Strategic Planning for Career Development Award Grant Proposals

Strategic Planning for 

Career Development Award 

Grant Proposals 

Janet Gross, PhD 

Grants Tutorial Director 

Office of Postdoctoral Education 

December 2, 2010

Objectives 

1. What is a Career Development Award? 

2. Should I write a CDA – personal and professional 

issues? 

3. Overview of the NIH K-series CDA 

4. Preparing a CDA application using the K award as a 

model 

5. Learn about a NIH reviewer’s experience 

6. Learn about a candidate’s experience

Panel Presentation 

Janet Gross, PhD – grants specialist 

James Zimring, MD, PhD – Reviewer for NIH K Awards; Associate 

Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine 

 

 

What is involved in a mentoring plan for a CDA grant 

Reviewing the K grants 

Wendy Hassenkamp, PhD – NIH K99/R00 applicant Oct 2010; 

Postdoctoral fellow in Emory’s Scholars Program in Interdisciplinary 

Neuroscience Research; Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry 

 

 

Experiences in writing the K99 

Communicating with the NIH before submitting the proposal

Goal of a Career Development Award 

 

 

 

Preparation to transition to independence as a 

biomedical, public health and/or health sciences 

researcher 

Mentored vs. non-mentored 

Academic career stepping stone

You must excel in Grant Writing 

Excellent research idea + excellent mentoring team 

Careful attention to detail – research, training, writing 

Salesmanship - persuasive writing 

Beautiful presentation – don’t tax the reader 

Can be tedious, boring, frustrating 

Like filing taxes, mistakes are costly

Issues in considering a CDA: 

• Personal 

• Professional 

• General

1. Eligibility – Yes or No? 

• Citizenship 

 

of the NIH K awards, only the K99/R00 allows for non-citizens 

• Academic degree, experience 

 

NIH K awards are for basic scientists (K01, K99), clinicians (K23), 

engineers (K25), etc. 

• Years post degree or post training 

 

Some K awards have 5 year Postdoc rule – check carefully 

• Academic rank or job title 

 

 

Postdoctoral fellow vs. faculty position 

Tenure track or not (each institute has its rules)

2. Assess Your Competitiveness 

• Publication record 

 

 

>1 first author publication, preferably experimental research, in 

your current field, related to the aims of the K 

Published with your mentor(s) 

• Biosketch that shouts “I’m on the career path to 

becoming a (NIH) funded independent investigator” 

 

 

Personal Statement states this explicitly 

Track record is the evidence 

• Other professional activities - awards, invited 

presentations, co-I, association memberships, etc.

3. Seek Advice and Guidance 

• Mentoring is key in a CDA 

 

 

 

Who is promoting you and your career? 

Mentoring vs. pseudo-mentoring 

Who will help you determine if this is the right time for a CDA and 

help you develop the Candidate Plan and Research Plan 

• Do you have Departmental support for resources as well as 

the balance of funds needed - salary, materials 

• Who needs to know that you are submitting a grant?

4. Research Ideas Research Plan 

• A mentored CDA requires training in an area where you 

are currently not a recognized expert 

NEW laboratory methods, analytical methods, modeling schemes, 

 

comparative systems, new animal models, etc. 

Coursework 

• Can’t be ‘business as usual’; not an extended postdoc; not 

funding for your PI to support a postdoc 

• Hypothesis-driven work is highly valued 

• If you are already an expert in what you are proposing, you 

won’t fulfill the criteria of a CDA. 

Branch out in a new exciting direction

5. Know Your Departmental Procedures 

 

Get permission from your department to submit grant a 

proposals 

Non-NIH (0-8%) ≠ NIH rates (8%) 

 

 

 

Is your department ready to support you as an independent 

researcher? 

Promotion issues - postdoc vs. faculty 

Tenure track issues (with the funder and the department)

6. Contact the Funder 

Have you contacted the appropriate NIH I/C? 

