Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

No. However, Applicant Scholars are strongly advised to reach out to their grant administration/sponsored projects offices well in advance of the due date to ensure compliance with their organization’s policies. Official signatures are needed on the Letter of Intent due at the time of application and may require routing/pre-approval.

Yes. Applicant Scholars are strongly advised to reach out to their home institution’s grant administration/sponsored projects offices well in advance of the due date to ensure compliance with their organization’s policies. Official signatures are needed on the Letter of Intent due at the time of application and may require routing/pre-approval. That said, the application does not need to go through an internal grant review process at your institution.

Yes. Applicant Scholars are expected to attend the annual 3-day CNCDP K12 Retreat that occurs prior to the Child Neurology Society’s annual conference. All interviews and the subsequent study section take place at the Retreat. In addition, this is an excellent opportunity for networking, community-building, and sharing of research progress.  The CNCDP K12 Program will cover applicant Scholars’ registration and hotel stay. 

We understand, however, that sometimes unavoidable, significant life events can make in-person attendance at the Retreat impossible. While not ideal, interviews can be conducted virtually. Reach out to the CNCDP-K12 Program Manager as soon as possible to discuss your specific situation: CNCDP-K12@KennedyKrieger.org.

The primary mentor must provide a statement (not to exceed two pages) regarding their availability, suitability, mentoring history, mentorship plans, etc., as outlined in the application materials. If there are additional co-mentor(s)/secondary mentor(s), a separate statement can also be included (maximum 1 page).  In toto, the mentor and co-mentor letters should not exceed 3 pages.

Yes. Indeed, you should submit a NIH biosketch for each member of your mentorship team.

No; we only collect a letter from the primary mentor which can include comments from one or more co-mentors and cannot exceed 3 total pages.

Budgets are not requested at the application stage but should be kept in mind when determining the resources needed to complete the proposed aims. Annual budgets and corresponding justifications will be requested prior to the start date of July 1st to establish the subaward with the Scholar’s institution. 

However, your institution’s grant management team very likely requires vetting your budget. We strongly recommend that you share your budget internally with your grant management team to ensure you are complying with all institutional rules.

Current budget allowances include up to a three-year appointment at a maximum of $115,000 annual salary support, the institution’s federally negotiated fringe benefit rate, and $38,000 in research support costs. Each scholar may use up to $9,000 over a 3-year period (from the $114,000 total research support costs) for tuition, fees, and books related to career development. Travel to the CNCDPK12 annual conference is a requirement of the Scholar’s appointment and is typically covered by a Scholar’s research support cost budget line unless their institution agrees to cover travel costs outside of the K12 award. 

Kennedy Krieger, the prime for the CNCDP grant, does not have the authority to approve re-budgeting of published NINDS K12 budget limits. 

Your home institution must cover the gap between research funding and research costs. The institutional letter of support must provide an attestation to the provision of such resources. 

Please contact CNCDP-K12@KennedyKrieger.org with any questions that arise.

The Scholar’s Department Chair (or whoever has the authority) commits to providing 75% full-time professional effort as protected time for research and career development to the awardee for three years following the start date of CNCDP support. 

The Scholar’s clinical effort calculation, per NINDS guidance, should be as noted below:

• 1/2 day of clinical effort per week is equal to 10% effort
• 1 week of full-time clinical inpatient service is a minimum of 2% effort
• On-call responsibilities cannot occur during protected time for research
• Vacation time must be pro-rated and cannot come exclusively from protected research time 

No. Your 75% protected time is for research and career development activities only.

All scholars are expected to attend the annual retreat (in person), the Summer and Winter Scholars’ Forums (virtual) each year, at least three Works in Progress meetings (monthly; virtual) per year, and an annual site visit (in person in year one, virtual thereafter).

Funded scholars are assigned a CNCDP Advisor - a senior investigator who has volunteered to oversee your progress and serve as your advocate. You will meet with them quarterly: at the fall Retreat, during an annual site visit, and at two virtual check-ins. You should also reach out to your Advisor when any significant challenges or successes arise. 

As stated above, all scholars are expected to attend the annual retreat (in person), the Summer and Winter Scholars’ Forums (virtual) each year, at least three Works in Progress meetings (monthly; virtual) per year, and an annual site visit (in person in year one, virtual thereafter). 

Scholars should also promptly and fully respond to communications from the Executive Committee and/or the program Manager.

Lastly, Scholars are expected to apply for their own individual, mentored NIH Career Development Award (i.e., K08, K23 or K99/R00), an NINDS Research Scientist Development Award (K02), or a Research Project Grant (R01 or equivalent) before the end of year 3 of CNCDP support.

Each publication, press release, or other document about research supported by an NIH award must include an acknowledgment of NIH award support and a disclaimer such as “Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders And Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K12NS098482. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”

Please contact CNCDP-K12@KennedyKrieger.org with any questions that arise.

Current budget allowances include up to a three-year appointment at a maximum of $115,000 annual salary support, the institution’s current fringe benefit rate for the Scholar, $38,000 in research support costs annually, and the standard 8% indirect cost rate for K awards. Each scholar may use up to $9,000 over a 3-year period (from the $114,000 total research support costs) for tuition, fees, and books related to career development. Travel to the CNCDPK12 annual conference is a requirement of the Scholar’s appointment and is typically covered by a Scholar’s research support cost budget line unless their institution agrees to cover travel costs outside of the K12 award. 

