Notice Number: NOT-NS-19-048

Key Dates
Release Date: March 20, 2019

Issued by
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Purpose

The purpose of this notice is to change the allowable Appendix Materials in PAR-17-312, "NINDS Neuroscience Development for Advancing the Careers of a Diverse Research Workforce (R25)" and update required information in the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR).

Appendix

Currently Reads:

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Modified to Read:

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide; any instructions provided here are in addition to the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide instructions. The Appendix is meant to provide additional details to the following topics, but not meant to substitute for clear descriptions in the body of the application. Do not include items other than the allowable materials described below, as doing so will result in administrative withdrawal of the application for noncompliance. A summary sheet listing all the items included in the Appendix may be included in the first Appendix attachment.

The following are allowable Appendix materials:

• Evaluation and Assessment Instruments. Applicants may provide blank surveys, rubrics, and/or forms used to (a) document and monitor trainee progress and (b) determine whether the program and its environment are effective, inclusive, safe, and supportive.
• Research Education Outcomes (4 pages).The application may provide information in table form on outcomes and subsequent educational/career progress as appropriate to career stage about recent (past 5 years) participants (including participants in a pilot program) and the pool of potential applicants, such as:
  • Aggregate number and demographic characteristics of participants
  • Educational level of participants
  • Successful completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree in neuroscience or neuroscience-related field
  • Subsequent enrollment in an advanced degree program in neuroscience or neuroscience-related program
  • Subsequent authorship of scientific publications or scientific presentations to outside conferences in a biomedical field
  • Subsequent participation in a formal research training or career development program in a neuroscience field
  • Subsequent participation in research in a neuroscience field
  • Subsequent employment or promotion in a research or research-related biomedical field
  • Subsequent independent research grant support from NIH or another source
• Participating Faculty (3 pages).The application may provide the following information in table form about participating faculty:
  • Faculty information: name, degree(s), academic rank, primary department or program, research interest, and training role (i.e., PD/PI, preceptor, executive committee member, other committee member, other)
  • Mentoring record of undergraduates, predoctorates, and postdoctorates from the last 10 years: number currently in training, graduated/completed training, and continued in research or related careers

Applications that exceed the number of allowed appendices or the page limitation of any of the allowed materials will be considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed.

3. Reporting

Currently Reads:

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually. Continuation support will not be provided until the required forms are submitted and accepted. Programs that involve participants should report on education in the responsible conduct of research and complete a Training Diversity Report, in accordance with the RPPR Instruction Guide.

Modified to Read:

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually. When submitting RPPRs, funded programs are expected to provide evidence of accomplishing the research education objectives and results from the proposed evaluation plan. Continuation support will not be provided until the required forms are submitted and accepted. Programs that involve participants should report on education in the responsible conduct of research and complete a Training Diversity Report, in accordance with the RPPR Instruction Guide.

All other aspects of this FOA remain the same.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Lauren Ullrich PhD
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-451-7964
Email: lauren.ullrich@nih.gov