National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Tribal Health Research Office (THRO)
All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.
Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO)
F99/K00 Pre-doc to Post-doc Transition Award/Post-doctoral Transition Award
See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.
The purpose of the Advancing Research Careers (ARC) program is to support cohorts of promising, late-stage graduate students from diverse backgrounds pursuing research training in NIH mission areas. The program has two components: an individual predoctoral-to-postdoctoral transition award (F99/K00) and a research education cooperative agreement (UE5) awarded to organizations to provide F99/K00 fellows with additional mentoring, networking and professional development activities to support their transition to and success in mentored postdoctoral research positions. The ARC program supports NIHs efforts to develop a biomedical research workforce that will benefit from the full range of perspectives, experiences and backgrounds needed to advance discovery.
The ARC Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award to Promote Broad Participation (F99/K00) is a two-phase award that will provide support for promising late-stage graduate students from diverse backgrounds pursuing research related to the mission areas of participating NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices (ICOs), to complete their doctoral research training (F99 phase) and transition into and succeed in postdoctoral biomedical research and career development opportunities (K00 phase). The program also is designed to support predoctoral researchers who have, appropriate to their career stage, demonstrated contributions and propose meaningful plans to promote broad participation in the biomedical research workforce. It is anticipated that completion of this phased award program will position ARC scholars to advance in impactful careers in the biomedical research workforce that typically require postdoctoral training (for example, academic research and teaching at a range of organization types, industry, or government research).
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not allow candidates to propose to lead an independent clinical trial, but does allow candidates to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor or co-sponsor.
Not Applicable
Application Due Dates | Review and Award Cycles | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
New | Renewal / Resubmission / Revision (as allowed) | AIDS - New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision, as allowed | Scientific Merit Review | Advisory Council Review | Earliest Start Date |
February 13, 2025 | Not Applicable | May 07, 2025 * | July 2025 | October 2025 | December 2025 |
June 13, 2025 | Not Applicable | September 07, 2025 * | November 2025 | January 2026 | April 2026 |
October 10, 2025 | Not Applicable | January 07, 2026 * | March 2026 | May 2026 | July 2026 |
February 13, 2026 | Not Applicable | May 07, 2026 * | July 2026 | October 2026 | December 2026 |
June 15, 2026 | Not Applicable | September 07, 2026 * | November 2026 | January 2027 | April 2027 |
October 14, 2026 | Not Applicable | January 07, 2027 * | March 2027 | May 2027 | July 2027 |
February 11, 2027 | Not Applicable | May 07, 2027 * | July 2027 | October 2027 | December 2027 |
June 11, 2027 | Not Applicable | September 07, 2027 * | November 2027 | January 2028 | April 2028 |
October 08, 2027 | Not Applicable | January 07, 2028 * | March 2028 | May 2028 | July 2028 |
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
Applicant organizations are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.
Not Applicable
It is critical that applicant organizations follow the Fellowship (F) instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicant organizations and fellowship candidates must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.
A broad portfolio – in terms of scientific areas, approaches, regions, organizations, and individual investigator experiences – is integral to NIHs ability to fulfill its mission (Lorsch, Tabak and Bertagnolli, 2024). Advances in biomedical research depend upon a workforce composed of people trained in multiple disciplines and from a range of backgrounds who can provide the breadth of creativity, and individual interests, perspectives and experiences needed to identify and address important and complex scientific problems, engage with increasingly diverse patient populations, and effectively serve as mentors to trainees from increasingly diverse backgrounds who are pursuing biomedical research careers. Research shows that teams with members from different backgrounds that utilize their members' unique experiences and perspectives better capitalize on innovative ideas and outperform homogeneous teams. There are many benefits that flow from an NIH-supported scientific workforce that leverages the talents of rigorous researchers from all backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented groups: fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, contributing to robust learning environments, improving the quality of research, enhancing public trust, and increasing the likelihood that health disparities and the needs of underserved populations are addressed in biomedical research (for more information, see Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity). However, expanding the population of independent investigators from nationally underrepresented backgrounds in the biomedical research workforce has remained an elusive goal (see Policy Supporting Next Generation Researchers Initiative). The NIH recognizes the need to promote broad participation in the scientific workforce through means consistent with applicable law, including by encouraging organizations to eliminate barriers and enhance the participation of individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce.