Kennedy Krieger Institute is the prime for the CNCDP grant from NINDS (5K12NS098482). Thus, Kennedy Krieger receives the funding and issues via subcontracts subawards to funded Scholars’ institutions. 

Yes, this program is funded through RFA-NS-19-040; however, Applicant Scholars are not applying directly to an NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Applicant Scholars will first email a Letter of Intent to cncdp-k12@KennedyKrieger.org. Next, if invited, Applicant Scholars will receive an email from the CNCDP K-12 Manager with a link and instructions for submitting a full application.

A: Indirect Costs at 8% of modified total direct costs are allowed per the RFA-NS-19-040.

Kennedy Krieger is the Coordinating Site for the CNCDP K-12 Program, awarded under RFA-NS-19-040, Project Number K12NS098482. Scholars’ awards will be in the form of a subaward between Kennedy Krieger and the Scholar’s organization and effective the July 1st following their award announcement. The CNCDP K12 Grant Administrator will reach out to appointed Scholars in the months prior to their award start date. 

No. K12 Scholars are required to devote 75% of their time on K12 activities and their organizations cannot charge more than the $115,000 annually for a Scholar’s salary per NOT-NS-23-005. 

Per the RFA-NS-19-040 funding this program, a Scholar can charge up to $9,000 towards tuition/fees and book-related expenses over the course of their appointment (i.e., if a Scholar spends $9,000 towards tuition-related costs in Year 1, the Scholar cannot spend any more on tuition through their remaining K12 appointment). This $9,000 limit comes out of the Scholar’s research support budget. 

Per the RFA-NS-19-040 funding this program, a Scholar can charge up to $9,000 towards tuition/fees and book-related expenses over the course of their appointment (e.g., if a Scholar spends $9,000 towards tuition-related costs in Year 1, the Scholar cannot spend any more on tuition through their remaining K12 appointment). This $9,000 limit comes out of the Scholar’s research support budget. 

Therefore, if your tuition costs over the three years are more than $9,000, you must pay through some other mechanism.

Please contact the K12 Manager with any questions that arise: CNCDP-K12@kennedykrieger.org.

• Your K12 award can move with you. 

Science Requirements: 

Provide the Executive Committee with the following documents: 

1. A letter of institutional support from your new institution that addresses all points laid out in the application instructions, including post-award commitment.
2. A letter from your new mentor representing the new mentorship team
3. A letter describing whether your specific aims and your career development approach will change or remain the same.

Administrative Requirements:

1. The subaward with your original institution will need to be terminated in alignment with your ending of K12 activities at that location.
2. A subaward will be established with your new institution once the Executive Committee approves science and mentorship changes associated with the move. 

If you believe that your green card will arrive before the funding start date (July 1), we encourage you to apply. However, if your card does not arrive by that time, we will be unable to provide funding.

A very enthusiastic yes! Scholars are expected to apply for their own individual, Mentored NIH Career Development Award (K08, K23), an NINDS Research Scientist Development Award (K02) or a Research Project Grant (R01 or equivalent) before the end of year 3 of CNCDP support.

Also, some of our scholars have been awarded grants concomitantly with the K12. In general, this is fine (and great for the scholar) so long as the other grant is not considered to be a career development award and/or is not used to cover the same 75% protected time as the K12. Please reach out to the K12 Manager to discuss your specific situation: CNCDP-K12@KennedyKrieger.org.

Yes, so long as the PERF funds are not used to cover the same 75% protected time as the K12. Most people use PERF funds for hiring postdocs/assistants, purchasing research supplies, or funding additional protected time. If you are awarded a PERF grant, please reach out to the K12 Manager to discuss your plans: CNCDP-K12@KennedyKrieger.org.

If a Scholar requires leave from K12 duties, several items will be needed: 1) a formal written plan for how your institution will handle the leave of absence, i.e. continuing to support salary by charging the K12 or pausing the award and 2) a statement on how you will address the impact of this leave on your ability to make sufficient progress to meet the goals of the program. 

Please note that NIH Grants Policy Statement 12.13.1.1 Unpaid Leave states “Leave without award support may not exceed 12 months. Such leave requires prior written approval of the awarding component and will be granted only with justification. When approved, the K award will be placed in a no-cost extension for the duration of the unpaid leave and no charges to the grant will be allowed during that period, although continued coverage of health insurance would be allowable if in accordance with institutional policy. Such leave does not reduce the total number of months of program support for which an individual is eligible.”

Current budget allowances include up to a three-year appointment at a maximum of $115,000 annual salary support, the institution’s federally negotiated fringe benefit rate, and $38,000 in research support costs annually. Each scholar may use up to $9,000 over a 3-year period (from the $114,000 total research support costs) for tuition, fees, and books related to career development. Indirect Costs should be calculated at 8% of modified total direct costs, which is standard for K awards. Travel to the CNCDPK12 annual conference is a requirement of the Scholar’s appointment and is typically covered by a Scholar’s research support cost budget line unless their institution agrees to cover travel costs outside of the K12 award. 

Kennedy Krieger does not have the authority to approve re-budgeting of published NINDS K12 budget limits. 

Please contact the K12 Manager with any questions that arise: CNCDP-K12@KennedyKrieger.org.