Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI)

Key Facts

Status: Open

Posted date: September 15, 2025

Opportunity ID: 360593

Opportunity number: PAR-26-032

Opportunity category: Discretionary

Agency name: National Institutes of Health

Agency code: HHS-NIH11

Award floor: $0

Award ceiling: $0

Cost sharing required: No

Funding Instrument Types
  • Grant
Category of Funding Activity
  • Health
Eligible Applicants
  • City or township governments
  • County governments
  • For-profit organizations other than small businesses
  • Independent school districts
  • Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
  • Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
  • Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Others
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • Special district governments
  • State governments
Tools
Categories (use these for quoted searches)
  • agency_code:hhs_nih11
  • category_of_funding_activity:health
  • cost_sharing_or_matching_requirement:false
  • eligible_applicants:city_or_township_governments
  • eligible_applicants:county_governments
  • eligible_applicants:for_profit_organizations_other_than_small_businesses
  • eligible_applicants:independent_school_districts
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_governments_federally_recognized
  • eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_organizations_other_than_federally_recognized_tribal_governments
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_having_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_that_do_not_have_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:others
  • eligible_applicants:private_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_and_state_controlled_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_housing_authoritiesindian_housing_authorities
  • eligible_applicants:small_businesses
  • eligible_applicants:special_district_governments
  • eligible_applicants:state_governments
  • funding_instrument_type:grant
  • opportunity_category:discretionary
  • status:open
Description

NIGMS intends to continue its flagship Maximizing Investigators' Research Awards (MIRA) program for Early Stage Investigators (ESIs). Over the past decade, MIRA has become the primary approach through which NIGMS supports fundamental, investigator-initiated research. MIRA provides support for research in an investigator's laboratory that falls within the mission of NIGMS through a single grant award. It provides investigators with greater funding stability and scientific flexibility, enabling researchers to take on more ambitious and innovative studies, enhancing scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs. It also reduces administrative burden by combining all NIGMS research support for a PI into a single award. The program is structured to distribute funds widely among the nation's highly talented and promising early career investigators.

Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI)
NIGMS intends to continue its flagship Maximizing Investigators' Research Awards (MIRA) program for Early Stage Investigators (ESIs). Over the past decade, MIRA has become the primary approach through which NIGMS supports fundamental, investigator-initiated research. MIRA provides support for research in an investigator's laboratory that falls within the mission of NIGMS through a single grant award. It provides investigators with greater funding stability and scientific flexibility, enabling researchers to take on more ambitious and innovative studies, enhancing scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs. It also reduces administrative burden by combining all NIGMS research support for a PI into a single award. The program is structured to distribute funds widely among the nation's highly talented and promising early career investigators.
Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) for Early Stage Investigators (ESI)
Open
National Institutes of Health
Health
Grant
State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
For-profit organizations other than small businesses
Small businesses
Others
2025-09-15