Activity Codes

NIH uses three-character activity codes to differentiate the wide variety of research-related programs NIH supports. The first character typically identifies the major funding category or program type. For example, activity codes for research and development often start with "R," training with "T," fellowship with "F," and career development with "K." Each institute and center (IC) participates in a subset of activity codes. Although each activity code has a broadly defined purpose, there may be differences in their use from one IC to another. Applicants should always refer to the funding opportunity for the specific requirements and details of an initiative.

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Activity Code ▼ Funding Category Title Description
DP7 Research Training and Career Development NIH Director’s Workforce Innovation Award To stimulate transformative approaches to training and/or workforce management with the intent of promoting culture change in the field of biomedical training.
IK3 Research Training and Career Development Non-DHHS Nursing Research Initiative To provide research and salary support for a supervised/mentored career development experience for nurses. Awards are not renewable, nor are they transferable from one principal investigator to another.
K00 Research Training and Career Development Post-doctoral Transition Award To support the second phase of a Pre-Doctoral to Post-Doctoral Transition award program that provides 3-4 years of career support. Note: The K00 Post-doctoral Transition Award is anticipated to only be used in conjunction with the F99 Pre-Doctoral Award.
K01 Research Training and Career Development Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training For support of a scientist, committed to research, in need of both advanced research training and additional experience.
K02 Research Training and Career Development Research Scientist Development Award - Research For support of a scientist, committed to research, in need of additional experience.
K05 Research Training and Career Development Research Scientist Award For the support of a research scientist qualified to pursue independent research which would extend the research program of the sponsoring institution, or to direct an essential part of this research program.
K06 Research Training and Career Development Research Career Awards To enable institutions to finance positions favorable to the intellectual growth and research productivity of established investigators of high competence for the duration of their careers.
K07 Research Training and Career Development Academic/Teacher Award (ATA) To create and encourage a stimulating approach to disease curricula that will attract high quality students, foster academic career development of promising young teacher-investigators, develop and implement excellent multidisciplinary curricula through interchange of ideas and enable the recipient institution to strengthen its existing teaching program.
K08 Research Training and Career Development Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) To provide the opportunity for promising medical scientists with demonstrated aptitude to develop into independent investigators, or for faculty members to pursue research aspects of categorical areas applicable to the awarding unit, and aid in filling the academic faculty gap in these shortage areas within health profession's institutions of the country.
K12 Research Training and Career Development Physician Scientist Award (Program) (PSA) For support to a newly trained clinician appointed by an institution for development of independent research skills and experience in a fundamental science within the framework of an interdisciplinary research and development program.
K14 Research Training and Career Development Resource-Limited Institution Faculty Development Awards

