NIH R15 AREA Grant Proposal Preparation
NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Program (R15) is a specifically designed research grant directed at funding undergraduate institutions who:
- 1) conduct meritorious research related to the goals of the NIH,
- 2) expose students to research activities related to the goals of the NIH, and
- 3) need help strengthening the research environment of the institution.
The AREA Program is focused on institutions and principal investigators (PI) who have NOT been majors recipients of NIH funding. The program supports research over a period of 3 years with direct costs limited to $300,000. Grants are renewable and preliminary data are NOT required.
The following is the "text" from the PA-16-200 Overview document
Funding Opportunity Purpose
The purpose of the Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) program is to stimulate research in educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees for a significant number of the Nation's research scientists, but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. AREA grants create opportunities for scientists and institutions otherwise unlikely to participate extensively in NIH research programs to contribute to the Nation's biomedical and behavioral research effort. AREA grants are intended to support small-scale research projects proposed by faculty members of eligible, domestic institutions, to expose undergraduate and/or graduate students to meritorious research projects, and to strengthen the research environment of the applicant institution.