National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services
Limited Competition: Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) (K38 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
In short: National Institutes of Health expects to make 10 awards of $2.2 million to $6.4 million.
Key facts
- Deadline
- Accepts applications through Oct 13, 2028. Rounds may close sooner: check the notice
- Award size
- $2.2M – $6.4M
- Total available
- $10.8M · about 10 awards
- Match ?
- Not required · Work out your budget and match
- Who can apply
- Set by the official notice: see Who can apply below
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
What changed
- Status changed from opening soon to open (seen Oct 9, 2026)
- Deadline moved from Oct 14, 2025 to Oct 13, 2028 (seen Oct 9, 2026)
- Deadline confirmed by the funder (seen Oct 9, 2026)
- Opening date moved to Oct 9, 2026 (seen Oct 9, 2026)
- Smallest award set: $2.2 million (seen Oct 9, 2026)
Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist
How this fits you
- Available in Loudon County (nationwide program)
- No match required
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 536
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
About this grant
The purpose of the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency Transition Scholar (StARRTS) K38 Career Development program is to retain and support clinician-investigators who have successfully completed the Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (StARR) R38 Program (RFA-HL-26-012 and previous NOFOs) as resident-investigators. Individuals who receive K38 grants described in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be referred to as Transition Scholars. The intent of this NOFO is to provide Transition Scholars with opportunities for additional research and career development during subsequent clinical fellowships or early career faculty appointments (as defined in Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility). It is anticipated that the StARRTS K38 program will provide a pathway to retain the newly-created pool of clinician-investigators generated through the StARR R38 program. Transition Scholars will receive support for continued research and career development opportunities in basic, clinical, and/or translational research, thereby providing enhanced potential to accelerate the transition to independent research careers.
This is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a Limited Competition that will invite application(s) from eligible organization(s) to apply. Please see Section III. Eligibility for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the application(s) will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious application(s) will be considered for funding.
Who can apply, from the official notice
Only fellowship programs recognized by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) may be included in the proposed program. For Dental Specialty postgraduate programs, only dental specialties approved by the Council on Dental Education and Licensure of the American Dental Association may be included in the proposed program. For veterinary specialties, only veterinary specialties approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association may be included in the proposed program.Evidence is required that the overall structure of research and clinical activities outlined in the application is consistent with participant eligibility for certification or endorsement and oversight by a Board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), or for dentists, meets the requirements for National Certifying Boards for Dental Specialists established by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) requirements, or for veterinarians, meets the requirements as recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS).
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/003549b9-b6bd-4440-9864-43a67d5f71f9 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/293bd43d-d7a3-47d9-91de-aefa320dfcde
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct10
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Sep22
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Oct6
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Oct11
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Oct13
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Loudon County facts with citations.
See how others wrote it
The agency posted this example. Read them for structure and level of detail. Don't copy their words: funders treat copied text as plagiarism, and requirements change from year to year, so follow the current notice.
- NIH research, career, fellowship and small-business grants (R01, R03, R15, R21, R21/R33, R41-R44, K01, K08, K23, F31, G11, U01)
Funded applications with reviewer comments
46 full funded applications and 49 reviewer summary statements (PDF), plus sample forms and letters · Link checked Oct 7, 2026
Who in Tennessee has won this program
132 awards to Tennessee groups in 2 counties since 1977 · 0 in Loudon County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $63.8M spent that year | 2025 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc | Memphis, Shelby County | $43.7M | 2019 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $43M | 2020 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $38.1M | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $34.7M spent that year | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $33.3M | 2011 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $32.8M | 2007 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc | Memphis, Shelby County | $28.2M | 1997 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $24.7M | 2014 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $21.8M | 2012 |
| University of Tennessee | Memphis, Shelby County | $21.8M | 2019 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | $21.6M | 2010 |
Source: Federal Audit Clearinghouse; USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.
Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 404 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Loudon County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Trustees of Boston University | $4.6M | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Research Triangle Institute | $3.6M spent that year | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Regents of the University of Michigan | $3.4M | 2025 |
| Meharry Medical College | Nashville, Davidson County | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | $2.8M | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Washington University, the | $2.8M | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Washington University | $2.1M spent that year | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | The Johns Hopkins University | $2M | 2026 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston | $2M spent that year | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Vumc | $1.9M spent that year | 2024 |
| Vanderbilt University | Nashville | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | $1.8M spent that year | 2025 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | The Johns Hopkins University | $1.5M | 2023 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, Davidson County | Duke University | $1.4M | 2024 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
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