To encourage the development of faculty investigators at resource-limited institutions and to enhance their research capabilities in specified health and health related areas.
K18 Research Training and Career Development The Career Enhancement Award Provides either full-time or part-time support for experienced scientists who wish to broaden their scientific capabilities or to make changes in their research careers by acquiring new research skills or knowledge. Career enhancement experiences supported by this award should usually last no more than one year.
K21 Research Training and Career Development Scientist Development Award To foster the development of outstanding scientists with potential for making important contributions to the fields of alcoholism, drug abuse or mental health (ADM) research. Primarily intended to meet the need for supervised research experience for highly promising biological or behavioral scientists who need further supervised research experience.
K22 Research Training and Career Development Career Transition Award To provide support to outstanding newly trained basic or clinical investigators to develop their independent research skills through a two phase program; an initial period involving and intramural appointment at the NIH and a final period of support at an extramural institution. The award is intended to facilitate the establishment of a record of independent research by the investigator in order to sustain or promote a successful research career.
K23 Research Training and Career Development Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award To provide support for the career development of investigators who have made a commitment to focus their research endeavors on patient-oriented research. This mechanism provides support for a 3 year minimum up to 5 year period of supervised study and research for clinically trained professionals who have the potential to develop into productive, clinical investigators.
K24 Research Training and Career Development Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research To provide support for the clinicians to allow them protected time to devote to patient-oriented research and to act as mentors for beginning clinical investigators.
K25 Research Training and Career Development Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award To engender and foster such activities by supporting the career development of investigators with quantitative scientific and engineering backgrounds outside of biology or medicine who have made a commitment to focus their research endeavors on behavioral and biomedical research (basic or clinical). This mechanism is aimed at research-oriented scientists with experience at the level of junior faculty (e.g., early to mid-levels of assistant professor or research assistant professor ranks). This award provides support for a period of mentored study and research for professionals with such backgrounds who have the potential to integrate their expertise with biomedicine and develop into productive investigators. Examples of quantitative scientific and technical backgrounds outside of biology or medicine considered appropriate for this award include, but are not limited to: mathematics, statistics, computer science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering.
K26 Research Training and Career Development Midcareer Investigator Award in Biomedical and Behavioral Research The purpose of the Midcareer Investigator Award in Biomedical and Behavioral Research is to provide grant support for biomedical and behavioral scientists to allow them protected time to devote to their research and mentoring.
K30 Research Training and Career Development Clinical Research Curriculum Award (CRCA) The CRCA is an award to institutions and is intended to stimulate the inclusion of high-quality, multi-disciplinary didactic training as part of the career development of clinical investigators. This award is intended to support the development of new didactic programs in clinical research at institutions that do not currently offer such programs or, in institutions with existing didactic programs in clinical research to support or expand their programs or to improve the quality of instruction.
K32 Research Training and Career Development Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award The K32 supports individual postdoctoral research training to broaden their scientific background and extend their potential for research in specified health-related areas. Candidates must be within 12 months before transitioning to the postdoctoral position, or within the first 2 years of their postdoctoral research experience. This award provides up to 3 years of mentored support.
K38 Research Training and Career Development Early Stage Mentored Research and Career Development To provide the opportunity for postdoctoral health professionals to engage in research and career development in categorical areas applicable to the awarding unit.
K43 Research Training and Career Development International Research Career Development Award For support of a Low- or Middle-Income Country scientist, committed to research at a Low- or Middle-Income Country institution, in need of career development and additional mentored research experience.
K76 Research Training and Career Development Emerging Leaders Career Development Award To advance the development of physician-scientists prepared to take an active role in addressing both present and future challenges of a global biomedical research enterprise as relevant to their field of expertise.
K99 Research Training and Career Development Career Transition Award To support the initial phase of a Career/Research Transition award program that provides 1-2 years of mentored support for highly motivated, advanced postdoctoral research scientists.
KD1 Research Training and Career Development Mental Health and/or Substance Abuse KD&A Grants To provide support to develop new knowledge about ways to improve the prevention and/or treatment of substance abuse and/or mental illness, and to work with State and local governments as well as providers, families, and consumers to apply that knowledge effectively in everyday practice. Outcome measures are the heart and core of the KD&A program. KD&As do not provide operating funds for service programs, except as required by the knowledge development activity.
KL1 Research Training and Career Development Linked Research Career Development Award

For support of a scientist, committed to research, in need of both advanced research training and additional experience. The grant is administratively linked to another project or projects. A KL1 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for a KL1, Linked Research Career Development Award. 
KL2 Research Training and Career Development Mentored Career Development Award

To support newly trained clinicians appointed by an institution for activities related to the development of a successful clinical and translational research career. The award is administratively linked to another project or projects. A KL2 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for a KL2, Mentored Career Development Award. 
KM1 Research Training and Career Development Institutional Career Enhancement Awards - Multi-Yr Funding

Provides for part time (minimum 25% effort) up to full-time support for medical, scientific, statistics and health care professionals with post-doctoral or equivalent experience selected by an institution, to broaden their research capabilities by acquiring new research skills or knowledge. Further it provides for curriculum development of new programs to support these same types of individuals. This is an institutional mentored career program, not an individual program.
L32 Loan Repayment Programs Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Researchers from Disadvantaged Backgrounds To provide for the repayment of the educational loan debt of qualified health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds involved in clinical research. Qualified health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds who contractually agree to conduct qualified clinical research are eligible to apply for this program.
PL1 Research and Development Linked Center Core Grant To support shared resources and facilities for categorical research by a number of investigators from different disciplines who provide a multidisciplinary approach to a joint research effort or from the same discipline who focus on a common research problem. The core grant is integrated with the center's component projects or program projects, though funded independently from them. This support, by providing more accessible resources, is expected to assure a greater productivity than from the separate projects and program projects. The Linked Center Core Grant is administratively linked to another project or projects. A PL1 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for a PL1, Linked Center Core Grant. The PL1 is used in lieu of the P30 for those programs that offer linked awards.
RF2 Linked International Research Project

