Imaging - Science Track Award for Research Transition (I/START) (R03- Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 21 310

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 310

The Imaging - Science Track Award for Research Transition (I/START) (R03 - Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity designed to help investigators break into neuroimaging research or add neuroimaging methods to an existing research program. It specifically uses the NIH Small Research Grant (R03) mechanism, which is meant for early-stage or exploratory work that can be completed relatively quickly and with limited resources. The main purpose is to support small, focused "proof of concept" studies that allow a researcher to test feasibility, generate preliminary data, or demonstrate that a neuroimaging approach can work for a particular scientific question before pursuing larger-scale funding.

This opportunity is targeted at two broad groups: investigators who are new to neuroimaging and established investigators who want to transition into neuroimaging by adopting imaging methodologies. In practical terms, that means it can support a researcher who has a strong question in neuroscience, mental health, or related biomedical fields but needs a first project to develop and validate an imaging-based approach, pilot an acquisition protocol, establish analytic pipelines, or show initial evidence that an imaging marker or imaging-derived measure is relevant to their hypothesis. Because the FOA emphasizes "proof of concept," the expectation is not a large definitive study, but rather a well-justified, tightly scoped project that demonstrates feasibility and sets up a future, more comprehensive application.

The announcement indicates that clinical trials are optional, meaning applicants may propose a project that includes a clinical trial component if it fits the scientific goals, but they are not required to do so. This flexibility makes the FOA usable for both basic and applied research directions, such as method development and validation in healthy participants, imaging studies embedded in clinical populations, or small intervention-related imaging efforts where imaging is used to explore mechanisms or early signals.

In terms of administration and classification, the opportunity is a discretionary grant and is listed under NIH with CFDA number 93.279. The funding opportunity number is PAR-21-310, and the original closing date provided is January 8, 2025. While the source data does not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the R03 mechanism generally implies modest budgets and shorter project periods compared with larger NIH research project grants, consistent with the FOA language about limited resources and short timelines.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and certain non-U.S. entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and an "others" category. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). Taken together, this makes the program accessible to a wide range of research settings, including institutions that serve underrepresented communities and organizations operating outside the United States.

Overall, this FOA is best understood as an NIH entry and transition point into neuroimaging: it supports smaller pilot projects intended to help researchers establish competence and credibility in neuroimaging methods, demonstrate feasibility, and generate the preliminary results needed to compete for larger neuroimaging-focused grants in the future.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Imaging - Science Track Award for Research Transition (I/START) (R03- Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-08-02.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-08. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: 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.

Apply for PAR 21 310

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