NIA Career Transition Award (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 24 120

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 120

The NIA Career Transition Award (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PAR-24-120, is a discretionary NIH grant designed to help mentored researchers move into independent, tenure-track faculty roles while continuing work that aligns with the National Institute on Aging (NIA) mission. The central goal is to bridge the gap between late-stage mentored training and full independence by providing three years of support that includes protected time for research (via salary support) along with additional research support. It is specifically aimed at applicants who expect to begin a tenure-track faculty position within about a year of receiving the award, making it a transition-focused mechanism rather than a long-term, established-investigator grant.

A key feature of this opportunity is embedded in the title: independent clinical trials are not allowed under this K22. In practical terms, the proposed research and career development plan must be structured so the award recipient is not leading an independent clinical trial as the main driver of the project. Applicants generally need to ensure their proposed work fits NIH's definition of allowable research activities under this FOA, avoiding study designs that NIH would classify as an independent clinical trial for which the awardee is the responsible party.

Eligibility for applicant organizations is broad across U.S.-based institutions and includes many common governmental and academic entities such as state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; and private institutions of higher education. It also includes Native American tribal governments (federally recognized), tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, provided they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories, and the opportunity also allows applications from for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses. In addition, NIH highlights categories of "other eligible applicants" that include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), 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, reflecting an intent to keep the program accessible across many institution types and settings.

At the same time, the announcement is explicit about limits related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not permitted. Taken together, those restrictions mean the applicant organization must be U.S.-based and the project cannot be structured with foreign components that NIH would treat as part of the funded activity.

From an administrative standpoint, this is an NIH award under the Health funding activity category with CFDA number 93.866. The opportunity lists the agency as the National Institutes of Health and shows an original closing date of 2025-11-12. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided data, so applicants typically need to consult the full FOA and NIH budget guidance for allowable costs, salary limitations, and any institute-specific budget parameters. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a structured, time-limited push toward independence: three years of targeted support intended to help a mentored researcher secure and succeed in a tenure-track role while building an NIA-relevant research program, without serving as the lead for an independent clinical trial.

• 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 2024-02-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-11-12. (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 24 120

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