Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 18 373
The Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - No Independent Clinical Trials), funding opportunity number PA 18 373, is an NIH career development grant designed to help early-career clinicians build the skills, research experience, and track record needed to become independent investigators. The central aim is workforce development: supporting people with clinical doctoral degrees as they transition into research-focused careers that address important biomedical and behavioral health needs in the United States. A defining feature of the K08 mechanism is that it provides structured mentorship and dedicated, protected time to pursue intensive research training and career development activities, rather than expecting applicants to already be fully independent.
This opportunity supports a mentored research experience in biomedical and behavioral research, including translational research that bridges basic discoveries and clinical or real-world health applications. The emphasis is on a supervised development period, typically meaning the candidate works closely with an experienced mentor (and often a mentoring team) while building a clear career development plan. In practice, applicants are expected to propose a training and research pathway that strengthens their ability to design studies, generate publishable findings, secure future funding, and ultimately lead a research program that has a meaningful impact on health. The title also signals an important limitation: it is the "No Independent Clinical Trials" parent announcement, meaning the award is not intended to support an applicant-led independent clinical trial as the primary research activity under this mechanism.
NIH lists a wide range of eligible applicant organizations, reflecting the fact that the grant is administered through an institution on behalf of a candidate. Eligible applicants include many types of U.S.-based organizations such as state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Higher education institutions are broadly eligible, including public and state-controlled universities as well as private institutions of higher education. Nonprofit organizations can apply whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education (since those are listed separately). For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also included among eligible applicant types, as well as a general "other" category, which NIH sometimes uses to capture additional organizational structures that meet federal eligibility requirements.
The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants that NIH wants to ensure are included and aware of the opportunity. These include 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; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; and U.S. territories or possessions. It also notes that Indian/Native American Tribal Governments that are not federally recognized are included among the "other eligible applicants" list, alongside other mission-driven entities that may serve specific communities or regions.
On the foreign eligibility side, the rules are narrow and worth paying attention to. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. At the same time, the notice clarifies that "foreign components" may be allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means a U.S. applicant organization could include a justified portion of the work being carried out abroad under NIH rules, with prior disclosure and approval as required.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program run by the National Institutes of Health. The opportunity is categorized under a grant funding instrument and sits within a broad funding activity area that includes education and health (and related public well-being domains). The listing references multiple CFDA numbers (now often referred to under Assistance Listing numbers), indicating that several NIH institutes and centers may use this parent K08 announcement to support candidates across different disease areas and research missions. The source data also shows an original closing date of 2019-01-07 and a creation date of 2017-11-21, which helps place the announcement in time, though NIH parent announcements are often reissued or updated over time with new versions and receipt dates.
Overall, the K08 (No Independent Clinical Trials) is best understood as a mentored clinician-scientist development pathway: it funds protected time and a structured, supervised research and career development plan so clinically trained professionals can become competitive, independent health researchers. It is geared toward building long-term research capacity rather than simply funding a single short-term project, and it is designed to align the candidate, mentor(s), and institution around a coherent plan that leads to sustained contributions in biomedical, behavioral, and translational science.Apply for PA 18 373
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - No Independent Clinical Trials)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.121, 93.172, 93.173, 93.213, 93.233, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.307, 93.398, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.855, 93.859, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-01-07. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - No Independent Clinical Trials)?
The Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 - No Independent Clinical Trials) is an NIH career development grant designed to help early-career clinicians transition into research-focused careers. It emphasizes workforce development by supporting clinically trained professionals as they build research skills, research experience, and a track record that positions them to become independent investigators.
What is the funding opportunity number for this K08 announcement?
The funding opportunity number is PA 18 373.
What is the main purpose of the K08 mechanism described here?
The main purpose is to provide a structured, mentored period of research training and career development for individuals with clinical doctoral degrees. The award supports protected time and mentorship so candidates can develop the capabilities and trajectory needed to lead an independent research program that addresses biomedical and behavioral health needs in the United States.
Who is this program intended to support?
This program is intended to support early-career clinicians (people with clinical doctoral degrees) who are working toward becoming independent investigators. The emphasis is on helping them develop their research expertise and professional trajectory, rather than assuming they are already independent researchers.
What kinds of research does this opportunity support?
The opportunity supports a mentored research experience in biomedical and behavioral research, including translational research that connects basic science discoveries with clinical or real-world health applications.
What does "mentored" mean in the context of this K08 award?
"Mentored" means the candidate is expected to work closely with an experienced mentor, and often a mentoring team, during a supervised career development period. The candidate proposes a structured career development plan that includes research training activities and a supervised research pathway.
Why does this K08 emphasize "protected time"?
A defining feature of the K08 mechanism is the provision of dedicated, protected time to pursue intensive research training and career development activities. This structure is intended to help clinicians build research capacity without being expected to already operate as fully independent investigators.
What are applicants expected to propose under this award?
