Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 09 076
Apply for PA 09 076
- The National Institutes of Health in the education employment, labor and training health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award (K05)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 8, 2010 and posted on Jan 13, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education 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 Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award (K05) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) career development grant designed for accomplished, senior-level researchers who already have a strong track record of sustained, high-impact biomedical research. The central idea is to buy back a portion of the applicant's time so they can focus more intensively on research that aligns with the mission of the relevant NIH Institute or Center, while also taking on a significant mentorship role to help develop newer investigators. In practical terms, the award is meant to strengthen both sides of the scientific pipeline: it supports continued productivity from proven research leaders and formally reinforces their responsibility to guide and train the next generation of scientists.
This opportunity uses the NIH Senior Scientist Award (K05) mechanism, which is specifically oriented toward providing protected time rather than launching an entirely new research program from scratch. The emphasis is on enabling senior investigators to maintain momentum in an established, mission-relevant research area and to translate their experience into structured mentoring of early-career researchers. This fits within NIH's broader career development strategy, which aims to ensure the United States has a diverse and sufficiently large workforce of highly trained scientists spanning biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research fields. The award is therefore not only about individual achievement; it is also framed as a workforce and capacity-building tool to meet national research needs over time.
Funding levels and the number of awards are not fixed in the announcement. Instead, NIH indicates that both the total dollars awarded and the number of K05 grants issued will depend on two main factors: the scientific quality and overall merit of the applications received, and the availability of funds within the participating NIH components. This means the competition is driven heavily by the strength of the candidate, the research plan, and the mentorship plan, while the final volume of awards can fluctuate based on budget conditions and institute priorities.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that can sponsor research and training activities. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, state governments, U.S. territories or possessions, tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized and other tribal entities), and a range of mission-focused educational institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. The announcement also allows applications from small businesses and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), reflecting NIH's openness to supporting qualified senior investigators in a variety of institutional environments, provided the setting can support the proposed research and mentoring activities.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the areas of education/training and health, and it is associated with CFDA number 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs), indicating a linkage to NIH programmatic areas that may include substance use, addiction, and related biomedical research. The opportunity is identified by Funding Opportunity Number PA-09-076. It was originally posted on January 13, 2009, with an application closing date of January 7, 2012, and it was archived on February 7, 2012. Additional details and the full announcement were made available through the NIH Grants Guide at the provided link, with technical access support routed through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - NIH Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award (K05)
What is the Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award (K05)?
The Senior Scientist Research and Mentorship Award (K05) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) career development award intended for accomplished, senior-level researchers. Its core purpose is to provide protected time by buying back a portion of the awardee's effort so they can focus more intensively on mission-relevant research while also carrying out a significant, structured mentorship role for newer investigators.
What is the main goal of this K05 opportunity?
The main goal is twofold: (1) sustain and strengthen productivity from established research leaders in an ongoing, high-impact research area aligned with an NIH Institute or Center mission, and (2) formalize and reinforce the awardee's responsibility to mentor and help develop early-career researchers, strengthening the scientific pipeline over time.
Is this award meant to start a brand-new research program?
No. This K05 mechanism is specifically described as oriented toward providing protected time rather than launching an entirely new research program from scratch. The emphasis is on maintaining momentum in an established, mission-relevant research area.
What does "protected time" mean in the context of this award?
"Protected time" refers to institutional support, enabled by the grant, that reduces other obligations so the senior investigator can devote more time and focus to their NIH mission-aligned research and to structured mentoring activities.
Who is this award intended for?
This opportunity is designed for accomplished, senior-level researchers who already have a strong track record of sustained, high-impact biomedical research and who can demonstrate a meaningful mentorship role in developing newer investigators.
How important is mentorship in the K05 application?
Mentorship is a central component. The award is explicitly framed as supporting both continued research productivity and a significant mentorship role to help develop early-career researchers, reflecting NIH's broader workforce and capacity-building strategy.
How does this award fit into NIH's broader career development strategy?
The K05 is described as aligning with NIH's broader career development approach to ensure the U.S. maintains a diverse and sufficiently large workforce of highly trained scientists across biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research fields. It is framed as a tool for long-term workforce capacity building, not solely as recognition of an individual's research achievements.
Are the funding amount and the number of awards fixed?
No. NIH states that both the total dollars awarded and the number of K05 grants issued are not fixed and will depend on the scientific quality and overall merit of the applications received, as well as the availability of funds within participating NIH components.
What factors most strongly influence whether an award is made?
Based on the announcement description, competition is driven heavily by the strength of the candidate, the research plan, and the mentorship plan, with the overall number of awards also influenced by budget availability and institute priorities.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicant organizations include public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; state governments; U.S. territories or possessions; tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized and other tribal entities); and mission-focused educational institutions such as HBCUs, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, TCCUs, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.
Can small businesses or for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. The announcement allows applications from small businesses and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), provided the environment can support the proposed research and mentoring activities.
Are tribal organizations and tribal governments included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligible organization list explicitly includes tribal governments and tribal organizations, including federally recognized and other tribal entities.
Does the opportunity specifically mention minority-serving institutions?
Yes. The announcement highlights eligibility for a range of mission-focused educational institutions, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.279, identified as Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.
Does the CFDA number indicate a specific research area focus?
The listing of CFDA 93.279 indicates linkage to NIH programmatic areas that may include substance use, addiction, and related biomedical research, as reflected by the CFDA title provided in the opportunity description.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number provided is PA-09-076.
When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
The opportunity was originally posted on January 13, 2009. The application closing date listed is January 7, 2012. The opportunity was archived on February 7, 2012.
Is this opportunity still open for applications?
No. The announcement includes a closing date of January 7, 2012 and states it was archived on February 7, 2012, indicating it is no longer open under the archived posting.
Where were the full details of the announcement made available?
Additional details and the full announcement were made available through the NIH Grants Guide at the link referenced in the opportunity description.
Who provides technical access support for the NIH Grants Guide listing?
Technical access support is routed through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact, as noted in the opportunity description.
How is this opportunity categorized administratively?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity in the areas of education/training and health.
What is the practical impact of this award on a senior investigator's role?
In practical terms, the award is intended to help a proven research leader devote more time to mission-aligned research while also formalizing a significant mentorship responsibility to guide and train newer investigators.
Does NIH guarantee a certain number of awards each year under this announcement?
No. NIH explicitly notes that the number of awards depends on application merit and available funds within participating NIH components, meaning the number can fluctuate with budget conditions and institute priorities.
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