The NIH R03 Award

Abstract

Social workers in academic and agency settings have the opportunity to do funded research using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R03 small grant mechanism designed for discrete, clearly defined projects that can be completed within a 1-to 2-year time period with limited funding. This article describes the R03 mechanism and provides a guide for the developmental steps in writing a successful grant application. It identifies the recent NIH program announcements titled Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health as an extraordinary opportunity for social work researchers seeking R03 funding. The R03 is ideal for new researchers, and the experience of one of the authors illustrates the decision-making and skill-development processes involved in submitting a successful grant proposal. 417In a recent issue of this journal Holleran and Thompson (2005) highlighted social work's research roots and emphasized the increasing importance of conducting rigorous research to enhance the professional practice and knowledge base. The authors recommended the Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a funding source for social work researchers. This article continues the discussion of NIH funding mechanisms by describing the R03 Small Research Grant that is available for 1 to 2 years of support for up to $50,000 a year. While the K series awards are career development grants that have as a primary aim investment and development of promising researchers, the R series awards (see Appendix A) are project-specific grants aimed at discrete, specified, circumscribed projects to be performed by the investigator or investigators in an area of their interest and competencies, based on the mission of the NIH. This article places the R03 in the context of these R series awards, describes its advantages, describes old and new pathways for social work researchers to obtain R03 funding, and provides resources and a brief guide to designing a successful study and to writing the grant application. The first author's experience as a clinician and new investigator applying for an R03 grant illustrates these processes. NIH SMALL RESEARCH GRANT (R03) MECHANISMThe R03 is one type of funding mechanism that may be identified within an NIH program announcement (PA), which is a request funding applications in a stated scientific area. Funding requests are reviewed by institute or centers (ICs) within the NIH; those that will award grants under a specific PA are listed in the PA along with the specific funding mechanisms each IC is open to using.The R03 award is smaller in scope and more time limited than the original Research Project Grant (R01) grants that are the primary support mechanism for NIH-funded health-related research. Not all ICs offer the R03 mechanism, and specifics such as length and amount of award may vary. The R03 awards are often designed to support the early stages of a research career by encouraging the applicant to use this mechanism to obtain prelimina...