Funding News Edition: October 20, 2021 See more articles in this edition
Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplements (PCTAS) help NIAID grantees support postdoctoral research scientists who are taking care of a child or sick family member. Grantees may use funds to hire a mid-to-senior level technician to fill in for up to two years when the caregiver needs to be away from the lab.
If you are a principal investigator (PI), apply through our Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplements (PCTAS) (Admin Supp, Clinical Trial Optional). If you are a postdoctoral scientist who needs support, talk to your PI. For more information, refer to NIH’s Family-Friendly Initiatives webpage.
Supplement support through this NOSI is appropriate when:
- Your existing parent award is one of the following types:
- Research project grants—R01, R18, R24, R37
- Multiproject grants—P01, P30, P50
- Cooperative agreements—U01, U19, U42, U54
- Your financial or award resource cannot otherwise provide coverage.
- The funds support research within the scope and approved project period of your existing parent award.
- Your parent award has at least two years of NIAID support remaining when the grantee applies for the supplement.
These administrative supplements cover no more than two years. The salary for a mid-to-senior level technician varies by institution, but the annual direct cost should not exceed $50,000.
NIAID accepts applications on a rolling basis and reviews them four times each year in November, February, April, and May.
- To target one of the four listed review months, submit by the first day of the preceding month.
- To get a supplement award before the end of a fiscal year—September 30—apply no later than April 1.
Apply for this NOSI through PA-20-272. Follow all instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide and include “NOT-AI-21-074” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF 424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this NOSI.
Find full details in the PCTAS NOSI linked above and in the Primary Caregiver Technical Assistance Supplements section of NIAID’s Research Supplements webpage.
Alternatively, if you are a postdoctoral research scientist supported by an NIH fellowship or career development award and caregiving responsibilities interfere with your research progress, contact NIAID's Office of Research Training and Special Programs to discuss your situation as early as possible.
Direct your questions about PCTAS to our scientific/research contact for this NOSI, at AITrainingHelpDesk@niaid.nih.gov or 301-594-5945.