Office of Research

NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards (DP5 Clinical Trial Optional)

Limited Submissions

The NIH Director's Early Independence Award provides an opportunity for rigorous and promising junior scientists to accelerate their entry into an independent research career by forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period. Though most newly graduated doctoral-level researchers would benefit from post-doctoral training, a small number of capable junior investigators are ready  to launch independent research careers. The Early Independence Award is intended for these select junior investigators, who have already established a record of scientific innovation and research productivity and have demonstrated unusual scientific vision and maturity. Typical post-doctoral training would unnecessarily delay their entry into independent research. The NIH Director’s Early Independence Award also provides an opportunity for institutions to invigorate their research programs by bringing in fresh scientific perspectives of the awardees they host.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, investigators, at the time of application, must have received their most recent doctoral degree or completed clinical training within the previous fifteen months or expect to do so within the following twelve months. To be consistent with the NIH definition of Early Stage Investigators, eligible clinical training includes clinical residency and clinical fellowship. For full eligibility requirements, see Section III. Eligibility Information.

Application Instructions

Please submit:

  1. A one‐page letter of intent with a description of proposed aims and approach.
  2. If the final application requires a diversity statement or statement of broader impacts, please summarize your plans to address the specific requirements on an additional page.
  3. CV (not biosketch) of the PI.

to limitedsubs@uw.edu by 5:00 PM Wednesday, June 7, 2023. Proposals are due to the sponsor 9/6/2023, so you will need to have your materials in to the Office of Sponsored Programs by 8/25/2023 if given the go‐ahead by the Limited Submissions review committee.

Opportunity Details

Program web page

Program Announcement No.

RFA-RM-23-007

Deadlines
06/07/2023 UW Internal Deadline Closed
08/25/2023 OSP Deadline
09/06/2023 Sponsor Deadline
Sponsor

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Funding amount

$250,000 (in direct costs per year for up to 5 years.)

Maximum Number of Applications

2

Eligible groups
  • All campus

Inquiries and Contact Information

Investigators who identify a grant, award or fellowship program that restricts the number of applications that can be submitted from an Institution should immediately contact their Chairperson, Associate Dean for Research (or Dean, if no ADR) and the Office of Research (see below) if they intend to prepare a response. Failure to do so, or to meet the deadlines for submission of pre-proposal, will preclude submission of the application through the Office of Sponsored Programs.

For general inquiries, or to request a listing of a limited submission opportunity that should be but is not already listed, please email us at limitedsubs@uw.edu.