Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PA 20 174

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 20 174

The NIH Independent Scientist Award (K02) (Funding Opportunity Number PA-20-174) is a discretionary grant mechanism meant to help newly independent researchers strengthen their careers during a critical stage when they are building momentum as principal investigators. The central goal is career development through sustained, protected time for research, allowing promising scientists to deepen expertise, expand the scope of their work, and position themselves to make long-term, high-impact contributions in their field. Rather than functioning like a traditional project grant that mainly funds a specific research study, the K02 is structured to invest in the scientist by providing substantial salary support and dedicated research time for a multi-year period.

The award generally provides 3 to 5 years of support, with the key benefit being "protected time" to focus intensively on research and career growth. This structure is aimed at investigators who can show they genuinely need a period of concentrated research effort to advance their independence, productivity, and scientific direction. A notable feature of this opportunity is that the career development plan is expected to be individualized; NIH expects each K02 program to be tailored to the candidate's specific development needs, rather than following a one-size-fits-all template. In practice, that means applicants should make a clear case for what they will accomplish during the protected period and how the award will accelerate their trajectory as an independent scientist.

This specific parent FOA is explicitly for applicants whose proposed research does not involve leading an independent clinical trial. Applicants cannot propose to be the lead investigator for an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a standalone ancillary clinical trial under this announcement. However, the FOA does allow candidates to gain clinical trial-related experience if the trial is led by another investigator. In other words, you can participate in or build expertise through a clinical trial environment, but you cannot be the person directing the trial as the main leader under this particular K02 announcement. If an applicant intends to lead a clinical trial or lead an ancillary clinical trial, NIH directs them to apply to the companion FOA designed for that purpose.

Eligibility is broad across many types of U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicant organizations include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (outside of higher education institutions); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible organizational categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign eligibility is limited. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations under this FOA. At the same time, NIH foreign components may be permitted when they meet NIH policy definitions and requirements, meaning portions of the work can potentially involve a foreign component if it complies with the NIH Grants Policy Statement, even though a foreign institution cannot be the applicant.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health under a grant funding instrument, and it falls within the broad activity areas of education, environment, and health. It lists multiple CFDA numbers (93.113, 93.121, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.866), reflecting that different NIH Institutes and Centers may use the parent K02 mechanism across diverse mission areas. The original closing date shown for the opportunity is 2024-05-07, and the FOA record indicates a creation date of 2020-04-23. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a career-focused investment: it is designed to buy time for an early-stage independent scientist to concentrate on research and professional growth, with the important boundary that the candidate cannot be proposing to lead an independent clinical trial under this particular announcement.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-04-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PA 20 174

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: