Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program Si2/R00 | PAR 17 254

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 254

The Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program (Si2/R00), listed under NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement PAR-17-254, is a discretionary grant opportunity designed to strengthen the pipeline of independent clinical researchers at the early stages of their careers. The central goal is to provide support for research activities that help promising clinician-scientists establish themselves as independent investigators, build a sustainable research trajectory, and advance clinically oriented research that aligns with NIH mission areas. In practical terms, the program is positioned as a career-accelerating mechanism for early-stage independent clinical researchers by providing structured support during a critical transition period when investigators are moving from mentored development into fully independent research leadership.

This opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is categorized under the broad funding activity area of education and health-related research (with additional listed activity categories spanning environment, food and nutrition, income security, and social services, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of NIH portfolios and the multiple CFDA listings tied to the participating NIH Institutes and Centers). The funding instrument type is a grant. While the source data does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, it does indicate that the FOA was created on April 11, 2017, with an original closing date of August 25, 2017, which is important for understanding that this particular posting reflects a specific historical application window even if similar program announcements may be reissued in later years.

Eligibility for applying organizations is broad and includes many standard U.S.-based applicant types that NIH commonly allows, such as state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicants that NIH encourages or recognizes as important partners in the research ecosystem, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); eligible federal agencies; faith-based or community-based organizations; regional organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; and Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized. Taken together, this reflects an intent to keep the applicant pool inclusive across institutional types, including organizations serving historically underrepresented communities, while still maintaining NIH standard grant governance and research capacity expectations.

At the same time, the FOA is strict about foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, including foreign organizations and foreign institutions, are not eligible to apply. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. The announcement further states that foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. This means applicants must structure projects so that the primary applicant organization, project leadership, and supported research activities remain entirely within eligible U.S.-based organizational settings, without foreign subcomponents that NIH would classify as a foreign component under its policy definitions.

The opportunity is associated with a wide set of CFDA numbers (now often referred to as Assistance Listing numbers), including 93.113, 93.172, 93.233, 93.242, 93.279, 93.361, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.398, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.856, 93.865, and 93.867. The presence of many listings generally indicates that multiple NIH Institutes and Centers may participate or that the program is administratively linked to several NIH funding authorities, which can matter for applicants trying to align their scientific focus with the most relevant NIH Institute or Center expectations.

In short, PAR-17-254 describes an NIH grant mechanism focused on supporting early-career independent clinical researchers through the Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program, with broad U.S.-based organizational eligibility that explicitly includes a wide range of higher education institutions, governments, nonprofits, and community-based entities, while prohibiting foreign applicants and foreign components.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, environment, food and nutrition, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Lasker Clinical Research Scholars Program Si2/R00" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113, 93.172, 93.233, 93.242, 93.279, 93.361, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.398, 93.399, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.855, 93.856, 93.865, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-04-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-08-25. (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 PAR 17 254

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