RFA for ITMAT K12 Mentored Career Development Award

The ITMAT K12 Mentored Career Development Award program ensures each scholar engages in an individualized, comprehensive, flexible research training and career development experience. Visit the program page to learn more.

The K12 program is intended for investigators early in their research careers who are progressing toward independent NIH funding. ​​Ideal candidates are later stage postdoctoral fellows or early faculty who can take full advantage of and benefit from the career development program in clinical and translational science.

Successful past applicants include individuals completing fellowship or post doctoral training who are starting initial instructor or faculty appointment and need protected time and further career development prior to being ready to submit their K award. The K12 has also supported scientists working towards submitting their first R01. 

• Scholars must have a research or health-professional doctoral degree or its equivalent and a faculty appointment as of June 1, 2027, inclusive of Assistant Professors within the first 3 years of their faculty appointment, Instructors, & Research Associates.
  
  
• Scholars must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Additional details on citizenship requirements are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
  
  
• Non-surgical specialties scholars are expected to devote a minimum of 9 person-months (75% of full-time professional effort) during the appointment on the K12 award. Surgical specialties can have less than 9 person-months, but no less than 6 person-months (50%), protected time for this program, if sufficiently justified and programmatically approved.
  
  
• Please see the FAQ section on this page for additional information about eligibility and restrictions for appointment or reappointment. This information is guided by NCATS K12 Eligibility Requirements.

Eligible Research Projects

• Appropriate research projects should be translational in nature, including translation of discoveries into human experimentation and implementation into clinical practice.
• Note: Projects involving human subjects research will require prior NIH approval before the study can begin.  

All information and documents will be submitted in the application system. 

Required Materials

• Research Statement
  • Specific Aims (1 page limit)
  • Research Strategy (6-page limit)
    • A sound research project consistent with the candidate's level of research development and objectives of the career development plan must be provided. The research description should demonstrate the quality of the candidate's research thus far, the novelty, significance, creativity and approach, as well as the ability of the candidate to carry out the research.
    • The application must also describe the relationship between the mentor's research and the candidate's proposed research plan.
    • Research Strategy should be organized in three sections: Significance, Innovation, Approach
  • Research Budget (1 page limit)
    • Resources for creating your budget
    • There is not a specific required format for the budget.
    • The award provides $25,000 per appointment year for allowable research expenses.  Depending upon the scholar’s needs, these funds may be utilized for research expenses such as supplies, equipment, technical personnel, or tuition.
       
• Video Recording
  • Applicants will be required to record and submit a video providing a compelling vision of the proposed research. The purpose of the video is to provide reviewers with an understanding of your project and your vision for how the program will support both your scientific and career development goals. Use of slides in your video is permissible. The video may not exceed 5 minutes.
    
    
• NIH Biosketch
  • NIH Biosketch instructions and samples
     
• Other Funding Support
  • In the Funding Section of the application, enter any planned grant submissions, pending, or confirmed funding awards in the section provided.  
     
• Personal Statement (3-page limit):
  • Candidate Background
    • Describe the candidate's commitment to a health-related research career. Describe all the candidate's professional responsibilities in the grantee institution and elsewhere and describe their relationship to the proposed activities on the career award.
    • Describe prior training and how it relates to the objectives and long-term career plans of the candidate.
    • Describe the candidate's research efforts to this point in his/her research career, including any publications, prior research interests and experience.
    • Provide evidence of the candidate's potential to develop into an independent investigator.
  • Career Goals and Objectives
    • Describe a systematic plan: (1) that shows a logical progression from prior research and training experiences to the research and career development experiences that will occur during the career award period and then to independent investigator status; and (2) that justifies the need for further career development to become an independent investigator.
  • Candidate’s Plan for Career Development/Training Activities During Award Period
    • The candidate and the mentor(s) are jointly responsible for the preparation of the career development plan.  A career development timeline is often helpful.
    • The didactic and the research aspects of the plan must be designed to develop the necessary knowledge and research skills in scientific areas relevant to the candidate's career goals.
    • Describe the professional responsibilities/activities including other research projects beyond the minimum required 75% full-time professional effort commitment to the career award.  Explain how these responsibilities/activities will help ensure career progression to achieve independence as an investigator.
• Primary Mentor's NIH biosketch and other support

Letters of Support will be requested in the References section of the application

• Three Letters of Support Required
  • Primary Mentor, Institutional Support (Department Chair or Division Chief), and a third letter from an additional mentor or collaborator.
  • Letter requests will be sent via the application system.  These may be sent at any time and do not require that other elements of your application be uploaded.
  • Applicants should communicate with their letter writers to let them know they will receive requests with instructions to upload letters from the application system.
  • Co-Research Mentors are welcome to submit a combined letter with both signatures, but one mentor will need to upload.
     
