NHLBI Research Career Development Programs in T4 Implementation Research (K12) | RFA HL 17 016

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HL 17 016

The NHLBI Research Career Development Programs in T4 Implementation Research (K12) opportunity (RFA-HL-17-016) is a National Institutes of Health institutional career development grant designed to build a strong pipeline of researchers who can move proven health interventions into everyday practice. The central goal is to fund structured, mentored programs that train scholars to tackle the real-world challenges of dissemination and implementation, especially the complicated steps involved in getting evidence-based approaches adopted, scaled, and sustained across health systems and communities. The program is specifically focused on heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) diseases and conditions, and it emphasizes late-stage translation, often described as T4 research, where the focus is on broad, practical impact rather than early discovery.

At its core, this K12 mechanism supports institutions that can provide an organized training environment, strong mentorship, and hands-on research experiences that prepare scholars to become independent investigators in T4 implementation science. “Bridging research and practice” is the theme running through the announcement, meaning applicants should propose a career development program that helps scholars learn how to implement interventions in real-world settings, understand barriers and facilitators to uptake, evaluate implementation strategies, measure outcomes relevant to health systems and communities, and generate evidence that improves routine care and population health for HLBS-related problems. The expectation is that scholars will not only conduct research, but also develop the skills, track record, and professional positioning needed to compete successfully for independent funding and lead their own implementation-focused research programs.

The FOA anticipates supporting individual scholars for up to three years, typically through consecutive 12-month appointments, with the exact duration tailored to the scholar’s needs and the program structure. Scholars appointed to the program must hold either a research doctoral degree or a health-professional doctoral degree, reflecting the intent to train both PhD-level researchers and clinician-scientists who can operate effectively at the intersection of science, healthcare delivery, and community practice. A key requirement is effort commitment: each scholar must devote at least 9 person-months, which equals 75 percent full-time professional effort, to the combined activities of dissemination and implementation research in HLBS areas and the structured career development activities provided by the program. This is meant to ensure protected time and enough intensity for meaningful progress toward research independence.

Eligibility to apply for the institutional award is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and governmental units. Eligible applicants span state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and various tribal entities, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations. The announcement also highlights interest in applications from a range of mission-driven and community-connected institutions and organizations, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, the FOA is clear that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components are not allowed under NIH policy for this opportunity.

Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant within NIH’s health funding area, and it is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840), reflecting the NHLBI’s broad research portfolio. The original posting date was June 29, 2016, with an original closing date of October 13, 2016. While the summary information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, the emphasis is clearly on building high-quality institutional training programs that can recruit and develop scholars capable of conducting rigorous T4 dissemination and implementation research with direct relevance to HLBS conditions.

In practical terms, a competitive K12 proposal under this FOA would be expected to describe a strong mentoring team, a clear curriculum or training plan tailored to T4 implementation research, access to real-world practice settings (such as health systems, community organizations, public health programs, or other delivery environments), and a plan for selecting, supporting, and evaluating scholars over their multi-year appointments. The overall outcome NHLBI is seeking is a cohort of well-trained investigators who can lead and sustain research programs that improve the adoption, delivery, and long-term impact of evidence-based interventions for heart, lung, blood, and sleep health in the places where people actually receive care and services.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NHLBI Research Career Development Programs in T4 Implementation Research (K12)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.233, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-06-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-10-13. (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 RFA HL 17 016

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