scientific merit, significance and overall impact of the proposed study and its objectives; (2) the competency of the proposed investigator(s) to successfully pursue the project; (3) the innovation and novelty of the concepts, approaches, or methodologies; (4) the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; (5) the adequacy of the available proposed facilities and resources; (6) the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project; and (7) the relevance and importance to the posted institute program objectives. Also evaluated, where applicable, but not scored are: (1) protections for human subjects; (2) inclusion of women, minorities, and children; (3) vertebrate animal welfare; and (4) adequate protection of research personnel and/or the environment, biosafety, biocontainment and the security of select agents; (5) resource sharing plans; (6) authentication of key biological and/or chemical resources, (7) budget and period of support. In addition, the following criteria will be used in considering the scientific and technical merit of SBIR/STTR Phase I grant applications: the potential of the proposed research for commercial application. Phase II grant applications will reviewed based upon the following criteria: (1) The degree to which the Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; (2) the scientific and technical merit...

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Examples of funded projects

Not Applicable.

Program listing on SAM.gov

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