NIA Career Transition Award (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 351

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 351

The NIA Career Transition Award (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PAR-21-351, is a discretionary NIH grant designed to help mentored researchers move into independent, tenure-track faculty roles while continuing work that aligns with the mission of the National Institute on Aging (NIA). The central goal is to bridge a critical career gap between postdoctoral or other mentored stages and an independent academic appointment by providing three years of support that protects the recipient's time for research. In practice, that support is delivered through a combination of salary support and research funding, giving awardees the space to establish an independent research direction, publish, generate preliminary data, and compete effectively for larger independent research awards later.

This opportunity is specifically aimed at investigators who expect to begin a tenure-track faculty position within about one year of receiving the award, making it a structured transition mechanism rather than a long-term mentored training grant. As indicated by the title, independent clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, so applicants need to propose research and career development activities that do not include running an independent clinical trial as the primary study. The award falls under the NIH health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.866, reflecting NIA's broader research portfolio in aging.

Eligibility is broad at the organizational level and includes many types of U.S.-based entities such as state, county, city or township, and 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 that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (when not an institution of higher education); for-profit organizations that are not small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible applicants as defined by NIH policy. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible organizations, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, certain eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. These inclusions signal an intent to support a wide range of institutional contexts and to encourage participation across diverse research environments.

At the same time, the opportunity clearly restricts non-U.S. involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In other words, the applicant organization and the supported project activities must remain within allowable domestic boundaries under NIH rules.

Administrative details in the source information show the sponsoring agency as the National Institutes of Health, the funding instrument as a grant, and the original closing date listed as 2024-02-24. The opportunity record was created on 2021-09-28. The provided source excerpt does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants typically need to consult the full NIH announcement for budget limits, allowable costs, and any institute-specific guidance on salary and research support levels.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIA Career Transition Award (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-09-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-24. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 PAR 21 351

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