NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required) | PA 24 193

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 24 193

The NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00, Independent Clinical Trial Required), funding opportunity number PA 24 193, is a discretionary NIH grant program meant to help outstanding postdoctoral researchers move from a mentored postdoctoral role into a fully independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position. The central goal is to keep a strong pipeline of new, NIH-supported investigators by supporting that often difficult transition period when a promising postdoc is ready to establish an independent research program but still needs structured support, protected time, and stable funding to become competitive as an independent principal investigator.

This award is structured as a two-phase career development pathway. The first phase (K99) supports the applicant while they are still in a mentored postdoctoral position, allowing them to complete key training and research milestones that set up their future lab and long-term scientific direction. The second phase (R00) is the independent research phase that activates once the awardee secures an independent faculty position; it provides research support intended to help them launch and stabilize their new program. In other words, the program is explicitly designed to fund both the final stretch of mentored development and the early years of independence, creating a bridge that reduces the risk of losing talented researchers at the point they are ready to become independent.

As indicated by the title, this particular parent announcement is for projects that require an independent clinical trial. That means it is intended for applicants whose planned research, as part of the proposed career development and independent research trajectory, includes conducting a clinical trial where the awardee will be responsible for the study design and execution in a way NIH considers an independent clinical trial. Applicants considering this mechanism typically need to align their proposal with NIH clinical trial policies and expectations, including appropriate planning for regulatory approvals, data and safety monitoring, and operational feasibility.

Eligibility to apply is broad at the organizational level and includes many types of U.S.-based entities that can serve as the applicant organization for NIH grants. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, 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; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible organizations. The opportunity also highlights categories of institutions and organizations that may apply, such as 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 agencies, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the announcement clearly limits foreign involvement in specific ways. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which generally means a U.S. applicant organization can include certain foreign elements in the project when well-justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though the main applicant organization itself must be domestic.

The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the opportunity is classified under a grant funding instrument. It is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (including 93.113, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313, 93.361, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.879), reflecting that many NIH institutes and centers may participate depending on research area and mission alignment. The opportunity record lists an original closing date of 2027-05-07 and a creation date of 2024-04-24. The provided source data does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, so applicants would typically look to NIH institute participation details and the full announcement for budgeting constraints and likely paylines or award volumes.

Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as a career-launch mechanism for high-performing postdoctoral researchers who are ready to chart an independent direction and who need both mentored development support and early independent research funding, with the specific expectation in this version that the proposed work involves an independent clinical trial.

• 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 "NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.310, 93.313, 93.361, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.879.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-05-07.
• 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 24 193

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