At the same time, individuals from certain groups and backgrounds often face organizational and environmental barriers that restrict their potential to advance their training and careers and are underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce. For example:
NIH aims to enhance support for trainees and scholars from diverse backgrounds through critical career transition points as they progress towards positions in a range of careers in the biomedical research workforce that utilize their scientific training.
Graduate education and postdoctoral training are often challenging for trainees from all backgrounds, and they are accompanied by significant changes in career interests and knowledge about career opportunities (Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century, 2018). Additionally, there are often unique, additional challenges faced by trainees from underrepresented groups. For example, graduate students from underrepresented groups, especially underrepresented women, report lower levels of belonging in their research groups and departments, less confidence in their abilities as an independent researcher, and distinct career interest profiles when compared to their counterparts from well-represented racial and ethnic backgrounds and these differences were not explained by research productivity (Gibbs et al, 2014; Gibbs et al., 2015). Moreover, research has also shown that postdoctoral scientists from underrepresented groups have reported differences in the types of support that would increase their likelihood of pursuing academic research careers (including greater professional skills development opportunities) and distinct motivations for pursuing faculty careers relative to their peers from other groups (Layton et al, 2016 ; Lambert et al, 2020). For example, many scientists from underrepresented groups report that, in addition to their research interests, the ability to engage in educational, mentoring, role modeling, outreach and recruitment activities that promote broad participation in the biomedical research workforce strongly motivate their pursuit of research and faculty careers (Gibbs and Griffin, 2013; Diekman et al, 2016; Jackson et al, 2017; Mendez et al, 2024). At the same time, many scientists from these groups are also disproportionately asked to engage in such activities, and these contributions to the research environment are generally not appropriately recognized and rewarded which can impact career advancement (Gewin 2020).
Importantly, access to high quality mentoring, robust professional networks, and opportunities for skills development through structured formalized programs have been linked to enhanced trainee productivity, increased self-efficacy and strengthening an individuals commitment to a research career (The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM, 2019). Additionally, cohort-based models have been shown to be particularly effective at supporting postdoctoral scholars as they navigate the transition to faculty careers (see, e.g., Rybarczyk et al, 2016, Cresiski et al, 2022; Advisory Committee to the NIH Director, 2023). Therefore, there remains a strong need to develop additional opportunities to address these challenges and promote additional cohort-based career development opportunities that support the career transitions of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
The purpose of the Advancing Research Careers (ARC) Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Transition Award to Promote Broad Participation (F99/K00) program is to facilitate the transition of promising, late-stage graduate students from diverse backgrounds into mentored postdoctoral research positions. This two-phase award will provide support for late-stage graduate students pursuing research related to the mission areas of participating NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) to complete their doctoral research training (F99 phase), and to transition into and succeed in postdoctoral biomedical research and career development opportunities (K00 phase). The program also is designed to support predoctoral researchers who, appropriate to their career stage, have demonstrated contributions and propose meaningful plans to promote broad participation in the biomedical research workforce, such as activities that promote inclusive, supportive, and accessible biomedical research environments that support the success of trainees and scientists from all backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented groups. It is anticipated that successful completion of this phased award program will position ARC scholars to advance in impactful careers in the biomedical research workforce that typically require postdoctoral training (for example, academic research and teaching at a range of organization types, industry or government research).
Consistent with existing NIH practice and applicable law:
Pre-application consultation: Before beginning an application, candidates are strongly encouraged to visit the ARC program website for resources including recent applicant webinars and answers to frequently asked questions. After consulting these resources, candidates are strongly encouraged to reach out to the appropriate contacts (see Section VII below) as early as possible before the due date:
Two-phase award: The F99/K00 award will provide up to 5 years of support in two phases:
Candidates: For the purpose of this announcement, organizations are encouraged to recruit prospective candidates from groups underrepresented on the national basis. In addition, because underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting, organizations should design a recruitment strategy to foster a diverse candidate pool based on the organizations local context as well as national needs. Appropriate to the career stage, candidates should have demonstrated contributions toward promoting broad participation in the biomedical research workforce (for example, furthering inclusive, supportive, and accessible biomedical research environments), and propose meaningful plans for how those activities will be continued as a postdoctoral scholar. Candidates whose statements are weak in this area are not the intended recipients of this award. Organizations should select candidates who, through their activities and individual experiences, will be well positioned to serve as mentors to trainees from increasingly diverse backgrounds pursuing biomedical research careers.