• Primary Mentor Letter Guidelines (2-page limit - share these guidelines with your Primary Mentor)
  • • The commitment to mentor the candidate
    • The suitability of the candidate education objectives for stated career goals
    • The feasibility and relevance of stated area of research to be undertaken during the program to include:
      • The resources available to complete the research
      • The availability of collaborative relationships that may be required to undertake the research question
    • Mentor's prior experience mentoring translational research trainees
       
• Institutional Commitment - Department Chair/Division Chief Letter Guidelines (2-page limit - share these guidelines with your letter writer)
  • • How the applicant’s experience and research align with goals of the K12 mentored career development award and how the proposed research is relevant to department or division research goals
    • Commitment of the division/department to the scholar’s research direction and career goals
    • Guarantee of 75% protected time for the scholar *for surgical specialties, 50% is acceptable* during the K12 training period.
    • Given recent change in NIH policy, we are requesting this LOS articulate a willingness to provide up to an additional 12 months of matching salary support and protected time in the event that the scholar has not received an alternative source of funding at the conclusion of the K12.
    • Detail all other resources and funding available to support the applicant; for funding; include # of years of support available (dept support, other grant funding, etc. - please be specific.)

1. Create an account and begin a new application.
2. For Degree Type select "Non-Degree"
3. For Program select  "ITMAT K12 Program"
4. Proceed to complete the remaining elements of the application at your own pace.

ITMAT Education Faculty and Administration are glad to connect with interested applicants throughout the year. 

One-to-one application support is available!  Contact us and we'll be glad to discuss your potential application or questions.  In addition, we've created a list of FAQs available on this page.

• Can I have other active applications pending for NIH mentored career development awards (e.g. K08, K23)?
  • You may have them under review when you apply, and should indicate this in your application, but you may not have them under review at the time of appointment to the K12; please discuss your plans with us to navigate this timeline. The official NCATS statement on this is included here as well.
  • At the time of appointment, scholars must not have a pending application for any other PHS mentored career development award (e.g., K07, K08, K22, K23, F99/K00) that duplicates any of the provisions of the K component. Former or current PDs/PIs on any major NIH research project grant (RPG; https://grants.nih.gov/grants/glossary.htm) [this does not include smaller NIH research grants and awards https://grants.nih.gov/grants/glossary.htm, or equivalent non-PHS peer reviewed grants  or project leaders on sub-projects of Program project (P01) or center grants (P50) are NOT eligible to participate as scholars.
• What program requirements are attached to the funding award?
  • Appointees are required to participate in all aspects of the K12 Program.  
• Am I required to enroll in a master’s degree program?
  • No, you are not required to enroll in a master’s degree program; we ask that you propose an education program tailored to your needs in your application, which may or may not include a master’s degree program; contact us to discuss options that best suit your interests.
• Is the K12 a NIH Mentored Career Development Award?
  • Yes, this Institutional Mentored Career Development Award is awarded to Penn by the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS).
• Will this award impact total years of support eligiblity for future K applications?
  • Many NIH institutes limit total mentored K award support years. As a best practice, always contact the PO at the relevant institute. They can clarify institute-specific policies and help tailor your application.
• How many funding slots are available?
  • The K12 has 9 funding slots each year.  For 2027,  3 slots are currently available for appointment.  Depending on transition of current scholars, additional slots may become available.
• Does the appointment have to start on 6/1/27?
  • Yes. Occasionally we will consider an exception for a later start date; contact us to discuss your situation.
• Is 75% effort toward the grant required?
  • Yes. However, clinicians in surgical specialties may request less effort for the specific purpose of maintaining specialty clinical competency skills. These applicants may request a minimum of 50% effort in their application. A strong justification for the reduced level of effort must be included.
• What is the application timeline?
  • Applications are due December 1 - including all letters of support;  Applicants may be selected for virtual interviews.
  • Applicants selected to interview will meet with up to 4 interviewers virtually in January.
• If appointed to the K12, when can I submit my individual or independent award?
  • K12 scholars can submit their Individual mentored K awards after appointment to year two of the K12, as a pending application would make them ineligible for reappointment for a second year. Scholars with questions about this timeline should contact Program Administration to discuss before any submission is made.
• What about submitting/receiving other funding awards?
  • The program requests that scholars consult with program administration prior to submission to ensure the award would not be in conflict with NIH regulations.

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