Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: May 28, 2025 (New) | June 26, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | August 26, 2025 (AIDS) | September 26, 2025 (New) | October 28, 2025 (Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | December 28, 2025 (AIDS)
Funding Amounts: No budget cap; budgets must reflect actual project needs. Maximum project period: 5 years.
Summary: Supports early stage investigators proposing innovative, basic experimental studies with humans that represent a change in research direction and do not include preliminary data.
Key Information: Applications must not include preliminary data; a one-page attachment describing the change in research direction is required.
Description
This opportunity supports Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) in launching innovative research projects that represent a significant change in research direction, specifically in basic experimental studies involving humans. The program is designed for projects where no preliminary data exist, and applications must not include any unpublished data. The proposed research must align with the scientific missions of one or more participating NIH Institutes or Centers and must meet the NIH definition of both a clinical trial and basic research.
The Katz award is intended to encourage ESIs to pursue bold, novel directions that are distinct from their prior work or training, stimulating innovation and new approaches in biomedical and behavioral research. Projects should focus on understanding fundamental aspects of phenomena in humans, without specific application toward processes or products.
Due Dates
- May 28, 2025: New applications
- June 26, 2025: Renewal, resubmission, or revision applications (as allowed)
- August 26, 2025: AIDS-related new/renewal/resubmission/revision applications
- September 26, 2025: New applications
- October 28, 2025: Renewal, resubmission, or revision applications (as allowed)
- December 28, 2025: AIDS-related new/renewal/resubmission/revision applications
Applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. Additional cycles continue through 2026; see the full schedule.
Funding Amount
- Budget: No specific budget cap; budgets must be well-justified and reflect the actual needs of the project.
- Project Period: Up to 5 years.
- Number of Awards: Contingent on NIH appropriations and the number of meritorious applications.
Eligibility
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Eligible Applicants:
- Public and private institutions of higher education (U.S. only)
- 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
- U.S. territories and possessions
- Eligible agencies of the federal government
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Ineligible: Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations may not apply. However, foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed.
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Principal Investigator Requirements:
- Must be designated as an Early Stage Investigator (ESI) by NIH.
- For multiple PD/PI applications, all must be ESIs, and the project must represent a change in direction for each.
Application Process
- Submission: Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or an institutional system-to-system solution.
- Required Registrations: SAM, eRA Commons, Grants.gov (can take 6+ weeks).
- Key Attachments:
- New Research Direction Statement: A one-page attachment (per PI if multiple) describing how the project represents a change in research direction.
- No Preliminary Data: Applications must not include unpublished data; published data may be cited and must be clearly labeled.
- Application Guide: Follow the NIH SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the full funding announcement.
- Data Management and Sharing Plan: Required for all applications.
- Budget: No cap, but must be justified; maximum project period is 5 years.
- Contact: Applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs in any year must contact a Scientific/Research Contact at least 6 weeks before submission.
Additional Information
- Scope: Only basic experimental studies with humans that meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial and basic research are eligible. Studies with specific applications toward processes or products, or those that do not meet the clinical trial definition, should apply under other NOFOs.
- Review Criteria: Emphasis on innovation, significance, and the potential to advance knowledge. The absence of preliminary data is not penalized.
- Participating NIH Institutes and Centers: Multiple ICs participate; applicants are encouraged to contact relevant program staff (see IC contacts) to discuss fit.
- FAQs and Program Info: Katz award program website
External Links
Contact Information