Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 27 062
The Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity number PAR-27-062, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) career development grant designed to support early-stage postdoctoral scholars through a structured period of mentored research and career development. The award is intended to provide up to three years of support, with a strong emphasis on building the recipient's scientific skills, research productivity, and long-term trajectory toward becoming an independent investigator in areas that align with the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers.
A central feature of the ACE K32 is its focus on early and intentional career planning. Applicants are expected to propose a rigorous research plan paired with a thoughtful, well-structured training and mentorship strategy. Unlike many research grants that heavily depend on prior results, this opportunity explicitly states that preliminary data are not required. The program is meant to encourage innovative ideas and high-potential directions, as long as the candidate lays out a credible plan for mentorship, skill development, and professional growth that supports their transition into independence. In practice, that means reviewers will pay close attention not only to the research concept, but also to how the mentorship team, training environment, and career development activities are designed to turn a promising postdoctoral scientist into a competitive future principal investigator.
The timing window for eligibility is tight and is meant to capture scholars at the earliest stages of postdoctoral training. Candidates must apply either up to one year before beginning their postdoctoral position or no later than two years after their postdoctoral training starts, and that limit includes resubmissions. This requirement pushes applicants to plan early and align their postdoctoral start, training goals, and research direction with a coherent application strategy. The overall intent is to support scholars while they are still forming their research identity and before they become too advanced in postdoctoral training to benefit from a structured career development award.
The "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed" designation means the award cannot be used to support an applicant who will lead an independent clinical trial as part of the K32 project. While NIH definitions can be nuanced, the practical takeaway is that the proposed work must not place the K32 scholar in the role of the person responsible for conducting and directing a clinical trial. Applicants considering patient-oriented research typically need to ensure their project fits within allowable human subjects research categories without crossing into running an independent trial, and they should confirm specifics in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and NIH policy guidance.
A broad range of U.S.-based organizations are eligible to apply as the applicant institution on behalf of the candidate. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses, but excluding non-small business categories only where stated), and various government entities such as state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and certain tribal governments and tribal organizations, as well as public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Even though many K-type awards are most commonly administered through universities and academic medical centers, the eligible applicant list signals that NIH is open to a variety of institutional settings as long as they can provide appropriate mentoring, resources, and a strong research training environment.
International eligibility is limited in the standard NIH way for many career development awards. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to be the applicant components. However, foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. In practical terms, that can enable certain kinds of international collaboration or specialized work conducted abroad, but the primary applicant organization and the core training and mentoring structure must be based in the United States and meet NIH requirements.
This opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, uses the grant funding instrument type, and falls under the health funding activity category. It is associated with CFDA numbers 93.121, 93.286, 93.398, 93.853, and 93.855, reflecting the involvement of multiple NIH program areas. The opportunity was created on 2026-05-27, and the original closing date is listed as 2029-07-12. The provided summary does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, so applicants would need to consult the NOFO for budget structure, allowable costs, and institute-specific participation details.
Overall, the ACE K32 is best understood as a mentored launchpad for high-potential postdoctoral scholars who are early in training and ready to articulate a clear scientific direction, a credible mentorship plan, and a deliberate set of career development goals. Its defining features are the early eligibility window, the emphasis on innovation and planning over preliminary data, and the structured support for becoming a productive, independent researcher in NIH-relevant fields, while excluding projects that require the scholar to lead an independent clinical trial.Apply for PAR 27 062
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.286, 93.398, 93.853, 93.855.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2029-07-12.
- 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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Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award (K32 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) - PAR-27-062: FAQs
What is the ACE Award (K32) under PAR-27-062?
The Academic Career Excellence (ACE) Award is an NIH mentored career development grant (K32) designed to support early-stage postdoctoral scholars through a structured period of mentored research and career development.
What is the main goal of this K32 program?
The program is intended to strengthen a candidate's scientific skills, research productivity, and long-term trajectory toward becoming an independent investigator in areas aligned with the missions of participating NIH Institutes and Centers.
How long can the ACE K32 provide support?
The opportunity is intended to provide up to three years of support.
Who is this opportunity designed for?
It is designed for early-stage postdoctoral scholars who are still forming their research identity and who would benefit from a structured, mentored period of research and career development.
When do I need to apply relative to my postdoctoral start date?
The eligibility timing window is tight: candidates must apply either up to one year before beginning their postdoctoral position or no later than two years after their postdoctoral training starts.
Do resubmissions count toward the eligibility timing limit?
Yes. The two-year limit after postdoctoral training starts includes resubmissions.
Are preliminary data required for the application?
No. The opportunity explicitly states that preliminary data are not required, and it is meant to encourage innovative ideas and high-potential research directions.
If preliminary data are not required, what will reviewers focus on?
Reviewers are expected to pay close attention to the rigor of the proposed research plan and, critically, to the training and mentorship strategy, the strength of the mentorship team, the training environment, and the overall career development plan for transitioning the candidate toward independence.
What does "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean for this K32?
It means the award cannot be used to support a project where the K32 scholar will lead an independent clinical trial as part of the K32 project. Practically, the proposed work must not place the candidate in the role of the person responsible for conducting and directing a clinical trial.
Can I propose human subjects research under this FOA?
The summary indicates that patient-oriented or human subjects research may be possible as long as the project does not cross into the scholar leading an independent clinical trial. Applicants are advised to confirm details in the full NOFO and NIH policy guidance.
What types of organizations are eligible to apply as the applicant institution?
A broad range of U.S.-based organizations are eligible to apply on behalf of the candidate, including public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and various government entities.
Which government entities are listed as eligible applicants?
The eligible list includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, certain tribal governments and tribal organizations, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities.
Do I have to be at a university or academic medical center to apply?
Not necessarily. While many K-type awards are commonly administered through universities and academic medical centers, the eligible applicant list indicates NIH is open to a variety of institutional settings as long as they can provide appropriate mentoring, resources, and a strong research training environment.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply.
Can a non-U.S. component of a U.S. organization be the applicant component?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to be the applicant components.
Are foreign components allowed at all?
Yes. Foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. This can enable certain forms of international collaboration or specialized work conducted abroad, while the primary applicant organization and core training/mentoring structure remain U.S.-based.
What type of funding mechanism is this opportunity?
It is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the grant funding instrument type.
What is the funding activity category?
The opportunity falls under the health funding activity category.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA numbers 93.121, 93.286, 93.398, 93.853, and 93.855.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2026-05-27.
What is the listed closing date?
The original closing date is listed as 2029-07-12.
Is an award ceiling or number of awards provided in the summary?
No. The provided summary does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
Where should applicants look for budget structure and allowable costs?
Applicants would need to consult the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for budget structure, allowable costs, and details on institute-specific participation.
What is the defining emphasis of the ACE K32 compared to many research grants?
The emphasis is on early and intentional career planning, a structured mentorship and training plan, and a credible pathway to independence, rather than relying heavily on prior results or preliminary data.
What is a practical way to think about the ACE K32?
It is best understood as a mentored launchpad for high-potential postdoctoral scholars who are early in training and ready to articulate a clear scientific direction, credible mentorship, and deliberate career development goals, while avoiding projects that require the scholar to lead an independent clinical trial.
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