NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 301

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 301

The NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), Funding Opportunity Number PAR-21-301, is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant mechanism designed to help talented postdoctoral fellows (or individuals in comparable early-career research positions) make the jump into independent faculty-level roles. Its central goal is to support the transition to an assistant professor position (or an equivalent appointment) and provide a structured pathway for launching a sustainable, independent biomedical research career. In practical terms, this opportunity is meant to bridge the gap between mentored postdoctoral training and running an independent research program, with an emphasis on strengthening and diversifying the cancer and biomedical research workforce.

This is a discretionary grant (Funding Instrument: Grant) in the Education and Health activity area, listed under CFDA 93.398, and administered by the National Institutes of Health. A key restriction is built directly into the title: independent clinical trials are not allowed under this specific K22 announcement. That generally means the proposed work must not include leading an independent clinical trial as defined by NIH policy. Applicants typically need to ensure their research plan fits within non-clinical-trial parameters (or otherwise aligns with NIH definitions that keep the project outside the scope of an independent clinical trial).

Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Academic institutions are eligible, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Tribal entities are included as well, such as federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity is also open to nonprofit organizations (both those with 501(c)(3) status and those without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education), as well as for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses. The listing also includes an “Others” category, reflecting NIH’s typically expansive institutional eligibility framework.

The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types that align with the program’s diversity-focused purpose. These include Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); faith-based or community-based organizations; eligible federal agencies; regional organizations; Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized groups; and U.S. territories or possessions. These categories signal a clear intent to encourage participation from institutions that serve historically underrepresented communities and to broaden the range of settings where promising investigators can establish independent research careers.

At the same time, the opportunity includes strict restrictions related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. In addition, foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. Taken together, these rules mean the applicant organization must be U.S.-based and the proposed work cannot rely on foreign components under NIH definitions.

The opportunity was created on 2021-09-10, and the original closing date listed is 2024-09-07. The notice does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided source data, so those details would need to be confirmed in the full funding announcement or related NIH documentation. Overall, PAR-21-301 is best understood as a career-transition award aimed at helping postdoctoral researchers move into independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) roles and build a durable research program, while reinforcing NCI’s commitment to promoting diversity in the biomedical research enterprise and keeping projects within a non-independent-clinical-trial scope.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.398.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-09-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-07. (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 PAR 21 301

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