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Writing and Communication Center

Tools, trainings, and resources that empower clinical and translational research teams to better communicate their science

Home > Writing & Communication Center > NIH K Grant Specific Aims Review & Career Development Consulting

NIH K Grant Specific Aims Review & Career Development Consulting

This consultation service offers tailored feedback in a peer-group setting on draft Specific Aims pages and career development plans for NIH K grant applications. This enhanced support includes:

  • October 2025: Peer review of a draft Specific Aims page in a virtual two-hour group meeting, led by a Harvard Catalyst Distinguished Mentor (DM)
    • Participants will have the option to join a second review meeting to review edits to their SA pages two weeks after the initial peer review.
  • November-December 2025: Participation in a series of K grant writers’ forums
  • January 2026: Peer review of a draft career development plan in a virtual two-hour group meeting, led by a DM

This program aims to strengthen participants’ grant-writing skills, foster experience in peer review and writing groups that participants can carry back to their home institutions, and build a supportive community throughout the K grant application process.

Apply

Application will close Friday, October 10 at 11:59pm EST.

Eligibility

To be considered for this service, applicants must:
  • Be based at a Harvard-affiliated institution.
  • Be planning to submit a NIH K grant application for the February 2026 deadline.
  • Have a fully-written draft of their specific aims page ready to submit.

The service is free for Harvard-affiliated schools and institutions. Eligible applications will be selected at random. Applicants will be informed of the status of their application within two weeks of applying.

Preparation

Applicants should be prepared to attach a fully-written draft of their Specific Aims page to the application. We strongly recommend that the draft has been pre-reviewed by a mentor before taking part in this service. Before applicants submit their draft Specific Aims page, they must review the recommendations laid out on the NIH K Grant Specific Aims Page Checklist (PDF).

The first component of this service is participation in a peer review of their Specific Aims page in a DM-led writing group hosted on Zoom. Applicants will be able to select their top choices from three time options.

Cite Us

Have you received a consultation from Harvard Catalyst? Remember to cite us in your publications.

If you plan to submit an NIH K grant for a different deadline, or if you would prefer an individual consultation, please refer to our NIH K Grant Specific Aims Consulting service.