Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 - Independent Clinical Trial Required) | PA 20 171

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 20 171

The NIH Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 - Independent Clinical Trial Required), PA 20-171, is a discretionary NIH grant mechanism designed to help newly independent researchers strengthen and accelerate their research careers by creating a sustained period of focused, protected research time. The central goal is career development at the independent stage: the award is meant for scientists who have already launched into independence but who can make a strong case that additional dedicated time and support will substantially increase their ability to produce high-impact work and become leaders in their field. In practice, the K02 functions as a bridge that protects a significant portion of the investigator's effort so they can concentrate on research and career-enhancing activities rather than being pulled heavily into competing demands.

A key defining feature of this specific FOA is the clinical trial expectation. It is intended for applicants who will serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a distinct ancillary clinical trial as part of their overall research and career development plan. In other words, this announcement is not for someone who simply wants exposure to clinical trials by working on a trial run by another principal investigator, and it is not for applicants who are not proposing an independent trial component. If the applicant's plan does not include leading an independent clinical trial (or includes participating in a trial led by someone else), NIH directs those applicants to use a companion FOA that matches that non-independent-trial scenario. This distinction matters because it shapes the application expectations around trial leadership, scientific responsibility, and the scope of the proposed clinical research.

The support provided under the K02 is structured around both time and salary. The award typically offers three to five years of salary support and protected time, specifically so the recipient can pursue an intensive, coherent research agenda and the professional development activities that support long-term independence. NIH emphasizes that the program should be tailored to the individual candidate, which means reviewers will look for a clear, personalized plan that explains what the investigator needs at this stage, why protected time is essential, and how the combination of research activities and career development components will translate into measurable career growth and scientific contribution. The overall intent is not simply to fund a project, but to enable the scientist to expand their trajectory and sustain productivity as an independent investigator.

Eligibility is broad and spans many types of U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicant organizations include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education where applicable); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; and other organizations as allowed by NIH. The FOA also calls out additional categories that are explicitly included, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, as well as eligible federal agencies and faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it is clear about non-U.S. participation: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. However, foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed, which means certain elements of the work can be carried out internationally under NIH's foreign component rules as long as the applicant organization itself meets the domestic eligibility requirements.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is run by the National Institutes of Health and uses the grant funding instrument type. It falls under a health-related funding activity category and is linked to multiple CFDA numbers (93.113, 93.121, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.866), reflecting participation across different NIH institutes and centers. The FOA was created on April 23, 2020, and the listed original closing date in the provided data is May 7, 2024. No award ceiling or expected number of awards is specified in the source data you provided, which is typical for some NIH FOAs where budgets and award counts can vary by institute, applicant pool, and fiscal year priorities.

Overall, this K02 announcement is best understood as a career-focused award for early-stage independent scientists who need protected time to deepen and expand their research program, with the specific requirement that the applicant will personally lead an independent clinical trial-related effort (a full trial, feasibility study, or ancillary trial). The application, therefore, needs to convincingly integrate a strong independent research plan with a practical and well-justified career development strategy, all aligned to the responsibilities and regulatory realities of being the lead investigator on a clinical trial.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 - Independent Clinical Trial Required)" 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, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-04-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-07. (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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