Early Careers

Funding opportunities for early career investigators are available from the following sponsors:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH) FIRST Awards - The purpose of the FIRST award is to provide a sufficient period of research support for newly independent, biomedical and behavioral science investigators to initiate their own research and demonstrate the merit of their own research ideas. FIRST awards provide support for five years to permit the newly independent investigator to establish his or her own research program and make significant and innovative contributions to laboratory or clinical biomedical or behavioral research. To be eligible for a FIRST award, the proposed PI must be genuinely independent of a mentor, yet be at the beginning stages of his or her research career, i.e., have no more than five years of research experience since completing postdoctoral research training or its equivalent. Total direct costs for the five-year period may not exceed $350,000. The direct cost award in any budget year should not exceed $100,000.
  Deadline: February 1, June 1, October 1

• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Independent Scientist Awards - The K02 award provides three, four, or five years of salary support and protected time for newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus as a means of enhancing their research careers.  Because the nature and scope of the proposed K02 award program will vary from application to application and the amounts provided are not uniform. It is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary.
  Deadline:  February 12, June 12, October 12

• National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Development Awards - The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of his or her organization.  Activities should build a firm foundation of leadership in integrating education and research.
  Deadline:  July 21, 22, 23