Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) | PA 20 173

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 20 173

The NIH Independent Scientist Award (K02) under PA-20-173 is a discretionary grant program designed to help newly independent researchers strengthen and accelerate their careers by giving them sustained, protected time to focus intensely on research. The core idea is career development through stability: the award provides three to five years of salary support so the scientist can devote a significant portion of their effort to advancing a coherent research direction, building a stronger body of work, and increasing their long-term impact in their field. Unlike project-only mechanisms, the K02 is explicitly about supporting the investigator at a key stage when they are establishing independence and may benefit most from concentrated research time.

This particular parent funding opportunity announcement is specifically meant for independent basic experimental studies with humans, which NIH classifies as a type of clinical trial even when the purpose is basic science. In practical terms, it is for prospective studies where human participants are assigned to different conditions and the researcher actively manipulates an independent variable, then measures biomedical or behavioral outcomes. The distinguishing feature is intent: the research is aimed at understanding fundamental mechanisms or phenomena rather than testing a specific applied intervention, product, or clinical process. NIH links this category to the framework described in NOT-OD-18-212 (prospective basic science studies involving human participants), meaning applicants should be prepared to meet NIH clinical trial requirements while still framing the work as basic research.

The FOA is not a fit for everyone considering a K02. If an applicant is not proposing to lead an independent clinical trial or basic experimental study with humans, or if they are mainly seeking experience on a clinical trial led by another investigator, NIH directs them to the companion K02 announcement labeled "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed." This distinction matters because NIH uses it to route applications to the right review expectations and compliance requirements, and applicants need to pick the correct FOA based on whether they will be independently directing a qualifying human experimental study.

Applications must align with the missions and programmatic interests of one or more participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs). In other words, even if the candidate and career plan are strong, the proposed research area needs to clearly fit within an ICs scientific priorities for NIH to consider it responsive and fundable. The activity category listed for this opportunity spans education, environment, and health, reflecting the broad range of NIH basic science interests as long as the work fits an IC mission.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based institutions and organizations. Eligible applicants include many types of domestic entities such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and a wide range of government bodies (state, county, city/township, special districts, independent school districts), as well as federally recognized Native American tribal governments and certain tribal organizations. The FOA also highlights additional eligible categories that NIH often calls out explicitly, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, there are clear limits around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, foreign components are allowed when they meet NIH Grants Policy Statement definitions, which generally means a U.S. applicant can include certain foreign elements in the project if well justified and compliant, even though a foreign institution cannot be the primary applicant.

The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health, was created on April 23, 2020, and lists an original closing date of May 7, 2024 in the provided record. It is cataloged under multiple CFDA numbers (93.113, 93.121, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.866), reflecting that multiple NIH components may participate depending on scientific alignment. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided listing, which is common for NIH career development mechanisms where actual budgets and award counts depend on institute-specific policies, congressional appropriations, and the quality and volume of applications received.

Overall, this K02 FOA supports a newly independent scientist who needs structured, multi-year protected time and salary support to deepen a basic science research program that experimentally involves human participants. It is best suited to investigators ready to lead their own human experimental study that meets NIH clinical trial criteria while pursuing fundamental, mechanism-focused questions rather than immediate clinical application.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Independent Scientist Award (Parent K02 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans 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.

Apply for PA 20 173

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