Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: October 4, 2025 (Letter of Intent) | November 3, 2025 (Application) | November 4, 2025 (Expiration)
Funding Amounts: Salary support (commensurate with effort, minimum 6 person-months) plus up to $2,500/year for travel; project period up to 5 years.
Summary: Supports stable research careers for non-tenure track scientists working in core/shared resources within NCI-funded cancer research programs.
Key Information: Clinical trials are not allowed; only core-based/laboratory scientists are eligible; strict eligibility and documentation requirements apply.
Description
This opportunity provides funding for exceptional, non-tenure track scientists who play a critical role in core/shared resource or central scientific support facilities within NCI-funded cancer research programs. The award is designed to foster stable research career paths for laboratory-based scientists who wish to continue contributing to cancer research without becoming independent investigators. The program aims to ensure continuity and expertise in core facilities, supporting the broader biomedical research enterprise.
Due Dates
- Letter of Intent: October 4, 2025 (30 days prior to application deadline)
- Application Deadline: November 3, 2025 (by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization)
- Expiration Date: November 4, 2025
Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow time for corrections.
Funding Amount
- Salary Support: Commensurate with the level of effort (minimum 6 person-months) on NCI-funded research grants.
- Travel: Up to $2,500 per year for research meetings/conferences.
- Project Period: Up to 5 years.
- No research expenses may be requested; these must be covered by other sources.
The number of awards is contingent on NIH appropriations and the number of meritorious applications.
Eligibility
Eligible Organizations
- Public/State controlled and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal governments and organizations (federally recognized and other)
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Regional organizations
Foreign institutions and non-U.S. components are not eligible.
Eligible Individuals
- Must be a non-tenure track, full-time scientist in a core/shared resource/central scientific support role at an eligible institution.
- Must have an advanced degree (e.g., PhD, MD, DVM, DDS, or equivalent) in biomedical science or engineering.
- Must have contributed to the Unit Director’s NCI-funded research for at least the previous 2 years.
- Must be supported for at least 6 person-months effort on the Unit Director’s NCI-funded grants during the relevant federal fiscal year.
- Must not have held or applied for independent investigator grant support (e.g., R00, R01, R03, R21, R43, R44) within the past 5 years.
- The Unit Director must be the PD/PI of an NCI-funded research grant with at least 1 full funding year remaining at the time of award.
Application Process
- Letter of Intent: Strongly encouraged, but not required. Should include project title, PD/PI and key personnel names, institutions, and funding opportunity number/title. Submit to Kelly Crotty, Ph.D. (see Contact Information).
- Application Submission: Use NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solution.
- Required Documents:
- NIH Biosketches for both Research Specialist (applicant) and Unit Director
- Letters of support (from Unit Director and at least three other PDs/PIs)
- Documentation of funded effort and relationship with Unit Director
- Research Strategy (no Specific Aims section)
- No clinical trials may be proposed.
- Registrations: Applicant organizations must be registered with SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov.
For full instructions, see the How to Apply - Application Guide.
Additional Information
- The Research Specialist must remain in a non-independent role; the award must be relinquished if independent grant support is obtained.
- The award provides salary and travel only; research expenses must be covered by other grants.
- The Research Specialist may move to another NCI-funded program or institution with prior NCI approval.
- Applications missing required documentation or not meeting eligibility criteria will not be reviewed.
- Renewals require documentation of prior achievements and continued eligibility.
External Links
Contact Information