Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 19 124
The Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), NIH funding opportunity number PA 19-124, is a discretionary grant program aimed at bringing established quantitative scientists and engineers more directly into NIH-relevant biomedical, behavioral, and health-related research. The core idea is to support productive professionals whose prior work has been primarily rooted in quantitative or engineering disciplines, but not yet centered on questions of human health and disease. Through this award, NIH is essentially investing in the transition of these researchers into health-focused research careers by giving them structured mentorship, formal and informal training, and protected time to build the domain knowledge and collaborations needed to apply their technical expertise to health problems.
A defining feature of this K25 mechanism is that it is a mentored career development award. Rather than funding an independent research program immediately, it supports a period of supervised study and research under the guidance of an experienced mentor (or mentoring team). The expectation is that the candidate will use this mentored period to expand their understanding of biomedical and clinical context while adapting or extending quantitative methods to address NIH-relevant questions. The announcement explicitly highlights backgrounds such as mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering, reflecting NIH's interest in methods development and cross-disciplinary innovation that can improve how health and disease are measured, modeled, understood, predicted, or treated.
This specific parent FOA is tailored for applicants who are not proposing to lead an independent clinical trial. It is designed for research plans that do not involve serving as the lead investigator for an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial. However, it still allows a candidate to gain clinical trial-related experience if that work is conducted within a trial led by the mentor or co-mentor. In other words, you can be involved in clinical trial research as part of your training and research experience, but you cannot be the person responsible for leading the trial under this particular FOA. Applicants who intend to lead a clinical trial or ancillary clinical trial as the primary investigator are directed to apply to the companion FOA that permits that structure.
Eligibility for applicant organizations is broad and reflects NIH's typical institutional landscape for grants. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, and special district), federally recognized Native American tribal governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. The FOA also calls out additional eligible applicant types such as 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), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it draws a clear boundary around foreign applications: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. That said, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning parts of the proposed project may involve foreign collaborations or activities when justified and structured consistent with NIH policy, even though the applicant institution itself must be domestic.
From an administrative perspective, the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health, and the funding instrument is a grant. The activity category is listed under education, health, income security and social services, consistent with the career development and training emphasis of K awards. The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (now generally referred to as Assistance Listing numbers), including 93.121, 93.173, 93.233, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.855, 93.865, and 93.866, reflecting that various NIH Institutes and Centers may participate and support K25 awards across different mission areas. The opportunity record shows an original closing date of May 7, 2020, and a creation date of December 20, 2018; award ceiling and expected awards are not specified in the provided source data.
In practical terms, the opportunity is best understood as a bridge for quantitatively trained researchers to become competitive, health-focused investigators by combining their technical strengths with a mentored plan for developing biomedical expertise, an NIH-relevant research direction, and a trajectory toward research independence. The program prioritizes the integration of rigorous quantitative or engineering methods into health and disease research while placing clear limits on independent clinical trial leadership under this particular announcement.Apply for PA 19 124
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - 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): 93.121, 93.173, 93.233, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.855, 93.865, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-12-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-07. (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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PA 19-124)
What is the Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)?
The Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25) is an NIH discretionary grant program that supports a mentored career development period for established quantitative scientists and engineers who want to shift their research focus toward NIH-relevant biomedical, behavioral, and health-related questions.
What is the funding opportunity number (FOA) for this program?
The NIH funding opportunity number is PA 19-124.
What is the main goal of this award?
The core goal is to help productive professionals whose work has been primarily in quantitative or engineering disciplines transition into health-focused research careers. NIH supports this transition by providing structured mentorship, training (formal and informal), and protected time to build biomedical domain knowledge and collaborations needed to apply quantitative expertise to health problems.
Who is this award intended for?
This K25 mechanism is intended for established quantitative scientists and engineers whose prior work has not yet centered on questions of human health and disease, but who are ready to adapt or extend their technical expertise to NIH-relevant health research with mentorship and training.
What kinds of backgrounds does the FOA highlight as relevant?
The announcement explicitly highlights backgrounds such as mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, imaging science, informatics, physics, chemistry, and engineering, reflecting NIH interest in cross-disciplinary methods development and innovation for health and disease research.
Is this an independent research award or a mentored award?
It is a mentored career development award. It is designed to support a period of supervised study and research under the guidance of an experienced mentor or mentoring team, rather than immediately funding a fully independent research program.
What is the role of mentorship in this K25 program?
Mentorship is central to the mechanism. The candidate is expected to carry out a structured mentored period, using guidance from an experienced mentor (or mentors) to deepen biomedical and clinical understanding while developing NIH-relevant research applications of quantitative or engineering methods.
What is meant by "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed" in this FOA?
This parent FOA is for applicants who are not proposing to lead an independent clinical trial. The research plan should not involve the candidate serving as the lead investigator for an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or an ancillary clinical trial under this award.
Can a K25 candidate get clinical trial experience under this FOA?
Yes. Clinical trial-related experience is allowed if it occurs within a clinical trial led by the mentor or co-mentor. In that setup, the candidate can participate as part of their training and research experience, but they cannot be the person responsible for leading the trial under this specific FOA.
What if an applicant wants to lead a clinical trial as the primary investigator?
