Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 27 030

The Institutional Mentored Career Development Award (Parent K12) (Clinical Trials Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PA-27-030, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutional grant program that supports organizations in building and running structured career development programs for emerging researchers. The intent is to help later-stage postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty members who are committed to a long-term, independent research career gain the training, mentoring, and dedicated time they need to progress from mentored research roles into research independence. The program is focused on biomedical and behavioral research and is designed around intensive, mentored career development experiences rather than short-term training or project-only support.

A central feature of this K12 mechanism is that institutions appoint “scholars” into a mentored program and provide them with protected time to develop as independent investigators. In practice, that protected time is meant to reduce competing responsibilities (for example, heavy clinical loads or teaching demands) so scholars can consistently focus on research training, producing publications, developing a strong scientific niche, building collaborations, and preparing for future independent funding. While the notice does not list specific curriculum requirements in the excerpt provided, the K12 structure typically emphasizes a formal mentoring plan, professional development, and clear milestones that move scholars toward independence.

Clinical trial rules are an important constraint in this NOFO. Appointed K12 scholars are not permitted to lead an independent clinical trial under this award. However, the opportunity explicitly allows scholars to gain clinical trial research experience when the trial is led by a mentor or co-mentor. NIH also signals that it values clinically relevant research careers, so mentored exposure to clinical trials is not only allowed but encouraged, as long as the scholar is not the independent trial lead. This is meant to preserve the mentored nature of the K12 while still giving developing investigators meaningful experience with clinical research methods, oversight, and conduct under experienced supervision.

Eligibility is primarily aimed at domestic (U.S.-based) applicant institutions and organizations. Eligible applicants listed include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity also includes nonprofit organizations, whether they have 501(c)(3) status or not, so long as they otherwise meet eligibility requirements. The notice also references additional eligible applicant types such as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal government agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions, indicating a broad range of U.S. entities can potentially apply if they can run an institutional mentored career development program.

Foreign eligibility is limited. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. At the same time, the notice states that “foreign components,” as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. In NIH terms, that generally means a U.S. applicant organization may include certain defined foreign elements or collaborations within an otherwise domestic project structure, subject to NIH policy and justification, even though a foreign organization cannot be the applicant.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant funding opportunity in the health category, offered by NIH. The opportunity lists multiple CFDA numbers (including 93.113, 93.121, 93.279, 93.310, 93.313, 93.847, 93.853, 93.859, 93.865, 93.867, and others), reflecting that multiple NIH Institutes and Centers may participate or that the program can align with several NIH funding authorities. The original closing date shown is July 12, 2029, indicating a long-running parent announcement with multiple receipt dates or an extended availability window. The excerpt does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards, so applicants would need to consult the full NOFO text and any institute-specific guidance for budget structure, award size expectations, and application due dates.

Overall, PA-27-030 is best understood as an institutional platform grant: NIH funds the institution to recruit and support a cohort of mentored scholars and to deliver an organized development program that accelerates their path to independent biomedical or behavioral research careers. The key boundaries are that the program is for later-stage postdocs and junior faculty on an independence trajectory, it prioritizes protected time and intensive mentoring, and it prohibits scholars from leading independent clinical trials while still encouraging mentored clinical trial experience.

  • The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Institutional Mentored Career Development Award (Parent K12) (Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" 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, 93.279, 93.310, 93.313, 93.847, 93.853, 93.859, 93.865, 93.867, 93.T21, 93.THR.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-22.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2029-07-12.
  • Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, Others.
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FAQs: Institutional Mentored Career Development Award (Parent K12) (Clinical Trials Not Allowed) - PA-27-030

What is PA-27-030 (Parent K12)?

PA-27-030 is an NIH Institutional Mentored Career Development Award (K12) funding opportunity that supports organizations in building and running structured, mentored career development programs for emerging researchers in biomedical and behavioral research. It is designed to help scholars progress from mentored research roles toward research independence.

Who is the applicant for this opportunity: an individual researcher or an institution?