Graduate students developing an application for the ARC F99/K00 award are expected to propose an individualized research training plan for their final 1-2 years of predoctoral research training and a broad outline for up to 3 years of mentored postdoctoral research and career development activities that will prepare them for impactful careers in the biomedical research workforce. The strongest candidates will propose a well-conceived plan for 1-2 years of substantive research training that will help them become competitive candidates for postdoctoral research positions. An individual who cannot provide a compelling rationale for at least one year of additional mentored predoctoral research training at the time of award is not a strong candidate for this award.
The candidate's research interests should be related to the mission area(s) of one or more of the participating NIH ICOs. Candidates whose research interests are outside these areas are encouraged to explore other NIH F99/K00 opportunities.
ARC Cohort-based career development program: In addition to the F99/K00 award, individuals who receive funding through the ARC program will be assigned to organizations that will provide additional mentoring, networking, and skills development opportunities (ARC UE5 awardees). These organizations are listed on the ARC Website. Candidates are encouraged to explore the various organizations programs for ARC scholars and incorporate these activities as part of their research training plans. ARC UE5 awardees will also engage the primary research sponsor(s) of the F99 fellows/K00 scholars to enhance mentoring relationships and to promote the career development of the scholars. This integrated program of research and mentoring is expected to provide ARC F99 fellows/K00 scholars with the mentoring and professional networks that will prepare them to identify a postdoctoral mentor, transition into and succeed in a postdoctoral research laboratory, and ultimately transition into an impactful career within the biomedical research workforce that typically requires postdoctoral training (e.g., academic research and teaching at a range of organization types, industry or government research).
The specific NIH Institute and Center research training areas supported through this NOFO include the following:
Note: This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not allow candidates to propose to lead an independent clinical trial but does allow candidates to propose research experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor or co-sponsor.
See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.
Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.
Although this NOFO does not allow resubmissions, candidates who are not successful on the initial competition are strongly encouraged to apply again with a New application, utilizing constructive feedback received from the summary statement.
The OER Glossary and the How to Apply - Application Guide provide details on these application types. Only those application types listed here are allowed for this NOFO.
Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose independent clinical trials.
Note: Candidates may propose to gain experience in a clinical trial led by a sponsor/co-sponsor as part of their research training.
Need help determining whether you are doing a clinical trial?
The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
For the F99 phase, award budgets are composed of stipends, tuition and fees, and organizational allowance, as described below.
For the K00 phase, award budgets are composed of salaries and fringe benefits, research and career development support, and indirect costs, as described below.
For the F99/K00 award, individuals may receive up to 5 years combined support for both phases, which includes up to 2 years in the F99 fellowship phase and up to 3 years in the K00 career development phase.
ALLOWABLE COSTS F99 PHASE: Stipends are provided as a subsistence allowance to help defray living expenses during the research training experience. The stipend level for F99 predoctoral fellows is the same as for the F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) fellows. See https://researchtraining.nih.gov/resources/policy-notices for more information.
ALLOWABLE COSTS K00 PHASE: The requested salary must be based on a full-time staff appointment. The salary must be consistent both with the established salary structure at the organization and with salaries provided by the organization from its own funds to other staff members of equivalent qualifications, rank, and responsibilities in the department concerned. The maximum salary NIH will contribute is the level-four Kirschstein-NRSA postdoctoral stipend level in effect when NIH issues the grant award (see current levels posted at http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm). The recipient organization may supplement the NIH contribution up to a level that is consistent with the organization's salary scale. Fringe benefits are provided in addition to salary and should be in accordance with organizational policy. If full-time, 12-month salaries are not currently paid to comparable staff members, the salary proposed must be appropriately related to the existing salary structure. Confirmation of salary may be required prior to the issuance of an award. For effort directly committed to the K00 award, salary supplementation is allowable, but must be from non-Federal sources (including organization sources). Non-Federal or organizational supplementation of salary must not require extra duties or responsibilities that would interfere with the goals of the K00 award. For effort not directly committed to the K00 award, K00 award recipients may devote effort, with compensation, on Federal or non-Federal sources as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) or in another role (e.g., co-Investigator), as long the specific aims of the other supporting grant(s) differ from those of the K00 award.
