Various private and government organizations offer medical grants to individuals and institutions (such as universities and independent research groups) to provide funding for relevant research in the medical field. If you are interested in applying for one, you may have no idea where and how to start. This guide will take you through the process of finding and applying for medical grants. You will also get tips to help ensure that you are successfully granted funding.
What is a Medical Grant?
Medical grants are a type of funding awarded to individuals and institutions to facilitate research activities and other medical initiatives. Conducting medical research requires a large amount of funding, which could vary depending on the nature of the research being done.
Grants are offered to those with limited resources. Research activities are considered valuable in addressing medical needs, which is why funding is provided through government agencies and private organizations.
The type of funding available through medical grants can vary in shape and size. The most common examples of medical grants are awarded as research costs, sponsorships, salaries, or access to equipment or supplies.
Several government agencies offer medical grants and assistance in the US. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is one of them. The NIH is the largest funding agency that dedicates millions of dollars in funding annually to facilitate health research. The NIH’s mission is to support research covering the health, medicine, and life sciences. Most of these research activities aim to reduce diseases, cure diseases, and extend patients’ lives.
Where to Apply for Medical Grants
NIH Research Project Grant Program
The NIH Research Project Grant is the oldest type of grant program offered by the organization. It supports health-related research and development that aligns with the NIH mission. This grant can be awarded directly to relevant institutions or apply for a grant. To qualify for this research grant, the applicant must present a research proposal and be able to showcase its relevance to the program’s mission.
Successful applicants will receive the following from the NIH:
- Salary and fringe benefits
- Supplies and equipment
- Consultation costs
- Consortium costs
- Travel expenses
- Administrative and facility costs
- Publication costs
- Miscellaneous costs
There is no limit to the grant budget for successful applicants. However, the budget presented for the research grant must reflect the actual needs of the research project.
NIH Small Grant Program
This grant program offered by the NIH is available for small research projects. This type of research will be performed and completed in a short period compared to those that qualify for the above-listed grant. The NIH has provided a list of characteristics to determine what qualifies for a small research project. You must check that list before sending your application to ensure that you apply for the correct grant program.
The NIH Small Grant Program offers a maximum budget of $50,000 per year for the research project. The research must be completed within a maximum period of two years. Grant applicants are not required to submit relevant research data, but doing so can be helpful. Your research proposal must not exceed six pages. You will not qualify for this grant if you are a doctoral student; you may not use the funding for your dissertation research.
The small research projects that are approved for this small grant program include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Feasibility studies
- Self-contained research projects
- Secondary analysis of established data
- Development of new research methodology
Scientific Meeting Grants
The NIH also provides support and funding for national or international meetings, workshops, and conferences in the medical field. The approved funding must include documentation of the assignment and the relevance of the scientific meetings.
The meeting must align with the NIH’s mission to improve the possibility of a successful grant application. The maximum funding for the scientific meeting grant is $50,000 annually (in direct costs). However, the NIH also accepts funding requests for above that amount, but they will perform a separate internal review for those special requests.
Research Project Grant
The NIH’s Research Project Grant series covers many grant programs relevant to the health and medical field. The following are the types of grants available through NIH under this category:
- Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant – This grant program offers support for innovative research initiatives that significantly impact the direction of research in that
- Research Opportunities to Promote Workforce Diversity – This research grant offers support for new investigators with diverse backgrounds. The purpose is to show support for those health-related professionals that are underrepresented in the field.
- Research Enhancement Award – This grant program offers support to meritorious research without full recognition or support within the research environment.
- Developmental Research Program – This grant program offers support for research projects within the early or conceptual stages. This research project is a potential breakthrough in the field as it employs novel techniques, applications, or models.
- Early Research Career – This grant program supports new health and medical researchers embarking on an independent medical research career.
Aside from the NIH, other government agencies offer medical grants for various scopes and purposes. These agencies include the following:
- Department of Defense
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- National Science Foundation
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Food and Drug Administration
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
- Centers for Disease Prevention and Control
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
- Health Resources and Services Administration
- US Agency for International Development
Take time to explore each of these government agencies to learn about the specific medical grant programs offered. When applying for medical grants through these agencies, also take time to consider the mission of the respective agencies. Align those missions with your research grant proposal to improve your chances of being accepted into the program.
