Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 20 014
The NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5, clinical trial optional) is a competitive NIH grant designed for a small number of outstanding early career scientists who are ready to launch an independent research program immediately after finishing a terminal doctoral degree (for example, PhD) or completing postgraduate clinical training. The central idea is to let unusually prepared researchers skip the traditional postdoctoral period and move straight into an independent position where they can build and lead their own research agenda. As part of NIH's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program under the NIH Common Fund, the award emphasizes bold, potentially transformative work and prioritizes investigators with the talent and preparedness to thrive with early independence.
The program is intentionally broad in scientific scope. NIH welcomes proposals across the full range of topics that align with its mission, including behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences. Projects can be basic, translational, or clinical in nature, and the "clinical trial optional" label means applicants may propose research that includes a clinical trial, but a clinical trial is not required. This flexibility is meant to support diverse research paths, from fundamental discovery work to patient-oriented studies, as long as the application fits within NIH's overall health-related mission.
A major theme of the opportunity is strengthening and diversifying the research workforce. The announcement explicitly encourages applications that reflect the full diversity of the scientific community and invites candidates from diverse backgrounds, institutions, and geographic regions. It also signals openness to applications from a wide spectrum of eligible organizations, including institutions that serve groups historically underrepresented in biomedical research and organizations rooted in local communities. Examples called out include 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 and certain eligible federal agencies.
In terms of who can apply as an organization, eligibility is broad and spans many applicant types: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, other than higher education institutions), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), along with independent school districts and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Federally recognized tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations are also listed as eligible. The funding opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), falls under the health funding activity category, and is associated with CFDA number 93.310.
The announcement also clarifies boundaries around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, "foreign components" are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means portions of the research may be conducted outside the U.S. under specific rules and justification, even though the primary applicant organization must be eligible and not a foreign institution.
Administrative details from the source listing include the funding opportunity title "NIH Director's Early Independence Awards (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)," funding opportunity number RFA-RM-20-014, and a discretionary grant funding instrument. The original closing date shown is September 4, 2020, and the posting lists a creation date of May 21, 2020. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided text.Apply for RFA RM 20 014
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Directors Early Independence Awards (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-05-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-04. (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.
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FAQs: NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5, Clinical Trial Optional)
What is the NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5)?
The NIH Director's Early Independence Award (DP5, clinical trial optional) is a competitive NIH grant intended for a small number of outstanding early career scientists who are ready to begin an independent research program immediately after completing a terminal doctoral degree (for example, a PhD) or finishing postgraduate clinical training. The program is designed to support unusually prepared researchers who can move directly into independence rather than completing a traditional postdoctoral period.
What is the main purpose of this award?
The central purpose is to enable early career researchers who are exceptionally prepared to skip the typical postdoctoral stage and transition straight into an independent position where they can build and lead their own research agenda.
How does this award relate to NIH's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program?
This opportunity is part of NIH's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program under the NIH Common Fund. It emphasizes bold, potentially transformative research and prioritizes investigators with the talent and preparedness to thrive with early independence.
Is this award limited to a specific scientific field?
No. The program is intentionally broad in scientific scope. NIH welcomes proposals across the full range of topics aligned with its mission, including behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences.
What types of research projects are allowed (basic, translational, clinical)?
Projects may be basic, translational, or clinical in nature, as long as the work aligns with NIH's overall health-related mission.
What does "clinical trial optional" mean?
"Clinical trial optional" means applicants are allowed to propose research that includes a clinical trial, but including a clinical trial is not required. The program can support both patient-oriented studies and non-clinical research paths, provided the application fits NIH's mission.
Who is this award intended for at the individual level?
It is intended for outstanding early career scientists who are ready to launch an independent research program immediately after finishing a terminal doctoral degree (such as a PhD) or completing postgraduate clinical training.
Does this program support skipping a postdoctoral fellowship?
Yes. A defining idea of the program is enabling unusually prepared researchers to bypass the traditional postdoctoral period and move directly into an independent position.
Is NIH explicitly encouraging applications that promote workforce diversity?
Yes. Strengthening and diversifying the research workforce is a major theme of the opportunity. The announcement explicitly encourages applications reflecting the full diversity of the scientific community and invites candidates from diverse backgrounds, institutions, and geographic regions.
Are certain institution types specifically encouraged to apply?
Yes. The announcement signals openness to applications from a wide range of eligible organizations, including institutions that serve groups historically underrepresented in biomedical research and organizations rooted in local communities.
Which underrepresented-serving institutions are specifically mentioned as examples?
Examples listed include 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 included as examples of eligible applicants?
Yes. The description calls out faith-based or community-based organizations as examples of organizations rooted in local communities.
Are any federal agencies mentioned as potentially eligible?
Yes. The description references "certain eligible federal agencies" among the examples of organizations NIH is open to receiving applications from, subject to the eligibility rules stated in the opportunity.
What types of applicant organizations are eligible overall?
Eligibility is broad and includes: public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, and special districts). It also includes independent school districts and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
Are tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations are listed as eligible applicant types.
Can a non-U.S. (foreign) organization apply as the applicant?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.
Can a U.S. organization apply if it plans to run the project through a non-U.S. component?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization.
Are any forms of foreign involvement allowed at all?
Yes. "Foreign components" are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. This typically means portions of the research may be conducted outside the U.S. under specific rules and with appropriate justification, even though the primary applicant organization must be eligible and not a foreign institution.
Who administers this funding opportunity?
This funding opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the funding activity category associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under the health funding activity category.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.310.
What is the official title of the funding opportunity?
The title provided is "NIH Director's Early Independence Awards (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)."
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is RFA-RM-20-014.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The listing describes the award as a discretionary grant funding instrument.
What are the key dates shown in the source listing?
The source listing shows a creation date of May 21, 2020, and an original closing date of September 4, 2020.
Does the provided information specify the award ceiling?
No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided text.
Does the provided information specify the expected number of awards?
No. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided text.
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