ALLOWABLE COSTS F99 PHASE: NIH will contribute to the combined cost of tuition and fees at the rate in place at the time of award, at the same level set for the F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) fellowships. See https://researchtraining.nih.gov/resources/policy-notices for more information.
ALLOWABLE COSTS F99 PHASE: The applicant should request an institutional allowance to help defray the cost of fellowship expenses such as health insurance, research supplies, equipment, books, and travel to scientific meetings. The annual institutional allowance level for the F99 phase is the same as that provided for the F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) awards. See https://researchtraining.nih.gov/resources/policy-notices for more information.
ALLOWABLE COSTS K00 PHASE: NIH will contribute $5,000 per year toward the research development costs of the award recipient. These funds may be used for the following expenses: (a) tuition and fees related to career development activities; (b) research-related expenses, such as supplies, equipment, and technical personnel; (c) travel to research meetings or training (excluding ARC associated meetings, the costs of which are covered by the UE5 awards); and (d) statistical services including personnel and computer time. Research development costs must be justified and consistent with the stage of development of the candidate and the proportion of time to be spent in research or career development activities.
Salary for mentors, secretarial and administrative assistants, etc. is not allowed.
ALLOWABLE COSTS: F99 PHASE NIH does not separately reimburse indirect costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) for fellowships. Costs for administering the F99 awards are part of the Institutional Allowance. See https://researchtraining.nih.gov/resources/policy-notices for more information.
ALLOWABLE COSTS: K00 PHASE Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs.
Stipend levels, as well as funding amounts for tuition and fees and the institutional allowance are announced annually in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, and are also posted on the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) webpage.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made from this NOFO.
1. Eligible Applicants
Higher Education Institutions
The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:
Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
For-Profit Organizations
Governments
F99 Eligibility: Domestic institution/organization types listed above that grant Ph.D. or equivalent research degrees (e.g., Dr.P.H., Sc.D.) are eligible to submit an application. More than one F99 application per institution/organization is allowed.
K00 Eligibility: Domestic institution/organization types listed above, including Federal laboratories, are eligible to submit K00 transition phase applications on behalf of F99 awardees. There is no limit on the number of K00 awardees that an organization may sponsor. Note that if the F99 awardee accepts a postdoctoral position in the NIH intramural research program or another federal agency, the postdoctoral phase (K00) will not be awarded, as federal employees are not eligible for NIH extramural grants. The postdoctoral phase will then be supported directly by the federal agency offering the postdoctoral position, but these postdoctoral scholars are invited to continue to participate in the ARC UE5 mentoring, networking and skills development opportunities.
Foreign Organizations
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
Applicant Organizations
Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicant organizations should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications for additional information.
Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))
All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.
All PD(s)/PI(s) must be registered with ORCiD. The personal profile associated with the PD(s)/PI(s) eRA Commons account must be linked to a valid ORCID ID. For more information on linking an ORCID ID to an eRA Commons personal profile see the ORCID topic in our eRA Commons online help.
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. See, Reminder: Notice of NIH's Encouragement of Applications Supporting Individuals from Underrepresented Ethnic and Racial Groups as well as Individuals with Disabilities, NOT-OD-22-019.
2. Cost Sharing
This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1.2 Definition of Terms.
3. Additional Information on Eligibility
Number of Applications
NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time per NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. This means that the NIH will not accept:
Each candidate may submit one fellowship application at a time: An individual may not have two or more competing NIH individual fellowship applications pending review concurrently. A candidate for an ARC F99/K00 award may not simultaneously submit or have an application pending for any other PHS fellowship award (e.g., F31 or any other PHS award that duplicates any of the provisions of the F99/K00 award).
Individuals may not exceed the aggregate limit of support shown above in the Award Project Period (see Section II. Award Information).
F99 awardees are required to pursue their research training on a full-time basis, normally defined as 40 hours per week or as specified by the sponsoring organization in accordance with its own policies. K00 awardees are required to have a full-time appointment at the applicant organization, and to commit a minimum of 9 person months (or 75% of their full-time professional effort at the applicant organization) to their career development and research training. K00 awardees may engage in other duties (e.g., other research, training, clinical and teaching activities) as part of the remaining 25% effort not covered by the award, as long as such duties do not interfere with or detract from the proposed career development program.
