Non-Mentored Career Development Awards

Career Development Grants used by some ICs to advance

investigators early in their independent careers
 K02 (PA-14-045)
 FIC: Independent Scientist in Global Health Award – within 7
years of last doctoral degree or fellowship
 NINDS: Independent Scientist Award – years 1-3, salary, fringe,
and supplies – years 4-5: if the applicant obtains an R01 or
equivalent grant, salary and fringe
 K07 (PA-11-192)
 NCCAM and NIAAA: Academic Career Award (Development
Award) – for more junior investigators who are interested in
developing academic and research expertise
 Small Grants (R03) for New Investigators

 NIAMS: Small Grant Program For New Investigators

 NIDCD: Small Grant Program – within 7 years of
degree or fellowship
 NIDCR: Small Grant Program for New Investigators
 NIDDK: Small Grant Program for NIDDK
K01/K08/K23 Recipients
 NIDA: Behavioral Science Track Award for Rapid
Transition (B/START)(I/START)
 $50K per year, 2 years, non-renewable
 Research Grant Programs to Consider

• NIDCR: Small Research Grants for Data Analysis and Statistical

Methodology applied to Genome-wide Data (R03)
• “Investigators who have not previously received funding from NIDCR as a Principal
Investigator are encouraged to apply.”
• NIDA: Early Career Award in Drug Abuse & Addiction (ECHEM) - R21/R33
• A Phased Innovation grant for new-to-NIH, newly independent investigators and
investigators without previous NIH funding to conduct basic chemistry research applied
to drug abuse and addiction and relevant to the NIDA’s Mission.
• The R21 is a research grant mechanism, but not a new investigator grant
• NIAID: “New investigators who feel unready to compete for an R01 are using the R21
successfully to gather preliminary data for their R01 applications.”
• NIAMS: “Projects that will be considered a lower priority include new investigator starter
grants.”
• NIDDK: “R21s should NOT be used by new investigators to gather preliminary data for a
standard R01.”
• NINDS: “FY 2009 success rates for NINDS R21 New Investigators: 11% vs. NINDS R01
New Investigators: 19%”
 NIH Director’s High Risk High Impact Awards for
New Investigators

 New Innovator Award  Institutions may actively

 Early Stage Investigators recruit eligible EIA
proposing high potential, candidates
impact research
 Unusual flexibility in
pursuing research objectives
 Up to $1.5M for 5 years

 Early Independence Award

 Junior Investigators within
http://commonfund.nih.gov/highrisk
12 months of doctoral degree
 NIH Director’s
What’s Novel?Early Independence Award (EIA)
New PhD or MD locates an institution
willing to host
• Must be within 12 months before or
after graduation
• Must demonstrate exceptional
creativity, maturity, management
skills
• Research relevant to NIH mission
• Strong letters of recommendation
Institution may actively recruit
eligible EIA candidates
• Institution ensures independent lab
space/supplies/staff
space/staff/equipment
• Appointment up to 5 years
• Protected research time for development as
researcher
• Proposed research complements and
enhances institution’s programs
• Institution may choose to retain candidate
 Age of Early Stage Investigators at first major independent
research award, and Awardees of programs to facilitate
transition to independence
Number of
Type of Classification Average Age Median Age
Awardees

Early Stage Investigators 785 39.2 39

Number of
Targeted New Scientist Programs Average Age Median Age
Awardees

Outstanding New Environmental Scientist

<11 36.9 37
(ONES) in 2011

Biobehavioral Research Award for Innovative

<11 36.4 36
New Scientist (BRAINS)
NIH Director's New Innovator Award Program 45 37.4 37
NIH Pathway to Independence Award (R00) 153 36.2 36
NIH Director's Early Independence Awards 14 32.1 32
 NIH R01 Grant – The Gold Standard

The NIH Research Project Grant (R01):

• The original and historically oldest grant mechanism used by NIH.
• Support for research relevant to the mission of the NIH.
• Investigator-initiated or response to a specific Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA).
• Support for a discrete, specified, circumscribed project conducted by
the named investigator(s) in an area representing the investigator's
specific interest and competencies.
• R01 grants awarded to organizations of all types. The Principal
Investigator/Project Director writes application, is responsible for
conducting the research. The applicant is the research organization.
• Awarded for 1-5 years with a budget justified by the proposed work.
 Implementation of NI/ESI policies

• At Study Section, NI/ESI R01 applications are identified to reviewers so that

appropriate consideration of their career stage can be applied during review.

• NI/ESI applications are “clustered” during review to enable evaluation as a group

and distinguish from Established Investigators.

• Multi-PI projects are identified for consideration of NI/ESI status only if ALL of the
listed PIs qualify as NI/ESI.

• Staff in the NIH institutes and centers are apprised of NI/ESI status, which may be
considered when applications are selected for award.

• NI/ESI applicants are eligible for the “Full Implementation to Shorten the Review
Cycle for New Investigator R01 Applications Reviewed in Center for Scientific
Review (CSR) Recurring Study Sections”.

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-083.html
Update notice: NOT-OD-11-057.html