NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22) | PAR 17 069

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 069

The NCI Transition Career Development Award to Promote Diversity (K22) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) career development grant program run through the National Cancer Institute (NCI), specifically the Diversity Training Branch (DTB) within the Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD). Its central goal is to help postdoctoral researchers make a strong, supported jump into a first independent faculty role (typically assistant professor or an equivalent position) and to begin building a sustainable, independent cancer research program. The program is explicitly focused on improving diversity in the biomedical workforce by supporting scientists from backgrounds that are underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and/or social sciences.

A key feature of this K22 is that it provides "protected time" for awardees, meaning dedicated, funded effort that allows the recipient to focus on establishing their research trajectory rather than being pulled primarily into other duties. The opportunity provides salary and research support for up to three years, giving recipients a runway to generate early results, publish, compete for future grants, and put the foundational pieces in place for a longer-term independent research career. In practical terms, the award is meant to bridge the vulnerable career stage between postdoctoral training and stable independence, where lack of dedicated funding and time can derail promising investigators, especially those who have historically faced barriers to advancement.

The eligible applicant organizations are broad and include many types of U.S.-based 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 multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as independent school districts. Tribal eligibility is also included, covering federally recognized Native American tribal governments and certain tribal organizations. The announcement also calls out additional eligible institutional categories that align with the diversity mission, 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), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, there are clear restrictions related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In other words, the applicant organization and the work supported under this award must remain within allowable U.S.-based institutional structures, without foreign components embedded in the proposed project.

In the source listing, the opportunity is identified as PAR 17-069, categorized as a discretionary grant with activity in the education and health space (CFDA 93.398). The posting lists an original closing date of 2017-11-20 and a creation date of 2016-12-06. While the summary information provided does not specify a dollar cap (award ceiling is not stated) or the expected number of awards, the emphasis of the announcement is less about a fixed budget amount and more about the structure of support: three years of salary plus research support designed to help a postdoc transition into an independent cancer research position and build an initial program with a strong chance of long-term success.

• 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)" 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 2016-12-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-11-20. (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 17 069

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: