Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 20 203
The Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08, Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is an NIH career development grant designed to help clinically trained professionals become independent, productive researchers in areas that matter to public health. Its central goal is workforce development: it supports individuals who already have a clinical doctoral degree and need a structured, mentored period of intensive research training to launch a long-term research career. The K08 mechanism is meant to provide both financial support and protected time away from heavy clinical or other duties so the awardee can focus on building deep research skills, producing publishable work, and positioning themselves to compete successfully for future independent research funding.
This opportunity emphasizes mentored, supervised career development in biomedical and behavioral research, including translational research. In practical terms, that means the award is intended for people who will work closely with one or more experienced research mentors and follow a well-defined career development plan that strengthens their scientific expertise, research methods, and professional trajectory. The expectation is that the candidate uses the K08 period to grow from a clinically trained professional with research potential into an investigator capable of leading a research program that addresses important health-related needs in the United States.
A key constraint is built into the title: independent clinical trials are not allowed under this parent K08 announcement. In other words, the award is not meant to serve as the primary support for an applicant to independently run a clinical trial as the main project. The focus is on mentored research and career development rather than leading an independent clinical trial. (Foreign components may be allowed under NIH policy definitions, but the award is still framed as a mentored career development activity rather than a mechanism to independently conduct a full clinical trial.)
Eligibility to apply is broad at the organizational level, spanning many types of U.S.-based institutions and entities that can serve as the applicant organization and host the candidate. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Higher education institutions are eligible, including public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Tribal entities are included as well, such as federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. The opportunity also allows applications from nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), as long as they are not institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. NIH also highlights additional categories of eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal government agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.
There are important limits on foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply as the main applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. At the same time, NIH notes that foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. This typically means a U.S.-based applicant organization may propose certain well-justified international elements or collaborations that meet NIH requirements, but the applicant institution itself must be domestic.
Administratively, this is an NIH discretionary grant program (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) under Funding Opportunity Number PA-20-203, titled "Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA (Assistance Listing) numbers, reflecting that many NIH Institutes and Centers can use the parent K08 mechanism to support career development aligned with their missions. The listing includes, among others: 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.398, and several others across NIH. The source data indicates an original closing date of 2024-05-07, and it does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided excerpt, which is common for broad parent announcements that may depend on institute budgets and the volume and quality of applications received.
Overall, this K08 opportunity is best understood as a mentored career launchpad for clinician-scientists: it funds a protected, mentor-guided period of research and training so the recipient can develop the expertise, track record, and independence needed to become a sustained contributor to the nation’s health-related research enterprise, while explicitly not serving as a vehicle for running an independent clinical trial as the core activity.Apply for PA 20 203
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 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, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-05-12.
- 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.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 20 203) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 20 222 Funding Number: PA 20 222 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Administrative Supplement for Research on Dietary Supplements (Admin Supp-Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 20 227 Funding Number: PA 20 227 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32) Apply for PA 20 242 Funding Number: PA 20 242 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) Apply for PA 20 246 Funding Number: PA 20 246 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 20 245 Funding Number: PA 20 245 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions with NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 20 248 Funding Number: PA 20 248 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31-Diversity) Apply for PA 20 251 Funding Number: PA 20 251 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 20 261 Funding Number: PA 20 261 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 20 262 Funding Number: PA 20 262 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 20 260 Funding Number: PA 20 260 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2020-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 20 265 Funding Number: PA 20 265 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Successor-in-Interest (Type 6 Parent Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 20 275 Funding Number: PA 20 275 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) Apply for PA 21 051 Funding Number: PA 21 051 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 21 050 Funding Number: PA 21 050 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31-Diversity) Apply for PA 21 052 Funding Number: PA 21 052 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions with NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 21 049 Funding Number: PA 21 049 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32) Apply for PA 21 048 Funding Number: PA 21 048 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 21 038 Funding Number: PAR 21 038 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 21 071 Funding Number: PA 21 071 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Short Courses on Innovative Methodologies and Approaches in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA OD 21 005 Funding Number: RFA OD 21 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
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