Funding Resources

There are numerous resources to assist you in finding funding and in writing and submitting applications, from government grants to foundation grants and fellowships, to help you succeed! 

Government Funding

There is a complete range of funding opportunities through government agencies for trainees. Find resources, guides, and opportunities here.

• National Research Service Award (NRSA-F32): Provides support to promising postdoctoral applicants who have potential to become productive and successful independent research investigators.
• Training Grant Directory: NIH-funded training at the University of Pittsburgh.
• NIH Career Development (K) Award Resources: The NIH provides support for the career advancement via a series of career development awards, called “K” awards. These awards are an excellent way for a postdoctoral fellow to develop their research program and career in preparation for R01-type awards. 

  A list of resources collected by the OACD to help you write a successful K award application

  If you are a postdoc and have questions about applying for a fellowship or a career development award, contact postdoc@hs.pitt.edu.

  Where to Find Successful Applications

  • Application Repository To Help University Researchers (ARTHUR): The University of Pittsburgh's Office of Research, Health Sciences, maintains the ARTHUR database, which is comprised of successfully funded applications that comply with the current NIH format. Ask your PI to request access to applications you are interested in.

  Requesting an Institutional Letter of Support Regarding Career Development

  Although not required, an institutional letter of support from the director of the Office of Academic Career Development, Health Sciences, can attest to the rich career development resources, programs, and services available to faculty and trainees within the six schools of the health sciences. 

  Email oacd@pitt.edu to request a letter of support at least two weeks in advance of any internal deadlines.

  Grant Writing Resources

  Courses and Online Guides:

  • Introduction to Grant Writing for Postdoctoral Trainees: A spring course at Pitt that is specifically for postdoctoral trainees.
  • NIH's How to Apply - Application Guide: Instructions for preparing to apply, writing your application, and submitting your application.
  • Career Development Instructions for NIH and Other PHS Agencies: A complete guide for writing your K Award application.

  K Award Grant Writing Sessions:

  • K Award Workshop Videos: View past OACD sessions that covered the K Award mechanism, from a general overview to a mock K Award study section.
  • K Award Workshop Opportunities: View OACD's fall sessions and attend the workshops that meet your needs.

  Find standardized text from the University of Pittsburgh that you can customize for your grant applications. Log in through Pitt's SSO to access information here.

  Find the Right K for You

  • "K Kiosk": NIH's webpage to help you learn about the complete spectrum of K awards. Determine which one is right for you.
  • Pathway to Independence (K99/R00) Award: Learn about the special K award that facilitates a postdoc's transition to a faculty position.

  RCR Information

  • Responsible Conduct of Research Training: The CTSI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Center serves as a resource for researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC

  
  View archived webinars in our video library and use our searchable resource directory to find more content to help you gain valuable skills, which will position you for the next stage of your training experience on the way to your ideal career.

  University of Pittsburgh's Institutional K Awards

  Clinical Scientist Institutional Career Development Program Awards (K12/KL2) prepare newly trained clinicians for independent research careers and facilitate their transition to more advanced individual support mechanisms, e.g., K08 and K23.

  Mechanism	Project Title	PI
  K12	Molecular Basis of Pediatric Disease	Terence Dermody, MD
  K12	University of Pittsburgh Collaboration in Addiction Training Scholars (PittCATS) Program	Jane M. Liebschutz, MD, MPH, FACP
  K12	Pittsburgh HIV Mentored Training for Investigation of Co-morbidities and Cure (HIV MeTrICC)	Alison Morris, MD, MS
  KL2	Clinical and Translational Science (CTS) Scholars Program	Doris M. Rubio, PhD
  K12	Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health in Pittsburgh	Yoel Sadovsky, MD

Foundations and Other Fellowships

Foundations that have awarded Pitt trainees include:

• American Cancer Society
• American Heart Association
• American Society of Transplantation
• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
• Ellison/AFAR Foundation
• L’Oréal USA For Women in Science
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• St. Baldrick's
• Philanthropy News Digest

Here is a more complete list of foundations that provide awards regardless of citizenship status, compiled by Sina Safayi, DVM, PhD, and Philip Clifford, PhD.
The OORHS also has a webpage with a list of foundation grants. Grantmakers.io is a searchable online platform that you can use to find foundation funding, as well.

"Funding Your Research Through Foundation Grants" was a session held at the University of Pittsburgh in January 2024. Watch it for additional tips on how to write your foundation grant applications.

Other Resources

NEW! Find standardized text from the University of Pittsburgh that you can customize for your grant applications. Log in through Pitt's SSO to access information here.

• Postdoctoral Fellows Planning Tool: a new, interactive page from the University of Pittsburgh to help trainees in the biomedical sciences find funding opportunities.
• Funding Resources: Pitt's Office of Sponsored Programs maintains a comprehensive list of university resources, grant-writing specific resources, and more.
• PIVOT Database allows you to develop a customized list of funding opportunities. Not familiar with PIVOT? Watch the informational PIVOT webinar here.
• Boilerplate Text from the Office of Sponsored Programs.
• Application Assistance, including information on rigor and reproducibility, data management, and more, from the Office of Research, Health Sciences

The Pitt Research Navigator is available to provide personalized customer service to help you more easily connect to the Pitt resources, services, and offices needed to move your research forward. This is a university-wide service that is available to faculty and research-related staff members on any campus, in any school, and for any discipline. The Pitt Research Navigator, Stefanie Coburn, can be reached by email (pittresearchnavigator@pitt.edu) or webform. Stefanie will make every effort to respond to inquiries within one business day.  Visit the Pitt Research Navigator website for more information.