1. An Insider’s View: Writing Your Successful NIH Application
Roger Sorensen, Ph.D., MPA
Chief, Integrative Neuroscience Branch
Division of Neuroscience and Behavior
National Institute on Drug Abuse

2. NIH Program Staff: Your Guide to Scientific Success
Talk to a Program Official

3. Program Official [aka Program Director or Project Officer]
Responsible for the programmatic, scientific, and technical aspects of a grant
Talk to a Program Official

4. Benefits of Contacting: Contact a Program Official
Two most important reasons:
Develop a relationship with a potential program official
Program Officials have the inside scoop on all things NIH
Talk to a Program Official

5. Developing Research Applications
How the Program Official Can Help:
Direct you to appropriate program contact
Recommend appropriate grant mechanism
For your need
For your stage of career
Identify FOAs and application due dates
Critique draft research grant proposals
Answer all questions:
NIH grant policies
Peer review process
Talk to a Program Official

6. NIH Grant Award Mechanisms
K08
F31
R03
T32
K23
R43

7. NIH Funding Programs Support Scientists at Every Stage of Their Career
Stage of Scientific Career
Grant Support Mechanism
GRADUATE/
MEDICAL
STUDENT
Predoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32)
Predoctoral Individual NRSA (F31)
Predoctoral Individual MD/PhD NRSA (F30)
POST
DOCTORAL
Postdoctoral Institutional Training Grant (T32)
Postdoctoral Individual NRSA (F32)
NIH Pathway to Independence (PI) Award (K99/R00)
Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01)
Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08)
Mentored Patient-Oriented RCDA (K23)
Mentored Quantitative RCDA (K25)
EARLY
Research Project Grant (R01)
RPGs are appropriate for any stage of your independent research career.
Independent Scientist Award (K02)
Small Grant (R03)
CAREER
MIDDLE
Midcareer Investigator Award in
Patient-Oriented Research (K24)
Exploratory/Develop-mental Grant (R21)
SENIOR
*Graph represents a small sample of NIH funding mechanisms available.

8. Stage of Scientific Career
Graduate/Medical Student

9. Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA)
Goal:
To develop a diverse pool of highly trained scientists … in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to carry out the Nation’s biomedical and behavioral research agenda.
To provide funding for individualized training experiences for promising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows
US citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents
Supports pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training

10. Predoctoral NRSA Fellowships
Mechanism
Purpose
Duration
Allowable Cost
Guide Notice
F30
to support combined MD/PhD performing dissertation research and training
up to 6 yrs
Stipend- $23,376
Tuition & fees- up to $21K
Training related- $4,200 PA PA
F31
to support doctoral candidates performing dissertation research and training
up to 5 yrs
Tuition & fees- up to $16K PA
Diversity PA

11. Stage of Scientific Career
Postdoctoral Fellow

12. Postdoctoral NRSA Fellowship
Mechanism
Purpose
Duration
Allowable Cost
Guide Notice
F32
to support promising postdoctoral scientists with the potential to become productive, independent PIs
Up to 3 yrs
Stipend- $43,692 - $57,504
Tuition & fees- up to $4,500
Training related- $8,850 PA

13. NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00)
The purpose is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented, NIH-supported, independent investigators.
This program is designed:
to facilitate a timely transition of outstanding postdoctoral researchers from mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions, and
to provide independent NIH research support during the transition that will help these individuals launch competitive, independent research careers.

14. K99/R00: A Two Phase Award K99 Phase (1-2 years) –mentored phase
K99/R00 Pathway to Independence
K99/R00: A Two Phase Award
K99 Phase (1-2 years) –mentored phase
Obtain additional research training
Advice on establishing research independence
Salary: Institute-specific [up to $90,000/year salary, NIDA]
Research Expenses: Institute-specific [up to $50,000/year, NIDA]
R00 Phase (3 years) –independent phase
Awarded after obtaining an independent tenure-track or equivalent position
Requires 75% effort toward all research activities
Up to $249,000/year total costs [direct and indirect]
NIH programmatic review: Transition to R00 Phase is contingent upon:
Offer of a tenure-track position
Competitive start-up package
K99 phase progress and R00 research plans

15. K99/R00 Pathway to Independence
K99/R00 Eligibility
You can NOT have more than 4 years of postdoctoral research training at the time of initial application, or subsequent resubmission
Research or clinical doctoral degree
Have not received an independent research grant (R01, R03, R21) or other individual mentored K award
U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens
Both the K99 and R00 Phases must be awarded at U.S. institutions – can have foreign component

16. Stage of Scientific Career
Junior Faculty Member

17. Mentored Career (K) Awards:
K01, K08, K23
To provide support and protected time to continue training and conduct research, in order to transition to an independent researcher.
Pursuing a new research area that warrants additional mentored research experience; or in need of substantial augmentation of current skills
In need of three, four, or five years of mentored support
Can devote a minimum of 75% of full-time professional effort
Appropriate and committed mentor(s)
Appropriate and feasible training, career development, and research plans
Goal to pursue NIH R01

18. Mentored Career Development Awards
K01
K08
K23
K99
Purpose
Individuals with doctoral degree;
supervised career development in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences leading to research independence
individuals with clinical doctoral degree; supervised career development in biomedical and behavioral research, including translational research
individuals with clinical doctoral degree; supervised career development focused on patient-oriented research
facilitate a timely transition from a mentored postdoctoral research to an independent (faculty) research position and independent research support
Budget
salary research expenses, travel, statistics
K99: $90K plus research expenses R00: $249K total costs
Project Period
3-5 years
K99: 2 years R00: 3 years
Renewable no
Foreign Inst
Eligibility
citizen; non-citizen national; permanent resident
also: visa for K99 and/or R00 phases
Other
never had major grant: eg. R01, P01, sub-projects
4 years postdoc

19. POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS K99 Award Other Mentored K Awards
K99/R00 Pathway
to Independence
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
K99 Award
Apply while in your postdoctoral position
Have no more than 4 years of postdoctoral research training
Assists in your job search
Have non-citizen [visa] status
Other Mentored K Awards
As a postdoc, your institution must allow you to submit an application
Need to have faculty status at the time of the award
Apply only if not eligible to apply for the K99

20. Stage of Scientific Career
Faculty Member

21. Research Project Grants
Purpose
discrete, specified, circumscribed research projects
builds on current knowledge
small research projects, including pilot and feasibility studies;
secondary analysis
of existing data;
development of research methodology and new technology
exploratory and developmental research projects in early and conceptual stages;
may involve some risk but may lead to breakthrough in field or other methods
or technical developments with major impact on field
small-scale research projects to expose students to meritorious research projects and strengthen the institution research environment;
institution not major recipient of NIH funding
Budget
as appropriate
$50K/year
$275K/entire
$300/entire
Project Period
5 Years
2 years
3 years
Renewable
yes no
NI/ESI Status
Foreign Inst

22. Which Grant Mechanism: Review Criteria
Career Development Awards
Research Grants
Candidate
Investigator(s)
Mentor(s), Co-Mentor(s), Consultant(s), Collaborator(s)
Innovation
Career Development Plan/Career Goals & Objectives
Significance
Research Plan
Approach
Environment & Institutional Commitment
Environment

23. There is not a CLEAR HYPOTHESIS, or WELL DEFINED GOALS
# 1 Concern
There is not a
CLEAR HYPOTHESIS, or
WELL DEFINED GOALS
Provide a focused hypothesis, objectives
Describe the importance and relevance of your problem
Be clear on how your project will move the field forward
Ask yourself, “SO WHAT?” 23

24. The SPECIFIC AIMS do NOT TEST the Hypothesis,
# 2 Concern
The SPECIFIC AIMS do NOT TEST the Hypothesis,
The SPECIFIC AIMS DEPEND on results from previous aims
The best proposals are those with independent specific aims (goals) that address your hypothesis (objectives) using different approaches 24

25. The Proposal is OVERLY AMBITIOUS
# 3 Concern
The Proposal is
OVERLY AMBITIOUS
Set realistic goals for the requested budget and project period you propose
It should be clear that the proposed experiments can be completed within the project period 25

26. NIH Program Staff: Your Guide to Scientific Success
Don’t Forget

27. Contact Info:
Roger Sorensen
Chief, Integrative Neuroscience Branch
Division of Neuroscience and Behavior
National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA]
Phone:

28. THANK YOU 28