Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
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)

Funding Opportunity Title

NIH Summer Research Experience Programs (R25)

Activity Code

R25 Education Projects

Announcement Type

Reissue of PAR-11-050

Related Notices

  • April 16, 2015 - This PA has been reissued as PAR-15-184.
  • June 4, 2014 - Notice NOT-14-074 supersedes instructions in Section III.3 regarding applications that are essentially the same.
  • May 30, 2013 (NOT-OD-13-074) - NIH to Require Use of Updated Electronic Application Forms for Due Dates on or after September 25, 2013. Forms-C applications are required for due dates on or after September 25, 2013.

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

PAR-13-104

Companion Funding Opportunity

None

Number of Applications

See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)

93.113, 93.121, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865

Funding Opportunity Purpose

The purpose of the NIH Summer Research Experience Program (referred to as the Summer Research Program ) is to provide a high quality research experience for high school and college students and for science teachers during the summer academic break. The NIH expects that such programs will: help attract young students to careers in science; provide opportunities for college students to gain valuable research experience to help prepare them for graduate school; and enhance the skills of science teachers and enable them to more effectively communicate the nature of the scientific process to their students. The programs would also contribute to enhancing overall science literacy. Summer Research Programs that expand and complement existing summer educational and training programs are encouraged. Note: Not all participating Institutes and Centers (ICs) support all aspects of this program. Therefore, prospective applicants must consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts in this announcement to determine if your application will be accepted for review, and should contact staff at the relevant IC (see also Section VII) to discuss the proposed Program.

Key Dates
Posted Date

February 1, 2013

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

March 2, 2013

Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Application Due Date(s)

April 2, 2013; April 2, 2014; April 2, 2015, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

May 21, 2013, May 21, 2014 and May 21, 2015 by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Scientific Merit Review

June, 2013; June, 2014; June 2015

Advisory Council Review

October 2013; October 2014; October 2015

Earliest Start Date

January 1, 2014; January 1 , 2015; January 1, 2016

Expiration Date

New Date April 16, 2015 per issuance of PAR-15-184. (Original Expiration Date: May 22, 2015)

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

The objectives of the NIH Summer Research Experience Programs (referred to as the Summer Research Program ) are to provide high quality research experiences for high school and college students and for science teachers during the summer academic break. The NIH expects that such programs will:

The programs should also contribute to enhancing overall science literacy. Summer Research Programs that complement or expand existing summer educational and training programs are encouraged.

Special Note: Not all participating Institutes and Centers (ICs) support all aspects of this program. Therefore, prospective applicants must consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts in this announcement to determine if your application will be accepted for review, and should contact staff at the relevant IC (see also Section VII) to discuss the proposed Program.

Support for science teachers at the K-12 and college level will be limited to those programs with a clear plan for how the teachers will utilize their summer experience in their teaching during the school year.

Applications that demonstrate the potential to impact students and teachers from diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged.

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.

Application Types Allowed

New
Renewal
Resubmission

The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

Because the nature and scope of the proposed Summer Research Program will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of the participating ICs provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Funds may be requested for a minimum of 8 weeks and a maximum of 15 weeks during the summer academic break. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed 5 years.

Award Budget

Although the size of award may vary with the scope of the Summer Research Program proposed, budgets cannot exceed $100,000 direct costs per year.

Award Project Period

A project period of up to five years may be requested.

Other Award Budget Information
Personnel Costs

Individuals (PD/PIs) designing, directing, and implementing the Summer Research Program may request salary and fringe benefits, up to 1.2 person months (10% full-time professional effort) during the proposed duration of the Summer Research Program (between 8 and 15 weeks), for the person months devoted to the program. Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions and may not exceed the congressionally mandated cap. (If mentoring interactions and other activities with students/participants are considered a regular part of an individual's academic duties, then any costs associated with the mentoring and other interactions with students/participants in this program are not allowable costs from grant funds). These requested expenses must be itemized in Sections A and B, as appropriate, of the Research & Related Budget.

Participant Costs

'Participants' are the students and teachers who benefit from the proposed Summer Research Program. Allowable participant costs depend on the educational level/career status of the individuals to be selected to participate in the program, and the duration of the summer experience. Based on a maximum 15 weeks summer research experience, NIH will provide salary and fringe benefits up to $5,000 per high school student, up to $6,000 per college student, and up to $21,000 per science teacher. For programs shorter than 15 weeks, these amounts will be prorated accordingly.