Applicants are expected to propose a training and research pathway that strengthens their ability to design studies, produce publishable findings, secure future funding, and ultimately lead a research program with meaningful health impact. The proposal is expected to reflect a coherent career development plan aligned across the candidate, mentor(s), and institution.
What does "No Independent Clinical Trials" mean for this opportunity?
"No Independent Clinical Trials" indicates an important limitation: the award is not intended to support an applicant-led independent clinical trial as the primary research activity under this K08 parent announcement.
Can this award be used to run an applicant-led independent clinical trial as the main project?
No. The title and description indicate that this is the "No Independent Clinical Trials" parent announcement, meaning an applicant-led independent clinical trial is not intended to be the primary research activity supported by this mechanism.
Who applies for the grant: the individual candidate or an organization?
The grant is administered through an institution on behalf of a candidate. NIH lists eligible applicant organizations, reflecting that the application is submitted by an organization rather than by an individual acting alone.
What types of U.S.-based organizations are eligible to apply?
NIH lists a wide range of eligible U.S.-based organizations, including state, county, city, or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Higher education institutions (public/state-controlled and private) are broadly eligible. Nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education) are eligible. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also listed as eligible, along with a general "other" category for additional eligible organizational structures.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Eligible higher education institutions include public and state-controlled universities as well as private institutions of higher education.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible, and do they need 501(c)(3) status?
Nonprofit organizations can apply whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education (which are listed separately as eligible applicants).
Are for-profit organizations or small businesses eligible to apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are included among the eligible applicant types listed.
What is meant by the "other" eligible applicant category?
The "other" category is used by NIH to capture additional organizational structures that meet federal eligibility requirements but may not fit neatly into the standard categories listed.
Which additional organizations are explicitly highlighted as eligible applicants?
The announcement explicitly highlights 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; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; and U.S. territories or possessions.
Are non-federally recognized tribal governments mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The description notes that Indian/Native American Tribal Governments that are not federally recognized are included among the "other eligible applicants" list.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) institutions eligible to apply directly?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply directly under this opportunity.
Can a non-domestic component of a U.S. organization apply?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
Are "foreign components" allowed at all?
Potentially, yes. The notice clarifies that "foreign components" may be allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means a U.S. applicant organization could include a justified portion of the work being carried out abroad under NIH rules, with required disclosure and approval.
Which federal agency runs this program?
This is a discretionary grant program run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of funding instrument is this?
It is categorized as a grant funding instrument.
What broad activity areas does this opportunity fall under?
It sits within a broad funding activity area that includes education and health (and related public well-being domains).
What do the multiple CFDA (Assistance Listing) numbers suggest?
The listing references multiple CFDA numbers (now commonly called Assistance Listing numbers), which suggests that several NIH institutes and centers may use this parent K08 announcement to support candidates across different disease areas and research missions.
What are the dates associated with this listing?
The source data shows a creation date of 2017-11-21 and an original closing date of 2019-01-07. The description also notes that NIH parent announcements are often reissued or updated over time with new versions and receipt dates.
How should this opportunity be understood at a high level?
At a high level, the K08 (No Independent Clinical Trials) is a mentored clinician-scientist development pathway. It supports protected time plus a structured, supervised research and career development plan so clinically trained professionals can become competitive, independent health researchers. It is aimed at building long-term research capacity rather than funding only a short-term standalone project.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: Health-professional Education Partnership Initiative (HEPI) (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Previous opportunity: Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Clinical Trial Required)
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Apply for PA 18 373
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 18 373) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 - Independent Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 375 Funding Number: PA 18 375 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - No Independent Clinical Trials) Apply for PA 18 396 Funding Number: PA 18 396 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 398 Funding Number: PA 18 398 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 484 Funding Number: PA 18 484 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Academic Research Enhancement Award (Parent R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 504 Funding Number: PA 18 504 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Innovation Corps (I-Corps) at NIH Program for NIH and CDC Translational Research (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 517 Funding Number: PA 18 517 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 574 Funding Number: PA 18 574 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 575 Funding Number: PA 18 575 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 586 Funding Number: PA 18 586 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 591 Funding Number: PA 18 591 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Successor-in-Interest (Type 6 Parent Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 589 Funding Number: PA 18 589 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Change of Grantee Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 590 Funding Number: PA 18 590 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed ) Apply for PA 18 592 Funding Number: PA 18 592 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 648 Funding Number: PA 18 648 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Administrative Supplement for Research on Sex/Gender Influences (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 658 Funding Number: PA 18 658 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31) Apply for PA 18 666 Funding Number: PA 18 666 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions with NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 18 668 Funding Number: PA 18 668 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31) Apply for PA 18 671 Funding Number: PA 18 671 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32) Apply for PA 18 670 Funding Number: PA 18 670 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30) Apply for PA 18 673 Funding Number: PA 18 673 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Environment, Food and Nutrition, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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