Bridge Funding Program

The School of Medicine accepts Bridge Funding applications three times each fiscal year: August, December, and April. The Bridge Funding Program supports eligible investigators experiencing a lapse in R01-, P01-, or equivalent-level research funding.

NIH grant guidelines and scoring frameworks may change. Applicants should review the current Bridge Funding instructions and FAQ before each application cycle.

The deadline for the next Bridge Funding Cycle is Monday, December 14, 2026.

Application materials should be submitted as a single PDF via the bridge funding application portal.

Duke University School of Medicine Bridge Funding Program

The Duke University School of Medicine Bridge Funding Program supports eligible investigators experiencing a temporary lapse in qualifying research funding.

Eligibility

  • Eligible award types: R01, P01, SPORE, and qualifying R01-equivalent awards, as described below.
  • Awards not currently eligible: U-series awards and R21 awards.
  • Maximum award: Up to $100,000 for a lapsed R01 or qualifying R01-equivalent award and up to $200,000 for a lapsed P01 or SPORE award.
  • Funding sources: Awards may combine funding from the Dean’s Office and the applicant’s department, division, center, institute, or other organizational unit.
  • Required approvals: Applications require endorsement by the applicant’s department chair, review by two qualified Duke faculty reviewers, and a favorable recommendation from the Bridge Funding Committee.
  • Available resources: Award decisions and amounts will consider discretionary funds available to both the applicant and the applicant’s organizational unit.

Applicants with more than $100,000 in discretionary funds must contact the Bridge Funding Program before applying. The School of Medicine will determine whether those funds are available and appropriate to support the proposed bridge period. Applicants whose available discretionary resources are sufficient to support the proposed work may be deemed ineligible.

In addition to meeting all General Eligibility Requirements, an applicant must qualify under one of the following three scenarios.

Scenario 1: Unsuccessful first submission of a competing renewal

The applicant submitted a first submission of a competing renewal for an NIH R01, qualifying R01-equivalent award, or program project grant. The grant application must have:

  • been discussed by the study section and received an overall impact or priority score; and
  • received a summary statement whose concerns the applicant can address in a revised submission.

Scenario 2: Unsuccessful A1 resubmission of a competing renewal

The applicant submitted an unsuccessful A1 resubmission of a competing renewal. The grant application must have:

  • received a strong overall impact or priority score; and
  • received a summary statement that can meaningfully guide the development of a new or substantially revised application.

Scenario 3: Unsuccessful first submission of a new R01

The applicant submitted an unsuccessful first submission of a new R01 and meets at least one of the following conditions:

  • The new R01 is intended to replace or continue a previously NIH-funded, R01-level line of investigation that ended within the past two years; or
  • The applicant completed an eligible K award and received an overall impact or priority score on the subsequent R01 submission.
  • The grant application must have received a summary statement whose concerns the applicant can address in a revised submission.

Eligible K awards include K01, K08, K12, K23, and equivalent NIH career development awards intended to support transition to research independence.

Requirement applying to all three scenarios

For all three scenarios, the applicant must explain how the concerns identified in the summary statement will be addressed in the next submission.

General Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants must hold a primary faculty appointment in the Duke University School of Medicine.
  • An expired grant may receive Bridge Funding only once. 
  • A revised Bridge Funding application will be considered only if the linked external proposal has undergone a subsequent review and received a new summary statement. (Linked proposal means the NIH or equivalent external application whose unsuccessful review created the need for Bridge Funding.)
  • The program will not accept separate applications from multiple principal investigators for the same linked grant (R01, P01, etc.). 
  • Applicants with more than $100,000 in discretionary funds must contact Donna Crenshaw before applying to determine whether they remain eligible.

Applicants with questions about eligibility should contact Bridge Funding Committee Chair Corinne Linardic before applying.

How to Apply

The next deadline for applications is Monday, December 14, 2026. Application materials must be assembled as a single PDF, in the order listed below:

  1. A letter of endorsement from the applicant’s department chair that includes: 
  • the amount of Bridge Funding requested; 
  • the department’s proposed financial contribution, or an explanation if matching funds are not available; 
  • relevant feedback from the NIH Program Officer, if available; 
  • the names of at least four qualified faculty members outside the applicant’s primary department who could provide an expert and unbiased review;
  • the grant number of the expired award linked to the request, if applicable.
  1. The specific aims page and the summary statement of the unsuccessful application for which bridge funding is requested.
  2. The investigator's one-page response to the summary statement of the unsuccessful application.
  3. The investigator's updated NIH biosketch.
  4. A proposed budget describing how Bridge Funding will be used. Bridge funds generally may not be used for principal investigator salary. An exception may be made for an investigator transitioning from an eligible K award to an R01-level award. In those cases, the budget may include PI salary support.
    Regardless of whether Bridge Funding is used for salary, the PI must have sufficient protected effort to complete the proposed work. The cost of that effort must be assigned to an appropriate cost-sharing WBSE or cost center.
  5. A complete summary of other funds available to the applicant, and the applicant's division, department, center, institute, or other organizational unit during the bridge period. 
    The summary should include discretionary funds, professorship funds, gift accounts, other grant support, and any other resources that could support the proposed work. It must be prepared or verified by the applicant’s business manager or CAO.
  6. Plans to secure funds (e.g., other applications, mentoring plan, grant writing assistance).

Application Review Process

  • Two Duke faculty members with relevant expertise and no primary appointment in the applicant’s department will independently review the application. 
  • Each reviewer will provide a brief written assessment of the application’s scientific merit and the likelihood that Bridge Funding will support a successful future external application. 
  • The Bridge Funding Committee will evaluate the complete application and both faculty reviews. 
  • The Committee will submit its funding recommendation to Beth Sullivan, Vice Dean for Basic and Preclinical Science. 
  • The School of Medicine will aim to communicate funding decisions within four to six weeks after the application deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

R01-equivalent awards include the NIH R37 MERIT Award, DP2 award, and other independent investigator awards formally designated by NIH as R01-equivalent. Non-NIH R01-equivalent awards may be considered. Applicants who are uncertain whether an award qualifies should confer with Corinne Linardic prior to submitting your application.

Under the NIH Simplified Peer Review Framework, applications continue to be designated as discussed or not discussed. For purposes of Bridge Funding eligibility, an application that was discussed and received an overall impact or priority score satisfies the program’s scoring requirement.

For an unsuccessful new R01 application, the department chair’s letter must explain how the proposed R01 replaces, continues, or builds upon the previously funded R01-level line of investigation.

For an R01-level request, the School of Medicine will typically contribute 50% when the applicant’s department or other organizational unit (e.g., division, center, or institute) provides matching funds. The chair’s letter must identify the amount and source of the proposed match. In-kind support does not count toward the matching contribution. This includes coverage of the applicant’s effort.

School of Medicine funding for a P-level application will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

NIH-wide R01 success rates have declined relative to historical levels, and a strong priority score does not guarantee funding. The Committee will evaluate each application in the context of the current funding environment, the reviewer critiques, the applicant’s response to those critiques, and any available feedback from the NIH Program Officer.

Applicants should provide a specific and persuasive response explaining how they will address the study section’s concerns. When available, Program Officer feedback should be summarized in the chair’s letter of support.