Securing independent funding is very meaningful for career development, especially for postdocs who want to remain in academia. Listed below are links and information for some of the more common postdoctoral grant mechanisms. You can also check out the funding database​ of funding opportunities curated by the graduate school or find a consolidated list of funding sources and fellowships for postdocs at the Career Development Office (CDO) site.


National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The NIH is one of the most common sources of funding for researchers at CU Anschutz. They offer multiple mechanisms for grants at the postdoctoral level. Most of these grants vary significantly depending on specific institutes/centers within the NIH, so it is recommended that you contact a Program Officer before submitting an application to determine if your application is suited for any particular funding mechanism. 

  • ​T32 Institutional Training Grants - Your department may have a T32 grant to fund predoctoral or postdoctoral research. For your reference, you can check a list of some of the currently active T32 grants at CU Anschutz. 
  • F32 Individual Fellowship - Also known as National Research Service Awards (NRSAs), these fellowships are geared towards early-career postdocs and provide funding primarily for your salary. The specific requirements vary by the institute, so check with the ones related to your research; most limit the F32 to individuals who earned their PhD within the last 2 or 3 years.
  • K99/R00 Pathway to Independence - These highly competitive awards are intended for late-career postdocs who are planning to remain in academia. The application for this grant is restricted to individuals within four years of completing their PhD, though it is recommended that you talk to Program Officers from specific institutes about eligibility requirements. The grants typically provide research funding for the end of a postdoc and the beginning of a tenured faculty position. 
  • K01 Mentored Scientist Award - Similar to the K99, these grants are targeted to senior postdocs who are interested in academic science careers. However, they do not have the same limits related to the number of years as a postdoc.

     

    Other sources of postdoctoral funding

  • ​National Science Foundation
  • ​Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program