The applicant is an institution or organization. NIH provides funds to the organization to operate an institutional mentored program and to appoint scholars into that program.

Who is this program intended to support (who are the "scholars")?

The program is intended to support later-stage postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty members who are committed to long-term, independent research careers. Scholars are appointed by the funded institution into the K12 program.

What is the main goal of the K12 mechanism in this announcement?

The main goal is to provide intensive, mentored career development experiences that help scholars move toward research independence. This includes structured mentoring, professional development, and progress milestones geared toward becoming independent investigators.

What does "protected time" mean in the context of this K12 award?

"Protected time" refers to dedicated time set aside for scholars to focus on mentored research and career development. In practice, this is meant to reduce competing responsibilities such as heavy clinical duties or teaching loads so scholars can concentrate on building a research portfolio and preparing for independence.

What kinds of activities are scholars expected to focus on during the program?

Based on the description provided, the program emphasizes sustained mentored research and development activities such as producing publications, developing a strong scientific niche, building collaborations, and preparing for future independent funding.

Is this opportunity meant to fund a short-term training experience or a single research project?

No. The opportunity is positioned as an institutional platform grant focused on structured, intensive, mentored career development, rather than short-term training or project-only support.

Are clinical trials allowed under this K12 opportunity?

Appointed K12 scholars are not permitted to lead an independent clinical trial under this award. This is a key constraint of this "Clinical Trials Not Allowed" announcement.

Can scholars still gain experience with clinical trials?

Yes. Scholars may gain clinical trial research experience when the clinical trial is led by a mentor or co-mentor. The scholar can participate in a mentored capacity, but cannot be the independent clinical trial lead under the K12.

Why does NIH allow mentored clinical trial experience but not independent clinical trial leadership for scholars?

The policy is intended to preserve the mentored nature of the K12 mechanism while still allowing meaningful exposure to clinical research methods and conduct under experienced supervision.

What research areas are supported by this program?

The program is focused on biomedical and behavioral research careers and is designed to develop independent investigators in those areas.

What types of U.S. organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include U.S.-based organizations such as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity also references nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status, if otherwise eligible) and other eligible applicant types such as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal government agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Do nonprofits need to have 501(c)(3) status to be eligible?

No. The opportunity indicates that nonprofit organizations may be eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status, as long as they otherwise meet eligibility requirements.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply as the main applicant?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.

Are foreign collaborations allowed at all?

Yes. The notice states that "foreign components," as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. This generally means a U.S. applicant organization may include certain foreign elements or collaborations within an otherwise domestic project structure, consistent with NIH policy and justification.

Which federal agency is offering this funding opportunity?

This is a discretionary grant funding opportunity offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the health category.

What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?

The funding opportunity number is PA-27-030.

What is the "closing date" shown for this opportunity?

The closing date shown is July 12, 2029, suggesting this is a long-running parent announcement with extended availability and likely multiple receipt dates.

Does the excerpt list the award ceiling or the expected number of awards?

No. The excerpt does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards. Applicants would need to consult the full NOFO and any institute-specific guidance for details such as budget expectations, award size, and application due dates.

What are the CFDA numbers mentioned and what do they imply?

The opportunity lists multiple CFDA numbers (including 93.113, 93.121, 93.279, 93.310, 93.313, 93.847, 93.853, 93.859, 93.865, 93.867, and others). This indicates that multiple NIH Institutes and Centers may participate and/or that the program may align with several NIH funding authorities.

How should someone think about the K12 award in practical terms?

It is best understood as an institutional platform grant: NIH funds the institution to recruit and support a cohort of mentored scholars and to deliver an organized career development program designed to accelerate their path to independent biomedical or behavioral research careers.

What are the key boundaries or defining features described for this opportunity?

The key defining features described are: (1) it supports later-stage postdocs and junior faculty on an independence trajectory, (2) it emphasizes protected time and intensive mentoring within a structured program, and (3) it prohibits scholars from leading independent clinical trials while encouraging mentored clinical trial experience under a mentor or co-mentor.

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