Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
- Posted
- April 26, 2024
- Closed
- May 24, 2026
- Cost sharing
- No
- Instrument
- Grant
- Assistance listing
- 93.853, 93.310, 93.866, 93.273, 93.279, 93.313
- Archives
- June 23, 2026
Program funding history
Awards made under Assistance Listing 93.853 (one of 6 on this opportunity) across FY2025–FY2027, from public federal spending records.
- FY2025 obligated
- $1.8B
- FY2026 obligated
- $2B
- FY2027 (to date) obligated
- $0
- Awards in window
- 8,124
Top recipients: The General Hospital Corporation, Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, the, The Johns Hopkins University, Regents of the University of Michigan, Washington University, the
Source: USAspending.gov · refreshed October 2026 · Program page: awards, recipients and the opportunities under this listing →
Synopsis
The purpose of the NIH Independent Scientist Award (K02) is to foster the development of outstanding scientists and enable them to expand their potential to make significant contributions to their field of research. The K02 award provides three to five years of salary support and "protected time" for newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus as a means of enhancing their research careers. Each independent scientist career award program must be tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate. This Parent Funding Opportunity Announcement is for basic science experimental studies involving humans, referred to in NOT-OD-18-212 as prospective basic science studies involving human participants. These studies fall within the NIH definition of a clinical trial and also meet the definition of basic research. Types of studies that should be submitted under this FOA include studies that prospectively assign human participants to conditions (i.e., experimentally manipulate independent variables) and that assess biomedical or behavioral outcomes in humans for the purpose of understanding the fundamental aspects of phenomena without specific application towards processes or products in mind. Applicants not planning an independent clinical trial or basic experimental study with humans, or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial or basic experimental study with humans led by another investigator, must apply to the 'Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed' companion FOA. The proposed project must be related to the programmatic interests of one or more of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on their scientific missions.
Who can apply
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Special district governments
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- County governments
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Small businesses
- State governments
- City or township governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Independent school districts
Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; 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.
The official record
Grants.gov published the official terms and dates of this opportunity; this page keeps them as they were listed.
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