We’ve issued a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) PAR-19-367 to maintain continued support of our Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) program. Under this new FOA, investigators with an active NIGMS R35 grant (both early-stage and established investigator MIRA) can submit renewal MIRA applications, and investigators with a single-PI R01-equivalent NIGMS award (DP1, DP2, R01, R37, SC1) can submit new MIRA applications.
Some changes to this FOA include:
1. Eligibility: New MIRA applications should be submitted within the fiscal year that follows the fiscal year of the original project period expiration date of the qualifying award. Renewal MIRA applications should be submitted within the two fiscal years that follow the fiscal year of the original project period expiration date of the current R35 MIRA. Please note that the original project expiration date is the sole determinant of eligibility; a no-cost extension to a qualifying award will not increase the eligibility time window.
2. Budget: An itemized or detailed budget request is no longer required and will not be accepted. Applicants are instructed to request a total direct cost amount for each budget year. Additional funds for well-justified equipment purchases can be requested. Inflationary increases in future years will not be allowed.
3. Other changes:
- The FOA is now clinical trial optional.
- Early applications will be accepted, but because an ongoing award will be replaced, a MIRA application submitted early may truncate the qualifying award.
- DP1s and transformative R01s administered by NIGMS are now qualifying awards, but MIRA budgets may be reduced from these award levels.
4. Review: Broad panels at the NIH Center for Scientific Review will review all applications. For new and renewal MIRA applications, an investigator’s career stage will be considered.
If you have additional questions about the MIRA program, please contact me.