NIDCD Research Career Enhancement Award for Established Investigators (K18 Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required) | PAR 24 142

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 142

The NIDCD Research Career Enhancement Award for Established Investigators (K18) is an NIH funding opportunity designed for investigators who already have a strong, proven research track record but want to substantially expand, refresh, or redirect their programs. The central idea is career enhancement rather than launching a brand-new independent career: it supports established researchers in gaining new research skills, methods, or expertise that will let them pursue new questions or approaches tied to NIDCDs mission areas. Those mission areas include hearing and balance, smell and taste, and communication sciences such as voice, speech, and language. This particular announcement is labeled as requiring independent basic experimental studies with humans, which signals that proposed work must involve human participants in a basic experimental framework and should be planned with the expectations NIH places on that type of human research.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the National Institutes of Health under the activity category of Health, with CFDA number 93.173. The funding opportunity number is PAR-24-142, and the opportunity was created on February 8, 2024. The listed original closing date runs through May 7, 2027, indicating a multi-year window during which applications can be submitted under the terms of this program announcement.

Eligibility is broad across many types of US-based organizations. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and a range of nonprofit entities (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories). The announcement also allows for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses, as well as other applicant types as defined by NIH. In addition, the opportunity explicitly highlights other eligible applicant groups such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible agencies of the federal government, regional organizations, and US territories or possessions. It also notes eligibility for Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized, alongside federally recognized tribal governments included in the general eligibility list.

Restrictions related to foreign involvement are spelled out clearly. Non-domestic (non-US) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-domestic components of US organizations are not eligible to apply either. At the same time, the announcement allows foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a US applicant organization may be able to include certain foreign elements within a project when justified and compliant with NIH policy, even though a foreign organization cannot be the direct applicant.

In practical terms, this K18 mechanism is meant to help an established investigator deliberately invest in acquiring capabilities they do not currently have, so they can address NIDCD-relevant research questions in a more powerful or novel way. Rather than simply funding a continuation of an existing line of work, the program emphasizes skill acquisition and meaningful research program evolution within the hearing, balance, chemosensory, and communication science domains.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCD Research Career Enhancement Award for Established Investigators (K18 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): 93.173.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2027-05-07.
• 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 PAR 24 142

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