Can ARRA funds be used to award Career Development Awards?
Each NIH Institute is developing plans to use ARRA funds for previously reviewed and scientifically meritorious applications that meet the ARRA goals of job creation and retention and economic stimulus. Awards made with ARRA funds must, furthermore, be capable of making significant progress within the two year ARRA funding period. Many of the mentored career award programs are designed to sustain funding for longer than two years in order for the awardee to acquire the research skills necessary to become a competitive independent scientist. As such, each Institute will need to weigh the propriety of ARRA funds for mentored career awards on a case by case basis. Applicants who have recently had favorably reviewed Career Development applications that were not funded can contact their program officer to determine whether they may be considered for support under the ARRA.