• Confirm your eligibility 

Years experience, citizenship, etc. 

• Have you received verbal or written feedback about your 

research ideas? 

• Are your research ideas and training plans responsive to 

the goals and mission of the funding agency? 

• Each PA has a Table of Institute and 

Center Contacts

7. Grantmaker’s (i.e., Funder) Attitude ≠ 

Grant Writer’s Attitude 

Funders are in the business of giving grants 

Best possible portfolio of funded research 

Share credit for discoveries, treatments, outcomes 

Cultivate you as an advisory, researcher, reviewer, etc.

Overview of the NIH 

Career Development 

Award 

K-series

Purpose of the NIH K CDA 

 

 

To provide the “core resources and protected time” to 

develop independent research programs (>75% protected 

time) 

Typically 3-5 years, salary support plus research funds (all 

funds vary by NIH institute/center and award) 

Expected Outcomes within 3-5 years: 

− Preliminary data, presentations, peer-reviewed publications 

− RO1 (or similar) grant submission 

− Other research-based awards 

− Career in (academic) research

Which K is for me? 

K Kiosk - One Stop Shop for NIH CDAs 

http://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm 

Program Announcements (PA) and FOA 

Special interest funding = Request for Applications (RFAs) 

Funding information, due dates, link to instructions, etc. 

Success Rates

Program Announcements (PA) 

There is a specific Parent PA for each K award 

Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01) 

http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-056.html 

NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00) 

http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-063.html

Mentored 

Postdoc 

Only 

Postdoc or 

Faculty 

Who is this for? 

K99/R00 * • biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences 

• mentored + independent 

• no citizenship requirement 

K01 * biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences 

K08 * clinical degree 

K23 * clinical degree 

K25 * quantitative/engineering background 

Other 

K02 Faculty only • newly independent scientist 

• salary only 

K07 * special criteria 

K22 * Career Transition Award

Career Path for a K25 – 

Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award 

Training to date 

• PhD electrical & 

computer engineering 

• Postdoc neurology/ 

neuroscience 

Mentored CDA 

5 yr K - neurology, 

neuroscience, 

advanced 

computational 

systems 

Independent 

academic 

researcher 

in computational 

intelligence in 

biomedical 

science

Career Path for a K01- 

Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award 

Training to date 

• PhD biochemistry 

• Postdoc immunology 

• CCFA research fellowship 

Mentored CDA 

Independent 

academic 

researcher 

in complex diseases 

of the immune 

system focusing on 

the intestine 

5 yr K: 

adaptive immunology 

T cell biology

Citizenship Recap 

No Citizenship Restrictions 

NIH K99/00 

Many non-NIH CDAs, Young Investigator Awards, 

Fellowships 

NIH R21* Exploratory/developmental award 

NIH R03* small grant program 

* R level grants are for faculty equivalent positions

Success rates for K grants at the NIH I/C 

NIH Publications on funded K’s, success rates, trends, etc. 

The Research Workforce > Trends in Research Career Development 

(K) Awards 

http://report.nih.gov/nihdatabook/Default.aspx?catid=16 

Be realistic about your chances 

At some I/C’s resubmission funding rates are > 50% 

http://www.report.nih.gov/success_rates/index.aspx

Research Career Development Awards 

Number of entry-‐level awards 

NIH Extramural Data Book – last update May 2008 

Data provided by the Division of Information Services, Reporting Branch

If at first you don’t succeed .... 

RESUBMIT

Grant Writing for a 

CDA 

Using the NIH K 

Award as a Model

Grant Writing 101 

Review a funded proposal - do not be naïve 

Contact the funder - is your science fundable? 

Coaching - have a plan, have a partner 

Strategic plan for your proposal - what is yours? 

Timeline - time allocation & priorities 

Confidence in your plan - convey your enthusiasm 

“Arm’s Length” approach to reading your own work - leave plenty 

of time for editing, rewriting & rewriting 

Ask others to read and critique your work

Mechanics 

Finding the K package 

Decoding the details 

K Kiosk Program Announcement guidelines: 

http://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm 

SF424 (R&R) Application and Electronic Submission Information: 

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm

Follow All Directions! 

