NIH Director's New Innovator Award (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional)

The NIH Director's New Innovator Award (DP2 Clinical Trial Optional) is a high‑risk, high‑reward grant program that supports exceptionally creative early‑stage investigators across all NIH‑relevant fields. Up to 30 awards will be made, each with a fixed ceiling of $475,000, intended to fund bold, transformative research projects. The award is part of the NIH Common Fund’s High‑Risk, High‑Reward Research Program and may optionally include a DP2 Clinical Trial component. Applicants must meet broad eligibility criteria, including U.S. government entities, tribal governments, non‑profits, higher‑education institutions, and foreign entities. Key dates include a posting date of September 3 2026, an estimated application response date of August 19 2027, and an estimated award date of August 30 2028. • Fixed award amount: $475,000 per award (30 awards total, ~$22.7 M in funding). • Open to a wide range of applicant types (government, tribal, nonprofit, academic, for‑profit). • No cost‑sharing required. • Optional DP2 Clinical Trial component for eligible projects. • No pre‑bid meeting, site visit, or explicit submission deadline listed in the forecast. • Estimated project start: September 30 2028.