F99 Sponsor(s) The primary sponsor should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research training and be committed both to the candidates research training and to direct supervision of their research. The primary sponsor must document the availability of sufficient research funds and facilities for the proposed research training. The primary sponsor can be an independent investigator at any career stage, including an early-stage investigator. Regardless of career stage, the primary sponsor must demonstrate a commitment to ensuring the candidate receives tailored training that will facilitate their skills development and career advancement.
Candidates are encouraged to identify more than one sponsor, i.e., a sponsor team, if this is deemed advantageous for their training program. When there is a sponsor team, one individual must be identified as the primary sponsor, and will be expected to coordinate the candidates overall F99 training. The candidate must work with the sponsor(s) in preparing the application. Candidates are not required to identify a sponsor for the K00 phase at time of the initial F99/K00 application.
1. Requesting an Application Package
The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.
It is critical that applicant organizations and fellowship candidates follow the Fellowship (F) instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.
All page limitations described in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.
The following section supplements the instructions found in the How to Apply - Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
Other Attachments:
Statement on Activities to Promote Broad Participation in Biomedical Research Workforce (Required; 1-page maximum): The application must include a statement from the candidate (i.e., the predoctoral researcher) describing (a) past and present activities, and (b) plans to promote broad participation in the biomedical workforce, that is those activities that further and foster inclusive, supportive, and accessible biomedical research environments that support trainees and scientists from all backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented groups. Highlight activities relevant to addressing underrepresentation within the biomedical research workforce within the United States and territories. Examples can include, but are not limited to:
Describe planned activities during the award to develop or enhance skills in working effectively with researchers and trainees from a wide variety of backgrounds.
As applicable, candidates may discuss how aspects of their personal background and lived experiences have motivated their pursuit of the activities or informed their plans to promote broad participation in biomedical research (see also, Program Considerations in Section I).
Please name the file BP Activities Statement.pdf. Applications lacking this attachment will not be reviewed.
The filename provided for each “Other Attachment” will be the name used for the bookmark in the electronic application in eRA Commons.
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: The personal profile associated with the eRA Commons username entered in the Credential field for the PD/PI (fellowship candidate) must include an ORCID ID. For more information on linking an ORCID ID to an eRA Commons personal profile see the ORCID topic in our eRA Commons online help
Biographical Sketch:
Candidate: In the "Personal Statement" section, candidates should follow the instructions for "Applicants for dissertation research awards."
The PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form is comprised of the following sections:
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
Candidate's Goals, Preparedness, and Potential
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:
A. Overall Training Goals
Describe short- and long-term career goals that are integrated into a systematic plan that:
B. Candidates Preparedness
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:
Training Activities and Timeline
Research Training Project Specific Aims
All candidates must use these two Specific Aims:
Research Training Project Strategy
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:
Sponsor(s) Commitment
C. Commitment to the Candidates Research Training Plan
The sponsor should confirm that the candidate has 1–2 years from time of award before completion of their Ph.D. (include month and year of anticipated graduation).
This section should also address the following:
If the candidate is proposing to gain experience in a clinical trial as part of their research training, the sponsor or co-sponsor must include a statement to document leadership of the clinical trial including source of funding, NCT# and appropriate expertise to guide the candidate in any proposed clinical trials research experience. The individual receiving support for the clinical trial (i.e., the sponsor/primary mentor or a co-sponsor) is the responsible individual of record for oversight of the trial though fellows can take part in all components of a clinical trial.
Oversight includes (but is not limited to): interacting with relevant Institutional Review Board (IRB) staff; reviewing all informed consent documents; reporting potential serious adverse events; and maintaining responsibility for patient safety. However, the fellow can gain experience in all these components in conjunction with the mentor or individual leading the trial.
Description of Candidates Contribution to Program Goals
The Description of Candidate's Contribution to Program Goals is not required for this NOFO and should not be included in the application.
Appendix
Limited items are allowed in the Appendix. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide; any instructions provided here are in addition to the How to Apply - Application Guide instructions.
When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the How to Apply - Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:
If you answered yes to the question Are Human Subjects Involved? on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.
Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
Delayed Onset Study
Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described, but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start).
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.
Applicant organizations must carefully follow the How to Apply - Application Guide, including the time period for when reference letters will be accepted. Applications lacking the appropriate required reference letters will not be reviewed. This is a separate process from submitting an application electronically. Reference letters are submitted directly through the eRA Commons Submit Reference Letter link and not through Grants.gov. As applicable, the letter can discuss the candidate's demonstrated contributions to promoting broad participation in the biomedical research enterprise.
3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
See Part 2. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov
Part I. contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicant organizations are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.
Organizations must submit applications to Grants.gov (the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies). Applicant organizations must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH's electronic system for grants administration. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications.
Applicant organizations are responsible for viewing their application before the due date in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.
Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.
5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)
This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.
All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The F99/K00 award may not be held concurrently with another federally sponsored fellowship or similar Federal award that provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of this award. Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the How to Apply - Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.
Applicant organizations must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.
For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit How to Apply - Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.
Important reminders:
All PD(s)/PI(s) and sponsor(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile form. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.
The applicant organization must ensure that the unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier used in the organization's profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the How to Apply - Application Guide.
See more tips for avoiding common errors.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete or non-compliant will not be reviewed.
Applicant organizations are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy.
1. Criteria
Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.
For this particular NOFO, note the following: Through this NOFO, NIH intends to fund promising late-stage graduate students who have demonstrated activities and proposed meaningful plans to promote broad participation in the biomedical research workforce as they develop new skills and progress toward postdoctoral research and career development. Reviewers should:
Reviewers should also note that while any of the candidates individual experiences relevant to the program goals can be included as part of the review process, the candidates race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) may not, in and of themselves, be used as factors in the evaluation of applications.
Score the overall merits of the application. Use the three review criteria areas defined below to evaluate the proposed fellowship application.
Evaluate the overall merit of the application considering the three review criteria area defined below. For each criteria area, provide a score and comments addressing the elements listed.
Specific to this NOFO:
Specific to this NOFO:
Specific to this NOFO:
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.
For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.
When the proposed project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults) to determine if it is justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.
The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following criteria: (1) description of proposed procedures involving animals, including species, strains, ages, sex, and total number to be used; (2) justifications for the use of animals versus alternative models and for the appropriateness of the species proposed; (3) interventions to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury; and (4) justification for euthanasia method if NOT consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. Reviewers will assess the use of chimpanzees as they would any other application proposing the use of vertebrate animals. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animals Section.
Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.
All applications for support under this NOFO must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Taking into account the level of experience of the candidate, including any prior instruction or participation in RCR as appropriate for the candidates career stage, the reviewers will evaluate the adequacy of the proposed RCR training in relation to the following five required components: 1) Format - the required format of instruction, i.e., face-to-face lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups (a plan with only on-line instruction is not acceptable); 2) Subject Matter - the breadth of subject matter, e.g., conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics; 3) Faculty Participation - the role of the sponsor(s) and other faculty involvement in the fellows instruction; 4) Duration of Instruction - the number of contact hours of instruction (at least eight contact hours are required); and 5) Frequency of Instruction – instruction must occur during each career stage and at least once every four years. Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee. See also: : NOT-OD-10-019 and NOT-OD-22-055
Not Applicable
Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).
Reviewers will comment on whether the Resource Sharing Plan(s) (e.g., Sharing Model Organisms) or the rationale for not sharing the resources, is reasonable.
For projects involving key biological and/or chemical resources, reviewers will comment on the brief plans proposed for identifying and ensuring the validity of those resources.
Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.
2. Review and Selection Process
Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s), in accordance with NIH peer review policies and practices, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.
As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.
Applications may undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.
Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate NIH Institute or Center Advisory Committee. The following will be considered in making funding decisions, consistent with applicable law:
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access their Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons. Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date.
Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.4.4 Disposition of Applications.
If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant organization as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This request is not a Notice of Award nor should be construed to be an indicator of possible funding.
A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the recipient's business official.
Recipients must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.
Any application awarded in response to this NOFO will be subject to terms and conditions found on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website. This includes any recent legislation and policy applicable to awards that is highlighted on this website.