 

 

You must follow the very specific, idiosyncratic directions you are given 

Guidelines may present a challenge - worth reading > 3 times - (Read All of 

Me - long and boring but if you don’t, you’ll make lots of mistakes) 

Be very careful in the Special K section (Section 7). 

 

There may appear to be inconsistencies, conflicts, etc. 

 

 

Call funder for clarification!!! There is no stupid question. 

Mistakes in written guidelines can happen.

K REVIEW CRITERIA 

MOST IMPORTANT 

- all must be at least EXCELLENT to receive funding 

- any one of these with a fatal flaw will result in NO SCORE 

1. Candidate 

2. Career Development Plan - Career Goals & Objectives, Plan 

to Provide Mentoring 

3. Research Plan 

4. Mentors, Co-mentors, Consultants & Collaborators 

5. Environment and Institutional Commitment to the Candidate

Within 12 

page limit 

Within 12 

page limit

Required narrative sections for the K 

(goes in PHS398 page) 

Introduction 

1. Introduction to resubmission (1 page max.) 

Candidate Information (within 12 page limit) 

2. Candidate’s Background 

3. Career Goals and Objectives 

4. Career Development/Training Activities During the Award Period 

5. Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research 

6. Mentoring Plan (n/a for K01, K08, K23, K25, K99) 

Statements of Support (6 page limit) 

7. Statements by mentor, co-mentor, consultants, contributors 

Environment and Institutional Commitment to Candidate (see page limits) 

8. Description of Institutional Environment 

9. Institutional Commitment to Candidate’s Research Career Development 

Research Plan 

10. Specific Aims (1 page max.) 

11. Research Strategy (new format; within 12 page limit)

Suggestions for writing: 

Candidate Information 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Speak” to the reviewer - not written in manuscript or research plan style 

First person is ok but don’t be “folksy” or “chatty” 

Reflect on your personal experiences as a scientist and where this award 

will take you 

Place to show passion for your research and your career 

Make a case for your personal career path - describe your contribution to 

the field and your anticipated contributions 

Strike a balance between confidence and enthusiasm 

Build a case for your career development with substance (enthusiasm + 

research plan + mentoring team + zeal for future discovery) and not just 

past credentials

Timeline

Career Development Timeline 

TRAINING OR PROJECT COMPONENT 

K99 – Mentored 

ORIGINAL RESEARCH 

R00 - Independent 

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 

Specific Aim 1: Activatable nanoparticles XXXX XX 

Specific Aim 2: Miniaturized and flexible spectral device XX XXXX XX 

Specific Aim 3: Spectral device integration with endoscopy XXXX XXXX XX 

Specific Aim 4: Endoscopy in large animals XX XXXX 

MENTORING PLAN 

Group and Individual Meetings: Nie, S. Singhal, S. XXXX XXXX 

Surgical Shadowing and Consultation: S. Singhal XX XX 

Nanotechnology Training: S. Nie, L. Yang XXXX XXXX 

Photonics, Instrumentation Training: S. Nie, 

K. Carron, M. Russell 

XX XXXX 

PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS 

NCI Alliance in Nanotechnology XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

American College of Surgeons XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

American Association for Cancer Research XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION 

Anal. Chem., PNAS, JACS XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

GRANT PROPOSAL PREPARATION 

Foundation – ACS, Komen, Avon XX XXXX XX 

R21 – Pilot grants; expand cancer types XXXX XX 

RO1 – New probes, grants with collaborators XXXX XXXX

Figure 2. K23 overall timeline for the training and research plan.

7. Statements by mentor, co-mentor, 

consultants, contributors 

Overall Objective: How the award will enhance the development of the 

candidate’s research career – this defines the CDA. You cannot be 

funded if you have a lukewarm Mentor’s section. 

