MOSAIC Program Funding Opportunities Promote Diversity

Learn about the Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) program to support researchers from diverse backgrounds, and consider applying for program funds.

What Is MOSAIC?

MOSAIC is part of NIH’s efforts to enhance diversity within the academic biomedical research workforce. Learn more about NIH’s diversity goals and underrepresented populations in the U.S. biomedical workforce at Notice of Interest in Diversity and Diversity Matters.

The MOSAIC program offers support through two components: individual postdoctoral career transition awards (K99/R00) and institutionally-focused research education cooperative agreements (UE5).

• K99/R00. Awards provide independent NIH research support to promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds before and after they transition from their mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent research-intensive faculty positions.
• UE5. Independent organizations (e.g., scientific societies) use award funds to provide educational activities that equip MOSAIC K99/R00 scholars with professional skills, provide appropriate mentoring and professional networks, and allow scholars to transition into, advance, and succeed in independent academic research careers at research-intensive institutions.

MOSAIC Funding Opportunities

In August, NIH published one UE5 and three K99/R00 MOSAIC funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). Find all the FOAs listed at MOSAIC. Note that different NIH institutes and centers (ICs) participate in different FOAs, so be sure to choose a FOA that includes an IC relevant to your area of science.

NIAID participates in these two FOAs:

• K99/R00. PAR-21-271, MOSAIC Postdoctoral Career Transition Award To Promote Diversity (K99/R00, Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• UE5. PAR-21-277, MOSAIC Institutionally-Focused Research Education Award To Promote Diversity (UE5, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Application Guidance

Check the FOAs and main MOSAIC page for full details on requirements and how to apply. Learn about eligibility, application timing, review, and much more at Frequently Asked Questions. NIH also posted the Program Applicant Slides (PDF, 13.3 MB) from the September 7, 2021 webinar.

K99/R00 candidates, don’t miss the August 17, 2021 Guide notice that extends your eligibility by two receipt cycles (roughly eight additional months) due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before you apply, we strongly recommend that you reach out to the appropriate scientific/research contact listed in Section VII. Agency Contacts of your chosen FOA to discuss your application plan and the institute’s priorities. For applications to NIAID, contact Dr. Deborah Philp at deborah.philp@nih.gov or 301-761-7766.

Your three annual application deadlines are FOA-specific:

• K99/R00. Follow Standard Due Dates or AIDS and AIDS-Related Due Dates. The first K99/R00 due date is October 27, 2021. (Note that the first date differs from the standard dates for K.)
• UE5. Due dates are November 18, 2021, November 15, 2022, and November 15, 2023.