Program Overview

The School of Medicine K12 Mentored Career Development Program (K12 Scholars Program) at Stanford University is a two-year research program funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Stanford Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA). The K12 Scholars Program is designed to offer advanced training in clinical and translational research to junior faculty. The program offers flexible learning models to engage scholars in team science, individual development plans, advanced research training, and career guidance.

Key Program Support

The K12 Scholar award provides salary support up to $120,000 per year (or $106,500 per year for surgeons/proceduralists) for two years. Please note that the Scholar’s department or division must cover any salary above the NIH salary cap. In terms of effort commitment, non-surgeons must devote 75% of their full-time professional effort to the K12 program, though exceptions allow surgeons/proceduralists to commit 50% effort. In addition to salary, the program provides $20,000 per year for research project-related expenses and $2,000 per year for travel in support of the award’s objectives.

Research and Training Requirements

K12 Scholars are expected to pursue a mentored research project in their area of expertise that will serve as the basis for an independent NIH award (e.g., K23, K08, or R01). If a K12 Scholar’s project involves human subjects and/or vertebrate animals, the research may not begin until prior approval is received from the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). For more information about the regulatory process, please refer to the Requirements section of this opportunity.

The K12 Scholar Seminars are a required part of the program, designed specifically for junior faculty in clinical and translational research. Seminars run from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM every Friday, with a complimentary lunch provided starting at 11:30 AM. Attending in person is highly recommended, as the lunch period is a fantastic opportunity for valuable networking, collaboration, and building relationships with your peers and senior faculty mentors. The series features informal educational sessions, open discussion, and crucial Works in Progress (WIP) sessions for presenting and critiquing research. Scholars must attend at least 80% of the seminars (a minimum of 10 per quarter).

Restrictions

• Foreign Components: Projects involving a Foreign Component (defined as scientific or research activities performed outside the United States that may result in co-authorship) are not permitted and will result in the application being deemed ineligible for funding.
• Clinical Trials: Projects involving NIH-defined Clinical Trials are not permitted and will result in the application being deemed ineligible for funding.
• Subawards/Subcontracts: Projects involving subawards or subcontracts are not permitted.

Institutional representatives

Not applicable. Because this is an internal Stanford funding opportunity, you do not have to submit your applications through your RPM in RMG or your CGO in OSR for their approval.

Grant Acknowledgment

The Stanford CTSA K12 Program is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K12TR004930. See NCATS Strategic Plan 2025-2030 for further information (https://ncats.nih.gov/about/ncats-overview/strategic-plan).

Eligibility:

Applicants Must:

I. Academic & Appointment

• Possess a research or health-related doctoral degree.
• Pursue a career path and proposed program in human translational research. All topics are considered, including digital health.
• Have a full-time (100%) appointment at Stanford University and demonstrate a long-term commitment from the sponsoring Division or Department.
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident by the award start date (those with visa status are not eligible to apply).

II. Effort Commitment

• Commit 75% of professional effort to the program (surgeons/proceduralists may commit 50%).

• The remaining 25% (or 50% for surgeons/proceduralists) may be divided among other research, clinical, and teaching activities if these activities are consistent with the proposed goals of the K12 Program.

• The K12 program provides support for two years of consecutive funding for each scholar.

III. Prior/Current Funding Restrictions

• Not simultaneously submit or have a pending application for any other Public Health Service (PHS) mentored career development award (e.g., K07, K08, K22, K23, F99/K00) that duplicates the provisions of the K12 program.
• Not be or have been a principal investigator on an NIH R01 or equivalent non-PHS peer-reviewed grant that exceeds $100,000 in direct costs per year.
• Not be or have been a project leader on a sub-project of Program Project (P01) or Center Grant (P50).
• **Note: **Candidates are likely too senior for the K12 award if they are already in the process of applying for an independent mentored career development grant, Program Project Grants/Center Grants, or equivalent independent funding.

Requirements:

NCATS Process for Prior Approval Requests for Human Subjects Research and Vertebrate Animal Research

Projects involving human subjects or vertebrate animals require NCATS prior approval before research funds can be released. This process ensures compliance with ethical and safety standards.

• Spectrum staff will guide awardees in compiling and submitting required documents to NCATS, which includes IRB and/or IACUC approval.

• NCATS approval takes a minimum of 30 days, and funding cannot be disbursed until approval is secured.

• **Preview **the list of required NCATS documents here: K12 Scholar – NCATS Prior Approval Checklist.

• Please note: Reviewing and gathering these materials helps you anticipate the requirements, but it does not initiate NCATS approval.

• For answers to common questions, please see the NCATS’ FAQ page.

Application Requirements

Submit applications through Stanford Seed Funding. To help you prepare your materials and navigate the submission process, we highly recommend that you first review a preview of the application form linked below. If the link is not clickable, please copy and paste the full address into your browser: https://shorturl.at/zMuNN.

****Application Form for 2026 SoM K12 Program****

Applications should follow the guidelines below:

Document

Page Limit

File Format

I. CORE APPLICATION ATTACHMENTS

Cover Sheet

1-page limit

Single PDF

Candidate Personal Statement

800-word limit

Single PDF

Educational and Mentoring Plan

400-word limit

Single PDF

Research Plan

1,600-word limit for content

(excluding References)

Single PDF

II. NIH AND NCATS ALIGNMENT STATEMENTS

NIH Unified Strategy Alignment Statement

Half-page limit

Single PDF

NCATS Strategic Plan Alignment Statement

Half-page limit

Single PDF

III. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Applicant’s NIH Biosketch

5-page limit (Use NIH template)

Single PDF

Mentor’s NIH Biosketch

5-page limit (Use NIH template)

Single PDF

Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae (CV)

No page limit (Traditional CV format)

Single PDF

Applicant’s Other Support (OS)

No page limit (Use NIH OS template)

Single PDF

IV. SIGNED LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

Signed Letters of Support/Recommendation

• No page limit

• Combine all letters into a single PDF

Single PDF

Important Notes:

• Do not **include **appendices in the proposal.
• Applications that do not comply with the requirements will not be considered for review.
• Research funding will not be dispersed without clearance of any applicable APLAC, IRB, or IRB-exemption requirements, including NCATS prior approval.
• If the research does not involve animals or human subjects, award recipients must submit a Human Subjects Research (HSR) Determination Form and provide the non-HSR determination as confirmation.

Questions?

For questions regarding the application process and requirements, please contact K12/Pilots Program Manager, Ellen Orasa,** eorasa@stanford.edu.**

How can the funds be used?

The K12 Scholar award provides salary support for two years, up to $120,000 per year (or $106,500 for surgeons/proceduralists). Please note that the sponsoring department or division must cover salary exceeding the NIH cap. This support requires a dedicated commitment of 75% professional effort (or 50% for surgeons/proceduralists).

Scholars receive $20,000 per year in research funds, which can be used toward the investigator’s salary, research personnel salaries, and project supplies. They also receive $2,000 per year specifically for project-related travel. The research funds are not intended to finance a full, independent research project but rather to support specific aims and essential research activities.

Unallowable costs include capital equipment over $5,000, food, and intellectual property services.

Additionally, please note that projects involving foreign components, clinical trials, and/or subawards/subcontracts are not permitted and will result in the application being deemed ineligible for funding.

Funding Contingency Notice

Please note that all awards made under this funding opportunity are contingent upon the continued availability of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other designated funding sources. In the event that funding is reduced or eliminated, the awarding of grants may be adjusted or rescinded accordingly. Applicants are encouraged to consider this potential contingency when preparing their proposals.