Key Points: 

1. Nature and extent of supervision - how will the mentor oversee, guide, 

supervise your research and your career development 

2. Source and support for mentor’s research and other activities (mentor 

must have ongoing support for research – preferably NIH grants – for the 

duration of your K) 

3. Mentor’s commitment to candidate’s development 

4. Candidate’s teaching load, other responsibilities 

5. Mentor’s previous experience as a mentor

8. Description of the Institutional 

Environment 

• Must complement Facilities and Other Resources (4.4.9) and 

your career goals 

• Identify key personnel and resources available to you to perform 

your research and develop your career particularly outside your 

lab 

• Mention other Core support, CDC, RSPH, SOM, Yerkes, Vaccine 

Center, etc. 

• Show the richness of the environment 

• There will be redundancy across sections and this is ok 

• This does not need to be particularly creative – see other grants

9. Institutional Commitment to the Candidate’s 

Research Career Development 

VERY IMPORTANT 

i. Introduction - Ask your department for an example of this section 

 

 

Documentation (on letterhead) of the department’s commitment of resources 

and development of candidate independent of the receipt of the CDA 

A minimum of 75% of the candidate’s time will be protected and devoted to research 

outlined in this career development award proposal - DO NOT OMIT THIS 

ii. Agreement - Check for all elements of agreement outlined in sub a, 

b, and c. 

iii. 

Signatures

Research Plan 

10. Specific Aims – limited to 1 page, not part of 12 

11. Research Strategy – within 12 page limit 

a) Significance 

b) Innovation 

c) Approach 

Bibliography and References Cited get uploaded at 

4.4 Other Project Info Component

Resource for writing the Specific Aims 

section of the Research Strategy 

http://www.grantcentral.com/ 

Free instructions pdf for: 

SPECIFIC AIMS SECTION: CREATE A BULLET OUTLINE

COMMON MISTAKES 

 

Scope of the Research Plan 

 

 

Overly ambitious for time allotted 

Too unfocused or too broad 

 

Resources not adequately explained 

 

Lab does not have established techniques, models related to your training and 

research goals 

 

Insufficient collaborative support or supervision 

 

 

Mentor’s experience is insufficient 

Mentor’s role is not adequately explained


- Mentoring/Training Plan 

 

 

 

 

 

Plan lacks cohesiveness 

Plan is not personalized, too generic 

Plan is too brief 

Plan doesn’t include future research or mentored career training 

Plan doesn’t speak to transitioning to independence towards the end of 

the mentoring period


- Experimental Design 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hypothesis is ill-defined, lacking, faulty, diffuse 

Methodology is questionable, unsuited or flawed 

Data collection procedures are not clear 

Time line is unclear or overly ambitious 

Data management plan is unclear 

Is the statistical analyses section adequate? Will the analytic techniques 

yield the anticipated outcomes? Is there an analytic plan?

Budget issues 

 

Account for 100% salary 

 

 

 

Will your salary exceed that provided by the K award (big issue for 

faculty and for clinicians)? 

What % is from K award 

What % is from department/clinic/teaching 

 

 

You must devote at least 75% effort to the award for research activities 

You must list and describe all other activities to total 100% effort

How long will it take for me to write a 

CDA? 

Probably longer than you think or want.

Some Recommendations for 

Time Management

10-18 months to go….. 

Develop specific aims and training plan 

Plan out preliminary data 

Collaborate with main mentor to develop training plan 

and identify additional members for a mentoring team 

Find and study examples of successful CDAs in your field


Attend my 3 session K tutorial 

Confirm mentoring team 

Mentor 

Co-mentor 

Contributors 

Be clear with mentoring team the goals of the project and 

their role/commitment and especially their job situation 

Try to convene at least one advisory team meeting (even 

a conference call) before the proposal is too far along

5 months to go….. 

