Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: June 12, 2025 (New) | July 12, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission) | October 12, 2025 (New) | November 12, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission) | Additional cycles through March 2027
Funding Amounts: Up to $100,000/year for salary + up to $50,000/year for research costs; 3-year project period; 8% indirect costs
Summary: Supports mentored cancer researchers transitioning to their first independent tenure-track faculty positions with 3 years of salary and research support.
Key Information: Applicants must secure a tenure-track (or equivalent) position within 12 months of award notice; strict eligibility on prior research experience and independence status.
Description
This opportunity from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is designed to help mentored, non-independent cancer researchers transition to their first independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. The award provides up to three years of protected time, salary, and research support, enabling recipients to establish a productive independent research program and generate preliminary data for future R01 or equivalent grant applications. The program is open to applicants proposing research with or without an independent clinical trial.
Due Dates
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Upcoming Deadlines:
- June 12, 2025 (New applications)
- July 12, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision)
- October 12, 2025 (New applications)
- November 12, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision)
- Additional cycles: February, March, June, July, October, and November through March 2027
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Expiration: November 13, 2025 (per NOT-CA-24-079)
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
Funding Amount
- Salary: Up to $100,000 per year (plus fringe benefits) for the awardee
- Research Development Costs: Up to $50,000 per year for research expenses (e.g., supplies, equipment, technical personnel, tuition, travel, statistical services)
- Indirect Costs: 8% of modified total direct costs
- Project Period: Up to 3 years (no renewals)
- Number of Awards: Contingent on NIH appropriations and the number of meritorious applications
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S.-based:
- Public/State 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 and community-based organizations
- Regional organizations
- NIH intramural and other eligible federal laboratories (for application only; not as awardee institution)
- Not eligible: Non-U.S. organizations or non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations (foreign components allowed per NIH policy)
Eligible Individuals
- Must have at least 2 years, but no more than 8 years, of postdoctoral mentored, non-independent cancer research experience after their terminal research or clinical doctorate (excluding certain leaves and clinical training)
- Must not have held an independent research faculty or tenure-track position, or its equivalent, in academia, industry, or elsewhere
- Must not have held or currently hold another NIH career development award (except K00) or major research grant (except R03)
- Must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident by the time of award
- Must secure a tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position at a domestic, non-federal institution within 12 months of receiving a Letter of Intent to Commit Funds from NCI
Ineligible
- Those with more than 8 years of mentored, non-independent research experience (unless prior approval is obtained)
- Those who have held or currently hold an independent research faculty or tenure-track position
- Those with pending or previous applications for other PHS career development awards (e.g., K99/R00)
- Those with prior or current major NIH or non-NIH research grants over $100,000 direct costs/year (except R03)
- Those without an affiliation with a domestic extramural or federal institution at the time of application
Application Process
- Submission: Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or institutional system-to-system solutions.
- Forms: Use the SF424 (R&R) and PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form (see NIH Career Development (K) Application Guide)
- Reference Letters: At least 3 reference letters from established scientists are required and must be submitted via eRA Commons.
- No mentor/co-mentor: This is a non-mentored award; mentors should not be listed as key personnel.
- Data Management and Sharing Plan: Required for all applications generating scientific data.
- Human Subjects/Clinical Trials: Clinical trial leadership is optional; applicants may propose research with or without an independent clinical trial.
- Just-in-Time: Additional documentation (e.g., IRB/IACUC approvals, updated budgets) will be requested if selected for funding.
Additional Information
- Transition Requirement: Award activation requires securing a tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position at a domestic, non-federal institution within 12 months of the Letter of Intent to Commit Funds.
- Effort: Awardees must devote at least 75% full-time professional effort to research and career development activities.
- Concurrent Funding: K22 recipients are expected to apply for independent research project grant support (e.g., R01) before the end of year 2.
- Non-Responsive Applications: Applications will not be reviewed if the candidate is not highly relevant to NCI’s mission, exceeds the experience limit, or does not meet independence criteria.
- Review Criteria: Emphasis on candidate’s potential for independence, research plan quality, and institutional commitment.
External Links
Contact Information