Institutional Review Board or Independent Ethics Committee Approval: Recipient organizations must ensure that protocols are reviewed by their IRB or independent ethics committee (IEC). To help ensure the safety of participants enrolled in NIH-funded studies, the recipient must provide NIH copies of documents related to all major changes in the status of ongoing protocols.
Awardees are expected to participate in career development activities and meetings coordinated by ARC institutionally-focused research education awardees (UE5). Awardees will provide updates on involvement with the ARC UE5 recipient in section B.4 of the RPPR.
All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Recipients, and Activities, including of note, but not limited to:
If a recipient is successful and receives a Notice of Award, in accepting the award, the recipient agrees that any activities under the award are subject to all provisions currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions.
If a recipient receives an award, the recipient must follow all applicable nondiscrimination laws. The recipient agrees to this when registering in SAM.gov. The recipient must also submit an Assurance of Compliance (HHS-690). To learn more, see the Laws and Regulations Enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights website.
HHS recognizes that NIH research projects are often limited in scope for many reasons that are nondiscriminatory, such as the principal investigator's scientific interest, funding limitations, recruitment requirements, and other considerations. Thus, criteria in research protocols that target or exclude certain populations are warranted where nondiscriminatory justifications establish that such criteria are appropriate with respect to the health or safety of the subjects, the scientific study design, or the purpose of the research. For additional guidance regarding how the provisions apply to NIH grant programs, please contact the Scientific/Research Contact that is identified in Section VII under Agency Contacts of this NOFO.
Transition to the Postdoctoral Career Development K00 Phase
The F99/K00 award is intended to facilitate successful transition to the postdoctoral career stage. Consequently, a requirement for initiation of the K00 phase is successful completion of the Ph.D. degree. Candidates are encouraged to apply for postdoctoral positions in distinct environments from where they conducted their doctoral research to enhance the breadth of their scientific training and career development. It is important that all candidates, but especially candidates who intend to stay at the predoctoral phase organization for the postdoctoral phase, provide a plan by which they will separate scientifically from their Ph.D. sponsor(s).
The transition from the predoctoral phase to the postdoctoral phase is intended to be continuous in time and, except in unusual circumstances, the NIH will not extend the F99 phase. Transition from the predoctoral (F99) phase to the postdoctoral (K00) phase is not automatic. To activate the K00 phase of the grant, individuals must have been offered and accepted a full-time postdoctoral position. Upon starting the K00 phase of the award, the F99 phase of the award is terminated.
Prospective candidates are strongly encouraged to contact their Program Official as soon as a plan to assume a postdoctoral position develops, and not later than 6 months prior to the proposed start date of the K00 award to discuss plans for transition to, and application for, the K00 phase.
The application for the K00 phase should be submitted no later than 3 months prior to the proposed activation date of the K00 award by the K00 phase recipient organization. The organization's Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) will email the application in PDF format to the Financial or Grants Management contact of the awarding NIH Institute or Center listed in the Notice of Award. The K00 application will be evaluated by ARC program and grants management staff of the awarding NIH Institute or Center for completeness and responsiveness to the program.
An eligible K00 recipient organization must have appropriate infrastructure and research funding to support the proposed research program. Foreign institutions are not eligible. Candidates may apply for postdoctoral positions within the NIH intramural research program (IRP). However, should the individual accept such a position in the IRP, the postdoctoral phase of the award will not be activated. This is because NIH intramural scientists are supported directly by NIH intramural funds and are not eligible for NIH extramural grant awards. F99 fellows who accept a postdoctoral position in the IRP will be required to submit a final progress report and a final evaluation statement by the primary F99 mentor instead of a K00 application. Eligibility of for-profit organizations for the K00 phase depends on the nature of the appointment, and the ability of the postdoctoral fellow to conduct mentored postdoctoral research and freely disseminate findings, including through peer-reviewed publications and data sharing. Candidates are encouraged to discuss job offers at for-profit organizations with NIH Program staff well in advance of accepting such an offer. Candidates awarded the F99 and who are conducting postdoctoral training outside an academic institution will be encouraged to continue to participate in the mentoring, networking and career development activities sponsored by the ARC UE5.
Candidates who are approved to transition to the postdoctoral phase (K00) will receive a Notice of Award reflecting the new K00 activity code, the dollar amount, and the new grantee organization (if applicable). Candidates who are not approved to transition will receive written notification from the NIH awarding component communicating the rationale for the disapproval. This notification typically will be sent within 60 days of receipt of the K00 application.
