The National Institutes of Health is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world. NIH advertises availability of grant support through notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs). Investigators can search for a funding opportunity specific to their area of interest or apply to one of NIH's generic parent announcements.
There is not a generic application form package that can be downloaded and used for all grant application submissions. You must use the application form package associated with the funding opportunity to which you are applying. Access the opportunity-specific form package through your chosen submission method (ASSIST, institutional system-to-system solution, Workspace).
One-on-one consultations and direct assistance in proposal development are also available, including document review and editing, through collaborative campus units. Please note that availability may vary based on demand and scheduling. The list of services can be found here.
Please reach out to us if the file you are looking for is not updated for the current proposal call. We will be happy to update it for you!
NIH Early Career Resources
Click on the topic you're interested in to jump to that area of our NIH Early Career resources, or simply scroll down to browse!
- General NIH Resources
- Resources for Specific Funding Opportunities
General NIH Resources
External Resources
- Navigating Early Career Funding Opportunities - Webinar by NIH Grants
- NIH All About Grants Podcast
- Information on NIH review criteria (NIH website)
Resources for Specific Funding Opportunities
Below are resources specifically for NIH early career funding. If you're not sure what type of grant you should be applying to, be sure to look at the NIH Funding Programs by Career Stage for a guide.
Research Career Development Awards (K series)
To provide individual and institutional research training opportunities (including international) to trainees at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels.
Learn more about NIH Research Career Development Awards (K series)
K99 - Pathway to Independence Award
To support both an initial mentored research experience (K99) followed by independent research (R00) for highly qualified, postdoctoral researchers, to secure an independent research position. Award recipients are expected to compete successfully for independent R01 support during the R00 phase.
Learn more about the K99 Award
K23 - Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award
To provide support for the career development of clinically trained professionals who have made a commitment to patient-oriented research, and who have the potential to develop into productive, clinical investigators.
Learn more about the K23 award
- K23 Checklist
- K23 Facilities and Other Resources
- Letter demonstrating Environment and Institutional Commitment
Research Grants (R series)
To provide research education opportunities, including courses, research experiences, mentoring, curriculum development, and outreach. For additional materials to help prepare R series grants, visit our NIH Resources page.
Learn more about NIH Research Grants (R series)
R01 – Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant
The Katz R01 supports an innovative project in an area of science that represents a change in research direction for an early stage investigator (ESI) and for which no preliminary data exist.
Learn more about the Katz ESI R01
R35 - Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) ESI (Early Stage Investigator)
MIRA provides support for research in an investigator's laboratory that falls within the mission of NIGMS. The goal of MIRA is to increase the efficiency of NIGMS funding by providing investigators with greater stability and flexibility, thereby enhancing scientific productivity and the chances for important breakthroughs.
Eligibility requires ESI status and an independent research appointment at a eligible institution.
Independent Research Appointment: If your institution defines your position as one that permits you to submit an NIH grant application as an independent principal investigator of a research project grant, then you may apply. If you are not in an independent position, as is true for most postdoctoral fellows and many NIH Career Development "K" Awardees, then you may not apply. Eligibility is not related to academic rank (Assistant vs. Associate Professor) or to having a tenure-track position.
Learn more about the NIH MIRA R35
Training-Related Programs (D series)
To provide training-related opportunities in research.
Learn more about the NIH Training-Related Programs (D series)
DP2 – Director’s New Innovator Award
To support early-stage investigators of exceptional creativity who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems in biomedical and behavioral research.
DP5 – NIH Early Independence Award
To support exceptional investigators who wish to pursue independent research directly after completion of their terminal doctoral/research degree or clinical residency, thereby forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period and accelerating their entry into an independent research career.
- DP5 Checklist
- DP5 Specific Aims Template
- DP5 Research Strategy Template
- DP5 Facilities and Other Resources Template
- DP5 Reference Letter Template
Individual Fellowships (F series)
To provide individual training opportunities (including international) to supported fellows at the undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral, and senior career levels