Additional information about K Awards can be found on the K Award page from Management Accounting and Analysis and in the NIH K Kiosk. Click on the following links to be taken directly to the section below.

• Changes to K Award Process
• K Award Identification
• Recommended Review Process
• Special Circumstances
• What are K Award Requirements?

Changes to K Award Process

• In January 2012, the K Award Addenda identifying faculty members who appear to owe cost sharing on MENTORED awards requiring 75% effort will no longer be sent to departments by MAA.

• The eFECS system will flag ALL K Award budgets. Departments will determine if cost share is required.

How are K Awards Identified?

• K Awards are identified on the My Faculty List in the column marked "K". This includes all faculty members, both mentors and mentees (Principal Investigators or PIs), who are paid on K Awards.
• The K Awards listed will include:
  • Mentored awards that require the scholar (PI) to commit to 75% (9 person months) effort.
  • Non-mentored awards to the individuals for faculty in mid-career or senior stages of their career.
  • Institutional awards made to the University, not an individual.
• The K Award program type can be found on the "Budget Profile" page of My Financial Desktop in the Grant/Contract Number field: e.g. 5 K25 HL 086713-05.

Recommended Review Process for K Awards.

Departments should, consider the following steps when reviewing K Awards for their faculty.

• Determine if the grant is a mentored K award.
• For mentored awards, determine if identified faculty member is a mentor or mentee.
• For mentees, determine the K Award effort requirement (e.g., 75%).
• Mentors are not required to provide high levels of committed effort. Departments should review the award document to determine the percent of effort required.
• Determine if the level of paid effort is meets the requirement (e.g., 75%). If it does, no cost sharing is required.
• Salary cap cost sharing can be included in the total effort requirement as it is considered effort on the K Award.
• If the level of effort is below the required level (e.g., 75%), determine if the K Award was in effect for the entire cycle. If it was not, prorate the percent requirement accordingly.
• If cost sharing is needed to satisfy the required commitment, click the “Adjust/View Cost Share” button on the online FEC. Then click "Add Item" select the K award budget and indicate the cost share type as “K.” Enter the required percent of cost sharing and press “Save.” The cost share will be reflected on the online and summary FECs but will not be uploaded into the Cost Share Module.
• For faculty whose average paid FTE is less than 100%, departments may want to use the online K Award Worksheet that includes formulas to determine if the faculty has met the 9 person months required by the award.
• For Principal Investigators (PIs) on non-mentored awards, consult the award document to determine the level of effort required.

Special Circumstances for K Awards

Pre-defined comments should be selected to identify special circumstances relating to K Awards. Situations where these comments might be appropriate are listed below.

• Another sponsored project will cover the K Award effort gap. Sponsor approval has been obtained.
  This comment is appropriate to select if during the last two years of the K Award, another sponsored project can provide up to 25% of the 75% effort requirement. Use the additional comments section to identify the other sponsored project and the percent  of effort provided.
• K award effort was performed at a different percentage over the budget period
  Use this comment when effort is being averaged over the budget period. It may reflect  more or less than the required percentage during a single cycle.
• K Award budget not active during entire cycle
  Effort should be prorated for the percent of the cycle the K Award was active. Use the additional comments section to document the prorated percentage.
• K Award required effort negotiated at a different % or reduced/increased from 75%
  Use this comment when the negotiated rate is different than the typically required rate. Use the additional comments section to document the negotiated rate.

Learn more about comments on the FEC.

What are the K Award Requirements?

Mentored K Awards
The following mentored K Awards normally require 75% or 9 person months. This requirement is for mentees (PIs) only, not mentors: K 01, K 02, K 05, K 08, K 12, K 22, K 23, K 25, and K 99.

Other K Awards
Effort required by other K awards can vary but typically may require a range of effort between 25% and 50%. Some may have components that require 75%. Care should be taken to determine the exact level of effort required for each of these awards.

• K 07: Two types
  • Development: Required effort is 75%.
  • Leadership: 25% to 50% range.
• K 18: Two types:
  • Short term/Environmental Health Sciences for Established Investigators. Commitment is a minimum of 50% but a full-time commitment for the three to 12 month period of time is encouraged.
  • Career Enhancement Award for Stem Cell Research: Commitment is a minimum of 50% but a full time commitment for the six to 12 months is encouraged and up to 24 months is allowable.
• K 24: 25% - 50%.
• K 26: 25% - 50%.
• K 30: Program Director: minimum 20%; Combined Program Director and Co-Director’s effort should be at least 40%.
• KL2: Only the K 12 component requires 75%, with exceptions as noted in the RFA (certain clinical specialties can have less than 75%, but no less than 50 %).