De-bug your specific aims and research plan 

Finalize all preliminary data 

Begin writing rough draft for 

Candidate Background 

Career Goals 

Substantial development of Mentor section and Activities 

During Training Award sections

5 - 7 months to go….. 

Shop for the right funder in earnest 

Identify and correspond with the appropriate Program Officer 

Be a good consumer 

Who funds your mentor? Get advice from this PO as well


Review your specific aims with mentoring team 

Do you have confirmation from NIH Program Official that 

1. you are a good candidate for this award 

2. your aims correspond with the emission of the funder

5 months to go….. 

Study the Program Announcement thoroughly 

Study the SF424R&R guidelines thoroughly 

Take my 3 session tutorial 

Outline who will write which sections (you will do 99% of 

the work including mentor’s sections) 

What sections can’t you complete now? 

Identify all the helpers – grants administrator, budget 

helper, departmental chair, division chief, etc. 

What will they all need and when? 

Who is writing Institutional Commitment to Candidate’s 

Research Career Development (Chair’s letter)

~ 4 months to go….. 

Start writing, editing, rewriting all sections 

Identify 3 people who will write letters of recommendation 

for you 

called Referees in the application

~ 2 months to go….. 

Keep writing, editing, rewriting 

Seek an external review of your full 13 page proposal 

(Candidate Information + Specific Aims + Research 

Strategy)

~ 1 month to go….. 

Refine, edit, refine, edit 

Check up on letters of recommendation (you will be 

notified via eRA commons when they are received and 

posted to your account/grant)

~ 3 weeks to go….. 

Route proposal (with assistance from your department) 

Submit early (i.e., at least 48 hrs before the due date) 

You have 48 hours to make corrections (but not beyond the 

due date) 

Warnings vs. errors (get help on this) 

Check eRA commons for communication regarding your 

proposal

Finding Funding: 

How do I look for other 

funding opportunities?

Online Database Searches 

http://www.osp.emory.edu/links/funding/index.cfm 

Community of Science (COS) 

 

Better for private foundations and restricted searches 

Restricting nationality, educational background 

Illinois Researcher Information Service (IRIS) 

 

Better for federal funding searches 

Foundation Directory http://web.library.emory.edu/ 

 

Limited access to funding in the sciences but excellent foundation 

information; Excellent “text” word search capability; Can search grants as 

well as grant makers 

GrantsNet 

 

 

http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/funding 

Grants and Funding searchable database 

Select ‘non-US citizen’ for grants

Electronic Alerts – email that tells you there 

is a grant opportunity in your field 

1. COS Funding Alert service – COS Workbench 

2. IRIS Alert Service 

3. GrantsNet 

4. Professional Associations 

5. NIH websites 

• I/C Newsletters, funding for training, special RFA’s 

• Fogarty website for non-NIH opportunities in global health 

6. www.grants.gov 

• Find grant opportunities, subscriptions to newsletters, alerts

Great search engine 

career development awards 

young investigator cancer

More Resources 

http://www.4researchers.org/topics/832 

 

Excellent resource for behavioral and social sciences, approaching the 

NIH, all kinds of miscellany 

NIH I/C website links for Career Development, Young 

Investigators 

NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT) 

website http://report.nih.gov/ 

Professional Association websites

SOM’s Office of Postdoctoral Education 

Grant Writing Tutorial Program 

http://www.med.emory.edu/postdoc/CurPostdoc/types_of_career_development_new.cfm

Summary 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think critically – reviewers want to see that you think like a 

scientist 

Complete all sections carefully - avoid careless errors 

Have others read your work - ask for critical comments not 

just a cursory review 

Get feedback on the research plan from experts 

Review the Mentor’s section carefully – you are the PI 

Build in time to reflect on your own product; read your own 

work “at an arm’s length”

Good Luck! 

o Stay calm - avoid careless errors 

o Manage Your Time Well 

o Investment in Your Future - not just a grant proposal 

o Be confident, sound confident

Strategic Planning for Career Development Award Grant Proposals

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