Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) for Aging and Alzheimers Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD) Research (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AG 25 031

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 25 031

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Institute on Aging (NIA), is offering a small research grant opportunity designed specifically to help build the next generation of aging and Alzheimer’s research leaders in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The funding announcement is titled "Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) for Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD) Research" and it uses the NIH R03 mechanism, meaning it is intended for small, focused projects that can generate early results and position investigators for larger future studies. Clinical trials are not allowed under this opportunity, so projects should be structured as non-trial research (for example, observational studies, secondary data analyses, pilot methods development, feasibility work that does not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial, and other foundational research efforts).

At its core, the program has two main goals. First, it aims to support junior faculty investigators from LMICs so they can conduct aging, AD, and/or ADRD research within their own LMIC settings. The emphasis on doing the work in-country matters because it encourages research that is directly relevant to local populations, health systems, cultures, and real-world constraints, rather than simply extending findings from high-income settings. Second, it is explicitly meant to support career development, helping early-stage investigators in LMICs gain the experience, preliminary data, and professional momentum needed to become long-term leaders in aging and dementia research. The NIA signals that applicants should also think carefully about their research environment and mentorship or support structures, since the broader intent is not only to complete a small project but to strengthen the investigator’s trajectory and capacity for sustained research contributions.

The NOFO encourages applications that produce pilot data, resources, and practical research experience that can serve as a springboard for larger subsequent studies in aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias. In practice, this often means designing a project that answers a narrow, high-value question or tests a workable approach that can later be expanded. Examples of outputs that fit this intent include preliminary datasets, validated tools or measures for local use, early evidence supporting a hypothesis worth scaling, or proof that recruitment, data collection, specimen handling, or analytic pipelines can function effectively in the LMIC context. The overall theme is feasibility and foundation-building, not large-scale definitive testing.

Eligibility is broad in terms of institution types, but the opportunity is explicitly focused on proposals submitted from LMIC institutions as defined by World Bank classifications. The eligible applicant categories listed include many common U.S. governmental and organizational entity types (such as state, county, city, and special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit and for-profit organizations; small businesses; independent school districts; and tribal governments and organizations). The announcement also highlights several institution types and community-facing organizations as eligible, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies. Importantly, non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are eligible to apply, aligning with the program’s LMIC-centered purpose. At the same time, it clarifies an important boundary: non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization under this NOFO. Foreign components, as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, meaning collaborations that include foreign components can be appropriate, but the applicant structure must follow NIH’s rules as stated.

Key administrative details provided include the funding opportunity number RFA-AG-25-031, the activity category Health, and the CFDA number 93.866. The award ceiling is listed as $100,000, consistent with the R03 mechanism’s role as a small grant intended for targeted, early-stage work rather than large multi-year programs. The original closing date is February 14, 2025, and the opportunity was created on September 6, 2024. Taken together, the announcement is best understood as an NIA effort to strengthen dementia and aging research capacity in LMICs by giving junior faculty a manageable, career-building research award that produces credible pilot evidence and positions them to compete for larger NIH or other international research funding in the future.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) for Aging and Alzheimers Disease (AD) and AD-Related Dementias (ADRD) Research (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-02-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

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