Eligibility:
Am I eligible to apply as a postdoctoral fellow or is the award only for tenure-track faculty?
You do not have to be in a tenure-track faculty position to be eligible, so yes.
Am I eligible to apply if I have already received NIH funding in the form of the K01 or R01?
A K01 would not exclude someone, as the Levin Award is trying to help people move from training grants to independent funding. Someone with an R01 under their belt can certainly apply, though the Committee will be curious to know the motivation for the application and plans for the budget, as the Levin Award is intended to help early career scholars obtain independent funding.
My Ph.D. was awarded more than 10 years ago, but I have taken parental leave in that time. Am I still eligible to apply?
Yes, we allow an additional year of eligibility for each year of parental leave as applicant has taken.
Award Scope:
How does the reviewing committee interpret the “early childhood” focus? Is there a specific age range?
Early childhood is broadly construed (so there are no specific age ranges), but it is basically pre-adolescence (for the purpose of this award).
What is the award timeframe?
A one to two-year window is typical.
Application Materials:
What are the guidelines that institutions and departments expected to sign off on?
Institutions must accept the guidelines listed in the General Award Information section and should acknowledge the application being submitted. Departments must affirm their commitment to reducing teaching/clinical hours for the applicant as stated in the General Award Information section.
The application requires 2 letters of recommendation and a separate mentor letter. Would it be acceptable if the mentor letter and one of the letters or recommendation came from the same person?
No, the letters of recommendation and the mentor letter must come from different people, so the applicant will submit 3 different letters. In most cases, the Levin Award mentor should not also have been the applicant’s doctoral advisor.
What are the credentials needed for mentors to be considered an “an established NIH investigator in NIH-funded early childhood mental health research"?
Typically, proposed mentors that are part of successful Levin Awards have had at least a decade of independent R01 funding and are senior, highly visible, established investigators. That said, the committee views each application in its entirety and weights many factors in making selection decisions. A compelling narrative about how and why this mentoring relationship achieves the applicant's goals, and a clear mentoring plan, is a major component of the review and selection process.
Are indirect costs allowable or required for this proposal?
No, we are a research society, not a funding organization. Indirect costs are not allowable.
For any other questions, please contact scholar@srcd.org.