Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging
Can you apply?
This grant is for early-stage physician and health professional investigators with demonstrated commitment to aging and aging-related disease research. Applicants must have received competitively awarded research support as a Program Director/Primary Investigator (PD/PI) at the faculty level. They must show evidence of leadership in clinical or research domains.
The grant supports research and career development in aging and geriatrics. It prepares investigators to assume leadership roles and advance theory, practice, and health outcomes for older adults. This is a mentored K award focused on emerging leaders who have already established independent research programs.
Applicants should begin developing collaborations and projects now. The NIH will announce the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) with detailed requirements. Applications are not currently being solicited.
Key dates
- Nov 24, 2025 Applications open
- Jun 13, 2026 Application deadline in 11 days
- Apr 13, 2027 Award announced
- Apr 13, 2027 Project start
This grant is for early-stage physician and health professional investigators with demonstrated commitment to aging and aging-related disease research. Applicants must have received competitively awarded research support as a Program Director/Primary Investigator (PD/PI) at the faculty level. They must show evidence of leadership in clinical or research domains.
The grant supports research and career development in aging and geriatrics. It prepares investigators to assume leadership roles and advance theory, practice, and health outcomes for older adults. This is a mentored K award focused on emerging leaders who have already established independent research programs.
Applicants should begin developing collaborations and projects now. The NIH will announce the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) with detailed requirements. Applications are not currently being solicited.
Program description
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that uses the NIH Emerging Leaders Career Development Award to administer the Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging program. This NOFO invites early-stage physicians and other health professional investigators with a commitment to aging and/or aging-related diseases to apply for this award with the goal of advancing their research and leadership skills in their specialty and in the broader field of aging and geriatrics research.
NIA is pursuing this initiative to recruit early-stage investigators who have successfully competed for a research grant and begun to establish research programs and who, through this award, will be ready to assume leadership roles in their field of expertise and be poised to change theory, practice, and health outcomes related to the health of older individuals. Unlike other mentored K awards, candidates for this award must have received competitively awarded research support as a Program Director/Primary Investigator (PD/PI) at the faculty level or have otherwise leveraged faculty-level research support to develop an independent line of research. They must show evidence of leadership in the clinical or research domain.
Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO intends to utilize the K76 activity code. Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of aging research are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Researcher (independent)
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for early-stage physician and health professional investigators with demonstrated commitment to aging and aging-related disease research. Applicants must have received competitively awarded research support as a Program Director/Primary Investigator (PD/PI) at the faculty level. They must show evidence of leadership in clinical or research domains.
The grant supports research and career development in aging and geriatrics. It prepares investigators to assume leadership roles and advance theory, practice, and health outcomes for older adults. This is a mentored K award focused on emerging leaders who have already established independent research programs.
Applicants should begin developing collaborations and projects now. The NIH will announce the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) with detailed requirements. Applications are not currently being solicited.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- NIH Biosketch (current format)
- Research Strategy or Project Narrative
- Mentor(s) Biosketch and letters of commitment
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Specific Aims
- Research Plan
- Career Development/Training Plan
- Institutional environment letter
- SF-424 forms (as required by NIH)
Program contact
- 👤 NIA Training and Career Development
- 📧 NIAtraining@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 N/A
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.866 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$463,372,200
-
$172,327,224
-
$115,145,694
-
$99,649,073
-
$93,275,174
-
$78,657,309
-
$75,825,492
-
$75,398,895
-
$70,985,470
-
$64,812,576
Top States by Funding
- MI 2 awards $511.9M
- CA 8 awards $511.1M
- MO 8 awards $437.0M
- IN 4 awards $303.9M
- PA 6 awards $298.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.866). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $3,746,886,731 | |
| 2025 | $3,777,464,644 | |
| 2026 est. | $261,814,471 |
FAQ
Who is eligible for this award?
Early-stage physicians and health professionals in aging research with PD/PI-level research support and demonstrated leadership. You must have competitive research funding at faculty level.
When is the deadline?
The fixed deadline is June 13, 2026. Applications are not yet being solicited; watch for the full NOFO announcement.
What activities does this award support?
Research and career development in aging and aging-related diseases. The goal is to develop emerging leaders ready for field leadership roles.
What is the funding amount?
Award ranges have not been specified in this preliminary announcement. Check the full NOFO for funding details.
Should I start preparing now?
Yes. Begin developing meaningful collaborations and research projects. The full NOFO will provide complete eligibility and application requirements.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start building collaborations and refining your research focus on aging now. Don't wait for the full NOFO.
- Ensure you have documented evidence of PD/PI-level research support or equivalent faculty-level research funding.
- Highlight your demonstrated leadership in clinical or research work. Leadership evidence is a core requirement.
- Review past NIH K76 awards and mentored career development programs. This will prepare you for the application structure.
- Plan to engage a strong mentor and mentor team. Career development awards emphasize mentorship relationships.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications that lack documented PD/PI-level research support or faculty-level funding evidence will be ineligible. Applicants without clear leadership track records in clinical or research settings face rejection. Weak mentoring plans or unclear career development goals undermine competitiveness.
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