Non-NIH funding opportunities for Fellows in the NIH IRP

There are many organizations that will fund research for intramural fellows. We have compiled a list, linked below, of those we know will accept (and will not accept) applications from NIH trainees. In each case, please read the eligibility carefully, especially since funders can change their requirements. If you have any questions, connect with the training director or scientific director of your institute or with us in the OITE.

If a particular funder is not on our vetted list, how can you know if they would accept an application from an NIH trainee?

1. Look carefully at who can apply on the fellowship announcement.

• Does it mention USA Federal Labs? If not, you will likely need to call the funding organization and ask specifically for more information on if you are eligible. If you need help call you training director or the OITE.
• What about citizenship, who can apply?
• Does it have any time requirements since an individual received their terminal degree, and do you match that requirement?

1. Next, look at the intellectual property agreement.

• Differences in intellectual property policies between the NIH and the funding organization may prevent the distribution of an award to a NIH intramural fellow who was initially eligible to apply. This normally hinges on who owns a discovery, the NIH or the funding agency. These are why some funders in the list below are tagged as maybes, the intellectual property rights policies should be cleared BEFORE you choose to apply to these funders. If your intended funder is not in the cleared portion of the list, consider it as a maybe.
• Connect with your training director or technology transfer office in your NIH institute to ask questions about the intellectual property policies about this fellowship and how it will influence if the NIH will accept it.

1. How is the money distributed to you at the NIH?

• The mechanisms of distribution of a funding award can be unique to an institute and thus it is the responsibility of the applicant to contact the necessary IC personnel and departments to facilitate the process of award distribution. Contact your IC's training director regarding this inquiry.

The NIH Fogarty International Center maintains a list of Non-NIH Funding Opportunities that includes a variety of international grants and fellowships in biomedical and behavioral research.
Fogarty International Center - Non-NIH Funding Opportunities - Grants and Fellowships

Adapted from ScienceCareers.org

Grants.gov
Grants.gov lists all current discretionary funding opportunities from 26 agencies of the United States government, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and many others.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research
NIH funds research to human health and disease.

The National Science Foundation (NSF)
An independent federal agency, the U.S. National Science Foundation funds basic research.

GrantForward
This subscription-based resource is hosted and managed by Cazoodle, Inc. The NIH is an institutional member.

SPIN
Run by InfoEd International, SPIN (the Sponsored Programs Information Network) claims to be the most widely used funding opportunity database in the world. An institutional subscription is required for access.

The OITE has offered various trainings to help you understand how to write a fellowship or grant. Topics include understanding the grant writing process, strategies for writing the grant, writing specific aims, understanding the peer review process. Check out this three-hour long seminar:  Grant Writing 101

Additionally, many institutes and centers offer trainings for their intramural fellows. Check with your Training Director.

NIAID has compiled a resource "Apply for a Grant" that provides information on the full process:  Apply for a Grant

The Office of Extramural Research (OER) produces a podcast, "All About Grants at NIH."

Check out our recorded seminar - Grants/Fellowships for Intramural Trainees (2022)

If you have any questions, please contact us at OITE@nih.gov or reach out to your Training Director.