Instructions for the K00 Transition Award
F99 awardees wishing to submit a K00 transition application must follow the Career Development (K) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise, as described below:
The K00 Transition Application will include the following components:
Updated PHS Career Development Award Supplemental Form, which should include:
Termination of the F99 award phase
If the transition from the F99 phase to the K00 phase at an extramural organization occurs prior to the scheduled end date of the F99 award phase, then a revised Notice of Award will be issued to terminate the F99 award phase.
Institutional Allowances: Carry-over of unspent funds from a partially completed year in the F99 phase into the K00 phase is not permitted.
Leave Policies
ARC awardees follow the policies as outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement 11.3.16 Leave.
The taxability of stipends is described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Fellowships funded primarily for educational purposes are exempted from the PHS invention requirements and thus invention reporting is not required. More details, including exceptions for fellows training at NIH are provided in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
K00 Phase Awardees must complete the "Inventions and Patents" section when submitting the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR).
3. Data Management and Sharing
Consistent with the 2023 NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, when data management and sharing is applicable to the award, recipients will be required to adhere to the Data Management and Sharing requirements as outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Upon the approval of a Data Management and Sharing Plan, it is required for recipients to implement the plan as described.
When multiple years are involved, recipients will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The report is due two months before the beginning date of the next budget period and must include information describing the current year's progress as well as the research and training plans for the coming year.
NIH NOFOs outline intended research goals and objectives. Post award, NIH will review and measure performance based on the details and outcomes that are shared within the RPPR, as described at 2 CFR 200.301.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 as amended (FFATA), includes a requirement for recipients of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All recipients of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over the threshold. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.
5. Evaluation
In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program from databases and from participants themselves. Participants may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.
In carrying out stewardship of grant programs, NIGMS will periodically evaluate this program, employing the representative measures identified below, using information from progress reports and public databases, PD/PIs, and from participants themselves. Where necessary, PD/PIs and participants may be appropriately contacted after the completion of the grant period for updates on participants subsequent outcomes.
The overall evaluation of the program will be based on metrics that will include, but are not limited to, the following:
For the F99 phase (graduate students):
For the K00 phase (postdoctorates):
We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential candidates.
eRA Service Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, and post-submission issues)
Finding Help Online: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
General Grants Information (Questions regarding application instructions, application processes, and NIH grant resources)
Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-637-3015
Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Email: [email protected]
Laurie Stepanek, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Email: [email protected]
Lameese D. Akacem, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Email: [email protected]
Sekai Chideya-Chihota, MD, MPH
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Phone: 240-552-2994
Email: [email protected]
Christopher Barnhart, PhD
Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO)
Telephone: 301-594-8983
Email: [email protected]
Neeraj Agarwal
NEI - National Eye Institute
Phone: 301-435-8155
E-mail: [email protected]
Edwin C Clayton
NEI - National Eye Institute
Phone: (301) 480-9350
E-mail: [email protected]
Sheila Caldwell, PhD
Tribal Health Research Office
Phone: 301-480-3527
email: [email protected]
Meryl Sufian, PhD
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
Telephone: 301-496-4671
Email: [email protected]
Joseph Gindhart, PhD
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Email: [email protected]
Dave Gutekunst, PhD
NIBIB - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AND BIOENGINEERING
Phone: (240) 789-0004
E-mail: [email protected]
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Email: [email protected]
Justin Rosenzweig
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Email: [email protected]
Debbie Chen
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Phone: 301-594-3788
Email: [email protected]
Karen Robinson Smith
NEI - National Eye Institute
Phone: 301-435-8178
E-mail: [email protected]
Andrea Culhane
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
Telephone: 301-496-4221
Email: [email protected]
Margaret Young
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-642-4552
Email: [email protected]
Mutema Nyankale
NIBIB - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AND BIOENGINEERING
Phone: (301) 827-6317
E-mail: [email protected]
Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Please note that the NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are a set of programs to attract and retain promising early-stage investigators in research careers by helping them to repay their student loans. Recipients of fellowship awards are encouraged to consider applying for an extramural LRP award.
Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 63A and 2 CFR Part 200.