Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplements

Research supplements support postdoctoral research scientists who are taking care of a child or sick family member. They provide additional funds for NIAID grantees to hire a mid-to-senior level technician to fill in when the caregiver needs to be away from the lab.

NIAID funds this program at $500,000 a year.

PIs apply for the award on behalf of their postdocs. For more information, read the June 8, 2004, Guide notice.

For questions about NIH's dependent care policy, go to NIH's Frequently Asked Questions: Policies Related to Parental Leave and Child Care.

Deadlines

NIAID receives applications at any time and review them approximately every eight weeks.

If you are seeking an award before the end of a fiscal year -- September 30 -- we have to receive your application no later than June 15.

Applications received after this date will be considered for funding in the next fiscal year. We do not make awards during continuing resolutions.

Review and Award

A committee of NIAID senior staff members review applications, generally within two months. NIAID will make awards about four to six weeks after the review.

Eligibility

As long as PIs have at least two years of NIAID support remaining, they can receive funding for the following grant types:

• Research project grants -- R01, R18, R24, R37
• Multiproject grants -- P01, P30, P50
• Cooperative agreements -- U01, U19, U42, U54

Postdocs must have at least one full year at an NIAID-funded laboratory and be primary caregivers for a child or ailing relative.

Technicians do not need U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status. Temporary and student visas are acceptable.

Salary and Budget

PI

• Ask for enough funding to hire a sufficiently experienced full- or part-time technician and cover fringe benefits.
• Request only research technical assistance. You can't use funding for other expenses, e.g. supplies, travel, or postdoc benefits.
• Keep in mind the salary of a mid-to-senior level technician varies by institution but is generally between $40,000 to $50,000.

Technician

• Get up to two years' salary and fringe benefits.

Advice for Applicants

Submit a paper application or email PDF files of scanned documents. NIAID encourages -- but does not require -- using PDFs.

Work with your business office to make sure you use the correct forms.

Paper applications

• Include the following:
  • Front page of PHS 398.
  • Budget page from PHS 398 for the first 12 months.
  • Budget page for entire proposed period of support.
  • PI's two-page biosketch as in an R01.
  • Postdoc''s biosketch.
  • Two- to four-page description of what the project entails. We need to know exactly what the postdoc and technician will work on.
  • One-page statement of postdoc's career goals.
  • A signed statement from the PI and an institutional official establishing the eligibility of the postdoc for support under this program. Include citizenship and a description of any previous PHS research grant support.
• Send the original plus two copies to the NIAID Staff Contact.

PDF Files

• Convert the required PHS 398 forms (see above) into PDF files.
  • Your institutional business official's signature must be clearly legible.
  • Include a single PDF with transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other items that cannot be downloaded from the PHS 398 application package.
• Send your PDFs as attachments in an email to the NIAID Staff Contact.
  • Use the subject line "NIAID PCTAS Application PDF."
  • Make sure your contact information is in the body of the email.

NIAID Staff Contacts

Raushanah Newman
6700B Rockledge Drive
Room 2148B
Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: 301-451-2691
Email: newmanrau@niaid.nih.gov