An understanding of the ethical underpinnings of human subjects research that involves some risk to participants without anticipated direct clinical benefit—such as the kidney biopsy procedure as part of the Kidney Precision Medicine Project (KPMP)—requires a critical examination of the risks as well as the diverse set of countervailing potential benefits to participants. This kind of deliberation has been foundational to the development and conduct of the KPMP. Herein, we use illustrative features of this research paradigm to develop a more comprehensive conceptualization of the types of benefits that may be important to research participants, including respecting pluralistic values, supporting the opportunity to act altruistically, and enhancing benefits to a participant’s community.