If the candidate intends to lead a clinical trial or an ancillary clinical trial as the primary investigator, they are directed to apply to the companion FOA that permits that clinical trial leadership structure (rather than this "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed" parent FOA).
What does NIH expect the candidate to do during the mentored period?
The expectation is that the candidate will use the mentored period to expand their understanding of biomedical and clinical context while adapting or extending quantitative methods to address NIH-relevant questions. The overall trajectory is toward becoming a competitive, health-focused investigator with increasing research independence.
What types of research contributions does NIH seem to prioritize for K25 candidates?
The program prioritizes integrating rigorous quantitative or engineering methods into health and disease research, including innovations that improve how health and disease are measured, modeled, understood, predicted, or treated.
What is the sponsoring agency and what type of funding instrument is used?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the funding instrument is a grant.
What is the activity category associated with this opportunity?
The activity category is listed under education, health, income security and social services, consistent with the career development and training emphasis of K awards.
What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicant organizations include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses.
Are minority-serving institutions and similar organizations included in eligibility?
Yes. The FOA explicitly calls out eligibility for 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).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible applicants.
Are federal agencies or regional organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA includes eligible federal agencies and regional organizations among eligible applicant types.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible applicant organizations?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed as eligible applicant organizations.
Can a non-U.S. (foreign) organization apply as the applicant institution?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization under this FOA.
Are foreign collaborations allowed at all?
Yes. "Foreign components" (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. This means parts of the proposed project may involve foreign collaborations or activities when justified and structured in a way that is consistent with NIH policy, even though the applicant institution itself must be domestic.
Which Assistance Listing (CFDA) numbers are associated with this FOA?
The FOA is associated with multiple CFDA (Assistance Listing) numbers: 93.121, 93.173, 93.233, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.855, 93.865, and 93.866.
Why are there multiple Assistance Listing (CFDA) numbers listed?
The multiple listings reflect that various NIH Institutes and Centers may participate and support K25 awards across different mission areas.
What are the key dates shown in the opportunity record?
The opportunity record shows a creation date of December 20, 2018, and an original closing date of May 7, 2020.
Does the provided information specify the award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. Based on the provided source data, the award ceiling and expected awards are not specified.
In plain terms, how should applicants think about this opportunity?
This opportunity functions as a bridge for quantitatively trained researchers to become competitive, health-focused investigators. It supports a mentored plan to gain biomedical expertise, develop NIH-relevant collaborations, and establish a trajectory toward research independence, while placing clear limits on independent clinical trial leadership under this particular FOA.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: Virtual Reality Tools to Enhance Evidence Based Treatment of Substance Use Disorders (R43/R44 - Clinical Trial Optional)
Previous opportunity: Surgical Disparities Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PA 19 124
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PA 19 124) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 19 126 Funding Number: PA 19 126 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 19 129 Funding Number: PA 19 129 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 19 135 Funding Number: PAR 19 135 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Accelerating the Pace of Child Health Research Using Existing Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (R21-Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 19 163 Funding Number: PAR 19 163 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks Laboratory Centers (UM1 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA AI 19 001 Funding Number: RFA AI 19 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HIV Prevention Clinical Trials Network Leadership and Operations Center (UM1 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA AI 19 005 Funding Number: RFA AI 19 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks Statistical and Data Management Centers (SDMC) (UM1 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA AI 19 002 Funding Number: RFA AI 19 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| U.S.-South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research - Phase 2 (HIV/AIDS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA AI 19 022 Funding Number: RFA AI 19 022 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| U.S.-South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research - Phase 2 (HIV/AIDS) (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA AI 19 023 Funding Number: RFA AI 19 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Tools to Facilitate High-Throughput Microconnectivity Analysis (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 20 135 Funding Number: RFA MH 20 135 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Secondary Analysis and Archiving of BRAIN Initiative Data (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 20 120 Funding Number: RFA MH 20 120 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Brain Initiative: Research to Develop and Validate Advanced Human Cell-Based Assays To Model Brain Structure and Function (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 20 140 Funding Number: RFA MH 20 140 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| "Clinical Trials" on a Chip: Tissue Chips to Inform Clinical Trial Design and Implementation in Precision Medicine (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA TR 19 014 Funding Number: RFA TR 19 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Proof of Concept Development of Early Stage Next Generation Human Brain Imaging (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA EB 19 001 Funding Number: RFA EB 19 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Development of Next Generation Human Brain Imaging Tools and Technologies (U01 Clinical Trial not allowed) Apply for RFA EB 19 002 Funding Number: RFA EB 19 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Science of Behavior Change (SOBC) Resource and Coordinating Center (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA AG 20 024 Funding Number: RFA AG 20 024 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Non-Invasive Neuromodulation - New Tools and Techniques for Spatiotemporal Precision (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA MH 20 310 Funding Number: RFA MH 20 310 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Clinical Sites for the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 2 (UG1 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA OD 19 026 Funding Number: RFA OD 19 026 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Small Research Grants for Analyses of Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Data (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 19 375 Funding Number: PAR 19 375 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 19 376 Funding Number: PAR 19 376 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PA 19 124", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.