BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required) | RFA MH 23 330

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 23 330

The BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00, Independent Clinical Trial Required) is an NIH funding opportunity designed to help outstanding postdoctoral researchers move more quickly and securely from a mentored postdoctoral role into an independent, tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position while building a strong, diverse neuroscience research workforce. It sits within the NIH BRAIN Initiative, so the expectation is that the proposed work aligns with BRAIN-relevant research areas and contributes to the program goals of advancing neuroscience through innovative approaches. A key emphasis of this specific K99/R00 is promoting diversity among independent investigators supported by NIH, aiming to strengthen the pipeline of researchers from diverse backgrounds who are positioned to lead competitive, independent programs.

This mechanism is structured as a two-phase career transition award. The first phase (the K99 mentored phase) supports the candidate while they are still in a postdoctoral training environment, typically allowing them to complete crucial skill-building, generate publishable results, and sharpen a focused research direction under mentorship. The second phase (the R00 independent phase) is intended to provide research support once the candidate secures an independent faculty position, helping them establish their own lab, build momentum, and compete effectively for subsequent major NIH grants. In practice, the overall purpose is to reduce the gap between postdoctoral training and true independence by providing continuity of NIH support across that transition.

As indicated by the title, this funding opportunity is the “Independent Clinical Trial Required” version of the K99/R00, which signals that the proposed research is expected to include a clinical trial component as NIH defines it for this announcement. Applicants generally need to ensure their research plan fits the FOA’s clinical trial expectations, including appropriate design, oversight, milestones, and human subjects protections where applicable. This is an important distinction because NIH separates K and other funding announcements by whether clinical trials are allowed, required, or not permitted, and selecting the correct FOA affects eligibility and review requirements.

Eligibility for applying organizations is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based entities that can serve as the applicant institution for the award, such as public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, eligible federal agencies, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, among others. The opportunity also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant types aligned with the diversity mission, including 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, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and certain tribal governments and organizations. At the same time, it clearly states that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, “foreign components” are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning parts of the work can be conducted internationally under NIH’s rules when justified, even though the primary applicant organization must be eligible and domestically based.

Administrative details from the listing include the agency (National Institutes of Health), the funding opportunity number (RFA-MH-23-330), the funding instrument (grant), and an original closing date of 2026-03-13. The opportunity is categorized under discretionary funding, and it is associated with multiple CFDA numbers reflecting NIH program areas (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867). The posted summary does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants typically need to consult the full FOA text for budget structure, allowable costs, duration of each phase, and institute-specific considerations. Overall, the program is meant to identify highly promising postdocs, support their development with structured mentored research, and then provide a bridge of NIH funding that helps them launch independent, BRAIN-aligned research careers in a way that directly advances diversity in the neuroscience investigator community.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-04-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-13. (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 RFA MH 23 330

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