To support a discrete, independent foreign award that is administratively linked to a domestic prime award. An RF2 may only be disaggregated from a [PF5, Collaborative International Research Project] application, and organizations may not apply for an RF2. NIH no longer supports traditional foreign subaward structures. Therefore, the RF2 subprojects are issued in lieu of foreign subawards. In order to manage compliance and track international funding, the RF2 will be awarded directly to the foreign organization. The RF2 will not be used for foreign consultants, purchasing unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors, international collaborations that do not involve NIH funding, or any foreign component that would not result in a foreign subaward. 
RL1 Research and Development Linked Research project Grant To support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project that is administratively linked to another project or projects, and to be performed by the named investigator(s) in an area representing his or her specific interest and competencies. An RL1 award may only be disaggregated from U54 application and organizations may not apply for an RL1, Linked Research Project Grant. The RL1 activity code is used in Lieu of the R01 for those programs that offer linked awards.
RL2 Research and Development Linked Exploratory/Development Grant To encourage the development of new research activities in categorical program areas. (Support generally is restricted in level of support and in time). The grant is administratively linked to another project or projects. An RL2 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for an RL2, Linked Exploratory/Development Grant. The RL2 activity code is used in lieu of the R21 for those programs that offer linked awards.
RL5 Research Training and Career Development Linked Education Project For support to develop and/or implement a program as it relates to a category in one or more of the areas of education, information, training, technical assistance, coordination, or evaluation. The grant is administratively linked to another project or projects. A RL5 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for an RL5, Linked Education Project. The RL5 is used in lieu of the R25 for those programs that offer linked awards.
RL9 Research Training and Career Development Linked Research Training Award To support comprehensive interdisciplinary research training programs at the undergraduate, pre-doctoral and/or postdoctoral levels, by capitalizing on the infrastructure of existing multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research programs. The RL9 is for trainees who do not meet the qualifications for NRSA authority. The training program is administratively linked to another project or projects. An RL9 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for an RL9, Linked Research Training Award. The RL9 is used in lieu of the R90 for those programs that offer linked awards.
TL1 Research Training and Career Development Linked Training Award To support research training experiences for pre- and post-doctoral trainees who are interested in pursuing research careers in multi-disciplinary clinical and translational science. The training award is administratively linked to another project or projects. A TL1 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for a TL1, Linked Training Award. The TL1 is used in lieu of the T32 for those programs that offer linked awards.
U45 Hazardous Waste Worker Health and Safety Training Cooperative Agreements (NIEHS) To develop, implement, and evaluate programs to train workers who are or may be engaged in activities related to hazardous waste removal, containment, or emergency response.
UD1 Mental Health and/or Substance Abuse KD&A Cooperative Agreements To provide support to develop new knowledge about ways to improve the prevention and/or treatment of substance abuse and/or mental illness, and to work with State and local governments as well as providers, families, and consumers to apply that knowledge effectively in everyday practice. Outcome measures are the heart and core of the KD&As, do not provide operating funds for service programs, except as required by the knowledge development activity.
UG4 National Network of Libraries of Medicine Multicomponent cooperative agreements are awarded to medical libraries to enable them to serve as regional medical libraries for their geographical areas. The purpose of the program is to develop a national system of regional medical libraries, each of which would have sufficient facilities to supplement the services of other medical libraries in its region.
UL1 Linked Specialized Center Cooperative Agreement To support clinical and translational research. The UL1 administratively linked to another project or projects. AUL1 award may only be disaggregated from a U54 application and organizations may not apply for a UL1, Linked Specialized Center Cooperative Agreement. The UL 1 activity code is used in lieu of the U54 for those programs that offer linked awards.
UL2 Linked International Cooperative Agreement 

To support a discrete, independent foreign award that is administratively linked to a domestic prime award. A UL2 may only be disaggregated from a UF5, Collaborative International Cooperative Agreement application, and organizations may not apply for an UL2. NIH no longer supports traditional foreign subaward structures. Therefore, the UL2 subprojects are issued in lieu of foreign subawards. In order to manage compliance and track international funding, the UL2 will be awarded directly to the foreign organization. The UL2 will not be used for foreign consultants, purchasing unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors, international collaborations that do not involve NIH funding, or any foreign component that would not result in a foreign subaward.
UR8 Applied Research in Emerging Infections-(including Tick-borne Diseases) Cooperative Agreements In cooperation with eligible organizations, to research emerging infections, such as tick borne diseases, through epidemiological studies and development and evaluation of diagnostic tests. Associated grant program under Activity Code RR8.
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