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Science-Driven Research Project Cooperative Agreement (UP1)
A cooperative agreement made to support a research project or research program in an area representing a PD/PI’s specific interest and competencies.
Purpose
Supports both standard and exploratory research projects. Exploratory projects include those that are in early and conceptual stages and may involve considerable risk that has the potential to lead to a breakthrough or major development in a field of biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.
Choose Your Path
Are you proposing exploratory or standard research?
The UP1 is designed to cover a wide range of activities, including both exploratory and standard research. When preparing your application, carefully consider your goal. Will you be generating data or proof of concept for future work or completing a fully defined research project? Also, think about the time and budget needed to be successful.
| Feature | Exploratory Research | Standard Research |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Generate data/proof of concept for future work | Complete a defined research project |
| Use | Novel, exploratory, high-risk ideas Examples
| Mature, hypothesis-driven projects |
| Preliminary data | Not required | Established data/paradigms |
| Project periods | Up to 3 years | 4 or more years |
| Budget | Smaller (e.g., up to $250K direct costs per budget period) | Higher, project-specific (e.g., $400K or more in direct costs per budget period) |
| Risk level | High | Lower to moderate |
| Review focus | Novelty, conceptual innovation, high-risk/high-reward | Feasibility, rigorous design, and robust data |
Special Considerations
Are you an early stage investigator (ESI)?
If all the PD/PIs on a UP1 application have ESI status on the date an application is submitted, the application will be flagged as ESI and will receive special consideration during the review and funding process. See Early Stage Investigator (ESI) Policies to learn more.
ESIs are encouraged to apply for standard research projects when appropriate for the proposed research. Regardless of the type of application submitted (standard or exploratory), PD/PIs will not retain their ESI status upon receipt of an UP1 award.
Award Information
- Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreements
- Funding Category: Research and Development
- Budget Mechanism Code: RP - Research Projects
Application and Submission Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information of an UP1 notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) describes the application options (exploratory, standard, and extended in cases when project periods greater than 5 years are allowed) and their associated project period and budget.
Research strategy page limits
- Exploratory: 6 pages - requires a narrow, highly conceptualized scope
- Standard and Extended: 12 pages - allows for deep experimental detail
Upon submission, applications with project periods up to 3 years will be identified as exploratory.
Due Dates
The Key Dates section of funding opportunities lists specific due dates. Many opportunities indicate Standard Due Dates apply.
| Standard Application Due Dates (when applicable) | Review and Award Cycles | |||
| New | Renewal, Resubmission, Revision as Allowed |
Scientific Merit Review | Advisory Council Review |
Earliest Start Date |
Contact
- Your organization's sponsored programs office or grants administrators can answer many internal and agency policy and process questions.
- Understand NIH Staff Roles details how and when to find the right NIH contacts:
- Before you apply, check your chosen funding opportunity for application submission, scientific/research, peer review, and financial/grants management contacts.
- After you apply, find NIH staff assignments in the Status module of eRA Commons.
For technical issues E-mail OER Webmaster