NIOSH Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01)

The NIOSH Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01), opportunity number RFA-OH-27-078, is a forecasted federal grant opportunity administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Assistance Listing is 93.262, Occupational Safety and Health Program, and the funding activity category is Health. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health supports this career development award to strengthen the future occupational safety and health research workforce by mentoring junior investigators as they transition from postdoctoral training toward independent research careers and the pursuit of independent R01 funding. The K01 grant is intended to provide protected time for a supervised career development experience in occupational health and safety research. Applicants are expected to justify why mentored research support is needed and explain how the proposed support will enhance their independence as investigators. The source specifically emphasizes mentoring junior investigators during the critical transition from postdoctoral training to independent research funding. The opportunity is a discretionary grant. The forecast identifies an estimated total program funding amount of $500,000, an award floor of $50,000, an award ceiling of $100,000, and five expected awards. No cost sharing or matching requirement applies. Eligible applicants include independent school districts, county governments, special district governments, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, state governments, city or township governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, small businesses, for profit organizations other than small businesses, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education, and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education. Non-domestic entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also ineligible, and foreign components as defined by the HHS Grants Policy Statement are not allowed. Applicants may, however, include collaborators or consultants from foreign institutions, subject to applicable federal laws and policies. The opportunity is currently a forecast rather than a posted application opportunity. It was forecast on September 1, 2026 and was last updated on September 1, 2026. The estimated posting date is November 30, 2026. The source states that electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm ET on the applicable due date. It provides an initial estimated application due date of January 29, 2027, followed by October 26, 2027, October 31, 2028, October 30, 2029, and October 29, 2030. These listed future deadlines establish recurring application cycles. No letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, notice of intent, or other pre-application gating requirement is identified in the provided forecast. The forecast does not provide detailed application forms, narrative questions, required uploads, review criteria, scoring criteria, or other application components. Accordingly, those requirements cannot yet be established from the supplied material. Applicants should base preparation on the stated program purpose: demonstrating the need for a mentored research experience and describing how the support would advance research independence. No additional allowable cost rules, indirect cost limitations, subaward limitations, or detailed performance period are stated in the supplied forecast. For the first listed cycle, the estimated award date is September 1, 2027 and the estimated project start date is September 30, 2027. The fiscal year is 2027, and the forecast lists an archive date of October 30, 2030. Scientific program questions may be directed to Eduardo O'Neill at eoneill@cdc.gov or 404-718-8844. Because the opportunity remains forecasted, application mechanics and detailed requirements may be supplied or revised when the opportunity is formally posted.

Applicants should clearly justify why a mentored research experience is needed and explain how the proposed support will enhance their independence as occupational safety and health researchers, consistent with NIOSH's emphasis on the transition from postdoctoral training toward independent R01 funding.