National Institutes of Health · United States

Developing novel theory and methods for understanding the genetic… (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Full title in the source: Developing novel theory and methods for understanding the genetic architecture of complex human traits (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Open

Applications close on 7 Jan 2027. Eligible applicant types include special district governments, public and State controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education and 12 more.

Deadline: 7 Jan 2027 (in 53 days)
Grant amount: Not stated — see the official call
Funding rate: No mandatory cost sharing stated; funding percentage not stated
Cost sharing: Not required
Likely applicant types: Public bodies, Universities & research, SMEs / start-ups, Companies, Non-profits From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
Funder: National Institutes of Health
Reference: PAR-25-256
Assistance listing: 93.172 Human Genome Research; 93.399 Cancer Control
Last checked: 13 Nov 2026

Open the official call ↗ Add deadline to calendar

About this call

The goal of this NOFO is to support R21 applications for novel theory and methods development that better delineate how genetic and non-genetic factors contribute to complex trait variation across individuals, families, and populations. Approaches should be interdisciplinary across the natural and social sciences, account for interdependencies across scales of biological, social, and ecological organization, and make extensive use of theory, simulations, and validation using available large-scale datasets

Who can apply

Special district governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
Independent school districts
Small businesses
For profit organizations other than small businesses
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
County governments
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
State governments
City or township governments

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.

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

Topics

Education Health

How to apply

Read the full notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) linked from the official page: eligibility, cost sharing and evaluation criteria.
Make sure your organisation has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID (UEI); registration can take several weeks.
For NIH: the organisation and the principal investigator also need eRA Commons accounts; applications are usually submitted through Grants.gov (for example with ASSIST).
Prepare the required forms, narrative, budget and attachments exactly as the NOFO specifies.
Submit before the deadline and keep the tracking number. Check for amendments before you submit.

From the call text

Who can apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Company stage: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Single applicant or consortium: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where applicants must be based: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
Where to apply: Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Contact

National Institutes of Health · grantsinfo@nih.gov · 301-402-2541

Where these facts come from

Fact	Value	How we know	Taken from the source
Deadline	7 January 2027	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Amount per applicant	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Total budget	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—
Funding rate	No mandatory cost sharing stated; funding percentage not stated	read from the official text	15 Nov 2026
Who can apply	Special district governments; Public and State controlled institutions of higher education; Private institutions of higher education; Independent school districts; Small businesses; For profit organizations other than…	official data field	15 Nov 2026
Where to apply	Unknown — not stated in the source we hold	unknown	—

Official sources

Official call page · Funder's programme page

Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 13 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.