Key Dates

Related Announcements

NOT-HL-21-005 - Notice of Information: NHLBI Extensions for Career Development Award (K01, K08, K23, K25) Recipients Whose Career Trajectories Have Been Significantly Impacted by COVID-19
NOT-OD-21-052 - Reminder – Requesting Extensions for Early Career Scientists Whose Career Trajectories Have Been Significantly Impacted by COVID-19

Issued by

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Purpose

Purpose

NIH recently released NOT-OD-21-052 which provided general guidance for early career scientists affected by COVID-19 to request no-cost extensions or funded extensions. On March 16, 2021, NHLBI published NOT-HL-21-005 which provided additional guidance for currently-funded NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 recipients impacted by COVID-19 seeking funded extensions. This updated Notice is being released to instruct applicants to submit electronically via PA-20-272 instead of a direct request to the applicable Grants Management Specialist and Program Official listed in the Notice of Award. New language is highlighted below in bold/italics.

Background

NHLBI investigators have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and several areas of need have been identified for early career scientists, in particular K01, K08, K23, and K25 recipients. To help support NHLBI career development award recipients, NHLBI is providing an opportunity for select K award recipients to apply for a funded extension to support their career development and successful transition to research independence. Due to limited funding in FY2021, the NHLBI will not be able to provide funded extensions for all K award recipients. To maximize the limited resources, NHLBI seeks to support K award recipients in the last year of their award or in their first no-cost extension (NCE) for whom an NHLBI-supported cost extension will be most impactful toward subsequent R01 funding and a transition to independent investigation.

Eligibility and Extension Criteria

Applicants must be a currently funded NHLBI K01, K08, K23, or K25 recipient in the final year of their award or in their first NCE and have experienced a minimum of a 12-week lab closure or clinical research interruption due to COVID-19. Applicants meeting these requirements will be eligible for a 4-month extension. Clinician applicants who have experienced increased clinical duties due to COVID-19 are eligible for an additional 2-month extension, for a total combined 6-month extension. Any funded extensions will be for salary support only and not for additional resources or research expenses.

Currently funded NHLBI K01, K08, K23, or K25 recipients with an unobligated balance equivalent to 1 year or more of funding are not eligible for this extension. In addition, NHLBI K01, K08, K23, or K25 award recipients who have successfully competed as a PD/PI for a research project grant (RPG) with direct costs of ≥ $100,000 per year are not eligible for this extension.

While NHLBI Fellowship (“F”) and K99 recipients are not eligible for this extension, they may contact their Program Officer to discuss the effects of COVID-19 on their awards.

Application and Submission Information

Currently funded NHLBI K01, K08, K23, and K25 recipients impacted by COVID-19 seeking funded extensions must apply using the following opportunity announcement:

• PA-20-272 - Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-20-272 must be followed, with the following additions:

• Application Due Date(s) - April 15, 2021, May 17, 2021, and June 25, 2021 by by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
• For funding consideration, applicants must include NOT-OD-21-052 in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this funded extension opportunity.
• Applicants must be a currently-funded NHLBI K01, K08, K23, or K25 recipient in the final year of their award or in their first NCE at the time of application due date and have experienced a minimum of a 12-week lab closure or clinical research interruption due to COVID-19.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with their Program Official prior to submission and to notify the NHLBI points of contact (Roya Kalantari, Ph.D. and Wayne Wang, Ph.D) via email at NHLBIKExtension@nhlbi.nih.gov that a request has been submitted to facilitate efficient processing of the request.

R&R Other Project Information Form (Other Attachments)

• Provide a brief description (maximum length 1 page) of additional COVID-19 related disruptions to the applicant’s research including but not limited to delays from core facility disruptions, shortage of research personnel due to departures or inability to hire, and increased childcare responsibilities.
• Provide a summary of the applicant’s pending, current, and prior PHS or non-PHS support (Other Support).

PHS 398 Career Development Award Supplemental Form:

• Research Plan: Provide a description (maximum length 3 pages) of the research plan for the extension, which must remain within the scope of the parent award.
• Institutional Commitment to Candidate's Research Career Development: Provide a letter of support (maximum length 2 pages) from the applicant’s Department Chair (or equivalent) and co-signed by the Chair, primary mentor, and applicant describing the nature of the research interruption (e.g., lab closure, clinical research restriction), certifying that the research interruption and additional clinical responsibilities (if applicable) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and specifying the timeframe and/or duration of the interruption(s) and additional clinical responsibilities (if applicable). The letter of support must also confirm continued institutional commitment to the K award recipient for the remainder of the K award period and the duration of the funded extension, including a description of any additional funds to support the work proposed, if provided. NHLBI expects the K award recipient to resume the required minimum effort (75% in most cases) during the funded extension.

R&R Budget Form: Provide a budget and budget justification, including an estimate of funds remaining on the award at the end of the current budget period and a description of why the remaining funds cannot be used to cover the requested extension.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Roya Kalantari, Ph.D.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Telephone: 301-480-1989
Email: NHLBIKExtension@nhlbi.nih.gov

Wayne Wang, Ph.D.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Telephone: 301-435-0535
Email: NHLBIKExtension@nhlbi.nih.gov