Notice of Special Interest for Administrative Supplements for Research on Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Populations (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)

Notice Number: NOT-OD-19-102

Key Dates
Release Date: April 17, 2019
First Available Due Date: May 18, 2019
Expiration Date: May 19, 2019

Related Announcements
PA 18-591

Issued by
Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO)
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

All applications to this funding opportunity announcement should fall within the mission of the Institutes/Centers. The following NIH Offices may co-fund applications assigned to those Institutes/Centers.

Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)

Purpose

Purpose

The mission of the NIH is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems, and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. The NIH is committed to supporting research that will increase scientific understanding of the health and wellbeing of various population and subpopulation groups and study the effectiveness of evidence-based health interventions and services for individuals within those groups. NIH places high priority on research with populations that appear to have distinctive health risk profiles but have received insufficient attention from investigators. This Supplement provides administrative support to expand existing research to focus on sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, which include (but are not limited to) lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and individuals with difference or disorders in sex development, sometimes referred to as intersex. Basic, social, behavioral, clinical, translational, and health services research relevant to the missions of the sponsoring Institutes, Centers and Offices may be proposed. Potential applicants are also encouraged to review recent portfolio analyses of NIH-funded SGM research (found at https://dpcpsi.nih.gov/sgmro/reports) to identify gaps in research that may be relevant to this Notice of Special Interest. .

Background

The Institute of Medicine (IOM), (now the National Academy of Medicine) report issued in March 2011 (http://www.nationalacademies.org/hmd/Reports/2011/The-Health-of-Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-and-Transgender-People.aspx) stated, in reference to SGM health, that the "existing body of evidence is sparse, and that substantial research is needed." This situation has improved, but there is still a need for further research on a range of health-related issues. NIH encourages potential applicants to read the IOM report, as a number of specific issues are raised and discussed therein; however, readers should note that this IOM report addresses most, but not all, of the populations within NIH's SGM definition. Recent data from national health surveys and targeted studies suggest that prevalence rates for some health conditions are significantly higher among SGM populations than for the general population.

"Sexual and gender minority" is an umbrella term that encompasses lesbian, gay, two-spirit, bisexual, and transgender populations as well as those whose sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, or reproductive development varies from traditional, societal, cultural, or physiological norms. This includes individuals with disorders or differences of sex development (DSD), sometimes known as intersex.

NIH uses the term SGM for these populations as well as for individuals within them. However, applicants may study subpopulations, and/or adopt other classification frameworks and terminologies as appropriate for proposed research in such understudied populations.

Although there has been an increase in SGM-focused health research in recent years, there remains a need for further research on the health of these populations.

Specific Areas of Research Interest

This Notice of Special Interestcalls for research that will enrich scientific understanding of how sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or being born with DSD/Intersex conditions relate to health and health risks, perceptions and expectations about health, health behaviors, and barriers and access to health-related services.

Appropriate topics/studies for these supplements include, but are not limited to, those listed below:

  • Addition of SGM individuals to a study which either originally excluded them or has not enrolled enough SGM participants to make any meaningful comparisons between groups; studies need to have sufficient power to allow for meaningful comparisons
  • Expansion of an ongoing SGM study focused on one group to add another; sample sizes need to be powered to allow for meaningful comparisons
  • Expansion of questionnaires administered in any setting where it is relevant to address issues of sexual attraction, sexual behavior, sexual identity, gender identity, and/or gender expression
  • Assessment of reliability and validity of measures relevant to sexual attraction, sexual behavior, sexual identity, gender identity, and non-binary sex.
  • Methodological innovations to improve the recruitment and retention of SGM individuals in any research initiative
  • Ethical, legal, or social science research on the implications of genetic and other research findings on SGM populations.

Scope of Support

Administrative supplements can be used to meet increased costs that are within the scope of the approved award, but that were unforeseen when the new or renewal application or grant progress report for non-competing continuation support was submitted. Applicants should propose research that, if successful, would contribute to a greater understanding of the health and wellbeing of sexual and gender minority communities. Clinical Trials cannot be proposed to be added to grants that do not include a clinical trial since that would constitute a change in scope.

IC-Specific Considerations

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposed supplement project with the IC Program Official of the approved award prior to submission of a supplement application in order to ensure that the proposed activity fits with the scientific priorities of the IC and is within the scope of the approved award. In addition to contact with the IC Program Official for the approved award, applicants are strongly encouraged to include the Scientific/Research Contact listed in Section VII. Agency Contacts in these communications.

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Application and Submission Information

Applications for this initiative must be submitted using the following opportunity or its subsequent reissued equivalent.

  • PA-18-591 - Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-18-591 must be followed, with the following additions:

  • Application Due Date(s) May 18, 2019, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
  • The expiration date is May 19, 2019.
  • For funding consideration, applicants must include NOT-OD-19-102 (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
  • Requests may be for one year of support only.
  • The Research Strategy section of the application is limited to 6 pages.
  • The process for Streamlined Submissions using the eRA Commons cannot be used for this initiative.
  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify the program contact at the Institute supporting the parent award that a request has been submitted in response to this FOA in order to facilitate efficient processing of the request.
  • The budget cannot exceed $100,000 in total costs.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to the contact at the Institute, Center or Office supporting the parent award:

Della White, PhD
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Telephone: 301-827-6358
whitede@mail.nih.gov

Liz Perruccio, PhD
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-6178
Email: liz.perruccio@nih.gov

Tina Gatlin, PhD
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Telephone: 301-402-2851
Email: gatlincl@mail.nih.gov

Brad Newsome, PhD
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Telephone: 301-827-8170
Email: brad.newsome@nih.gov

Melissa Gerald, PhD
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-451-4503
Email: geraldmel@mail.nih.gov

Robert Freeman, PhD
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-443-8820
Email: rfreeman@mail.nih.gov

Phillip Renzullo, PhD
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 240-627-3041
Email: prenzullo@mail.nih.gov

Heiyoung Park, Ph.D.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Telephone: 301-594-3507
Email: Heiyoung.Park@nih.gov

Jeffrey Schulden, PhD
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Telephone: 301-402-1526
Email: schuldenj@nida.nih.gov

Alberto Rivera-Rentas, PhD
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Telephone: 301-402-6251
Email: riverara@nidcd.nih.gov

Melissa Riddle, PhD
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Telephone: 301-451-3888
Email: riddleme@nidcr.nih.gov

Tamara Bavendam, M.D.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Telephone: 301-594-4733
Email: tamara.bavendam@nih.gov

Thaddeus Schug, PhD
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Telephone: 984-287-3319
Email: schugt2@mail.nih.gov

Tamara Lewis-Johnson, PhD
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-594-7963
Email: tl247e@nih.gov

Jennifer Alvidrez, PhD
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Telephone: 301-594-9567
Email: jennifer.alvidrez@nih.gov

Rebecca Henry, PhD, BSN, RN
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Telephone: 301-594-5976
Email: rebecca.henry@nih.gov

Victoria Cargill, PhD
Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)
Telephone: 301-402-1770
Email: CargillV@od.nih.gov

FOR ICs without a listed contact please reach out to the Program Officer listed on the NoA of the parent award.