Important R15 changes in 2019

The current NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Parent Announcement, PA-18-504, will expire after the January 7, 2019, AIDS due date and will not be reissued.

The R15 activity code will be rebranded as "NIH Research Enhancement Award" and will include two programs:

1. Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions
2. Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools

The eligibility is changing and as a result the health professional schools at the HSC are no longer eligible to apply. To be eligible to apply for an NIH R15 Research Enhancement Award, the total NIH funding received by the components specified in the funding opportunity announcement of the applicant institution cannot be more than $6 million in 4 or more of the last 7 fiscal years. Note that a federal fiscal year is from October 1 through September 30 and all activity codes are included in this calculation except the following: C06, S10, and all activity codes starting with a G.

For the Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP), the $6 million funding limit includes the collective funding for all the components (health professional schools).