Unless strongly justified on the basis of exceptional relevance to the NIH/IC mission, Summer Research Programs should be used primarily for the education of U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Other Program-Related Expenses

Up to $1000 per participant may be requested for training related expenses directly for the benefit of the participant, including research costs and participant’s travel expenses to scientific meetings to present their research projects. However, note that funds may not be expended to cover the costs of travel between the participant’s place of residence and the training institution, except that the sponsoring institution may authorize the cost of a travel allowance in an individual case of extreme hardship.

Equipment and room & board are not an allowable cost for this program. Other program-related expenses must be justified as required by the proposed Summer Research Program and must not duplicate items generally available for educational programs at the applicant institution.

Personnel costs are not allowed under this budget category. See above for allowable personnel costs..

Indirect Costs

Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees and expenditures for equipment), rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible Organizations

Higher Education Institutions

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

Governments

Other

All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the applicant organization.

All registrations must be completed by the application due date.

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program.

Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following registrations.

All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the applicant organization.

All registrations must be completed by the application due date. Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration process at least 6 weeks prior to the application due date.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The PD/PI should be an established investigator in the scientific area in which the application is targeted and capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program. The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required.

PD(s)/PI(s) of Summer Research Programs must have current NIH grant support with one of the participating NIH Institutes/Centers (ICs). If the PD/PI has support from multiple ICs, the applicant must specify which IC the application should be assigned to (see Cover Letter). The PD/PI should be an established investigator in the scientific educational area(s) in which the application is targeted and capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed Summer Research Program.

The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required (See Section VI.3. Reporting.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility
Number of Applications

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed within the past thirty-seven months (as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement), except for submission:

Preceptors/Mentors

Mentors should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program. Mentors must be committed to providing an enriching research experience for the participating students or teachers. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to participate as preceptors/mentors.

Participants

Only high school and college students and science teachers from elementary and high schools, community colleges, and college teachers from NIH AREA (R15)-eligible institutions are allowed to participate in this program (See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm). Not all participating ICs support all categories of participants. Prospective applicants must consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts and should contact staff at the relevant IC (see also Section VII) to discuss their proposed research experience program.

Unless strongly justified on the basis of exceptional relevance to NIH, research education programs should be used primarily for the education of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the relevant Program staff (see Section VII) to discuss the appropriate utilization of this mechanism with respect to the eligibility, appointment, and participation of non-U.S. citizens.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

Required and Optional Components

The forms package associated with this FOA includes all applicable components, mandatory and optional. Please note that some components marked optional in the application package are required for submission of applications for this FOA. Follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to ensure you complete all appropriate optional components.

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following modifications:

Facilities & Other Resources

Describe the educational environment, including the facilities, laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any other resources to be used in the development and implementation of the proposed program. List all thematically related sources of support for research training and education following the format for Current and Pending Support.

R&R Budget

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following modifications:

PHS 398 Cover Letter

Applicants must include a cover letter (see SF 424, section 5.2. Cover Letter Component) indicating their current grant funding from one of the participating ICs, and requesting assignment to that IC.

PHS 398 Research Plan

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the additional instructions described below:

The Research Strategy section must be used to upload the Research Education Program Plan, which must include the following components described below: Proposed Research Education Program, Institutional Environment and Commitment, Program Director/Principal Investigator, Program Faculty/Staff, Program Participants, Diversity Recruitment and Retention Plan, Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, and Evaluation Plan.

Proposed Research Education Program (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Describe the Summer Research Experience program and identify its anticipated size. Identify any special activities that are dedicated to summer participants, including seminars; formal presentations by participants of their research results; informal opportunities for participants to interact with graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty; workshops; career guidance, etc. Provide details of the program administration. If there is an existing Summer Research Program, provide a description of how this award will complement that activity. The information should include a description of the education and/or career levels of the planned participants.

Institutional Environment and Commitment (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Describe the institutional environment, including facilities and educational resources that can contribute to the planned Summer Research Program. Evidence of institutional commitment to the research experience program is required. A letter of institutional commitment must be attached via Letters of Support. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned Summer Research Program.

Program Director/Principal Investigator (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Prospective PD(s)/PI(s) of Summer Research Programs must have current NIH grant support. For Multiple PDs/PIs Leadership Plan, see instructions for the Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan section of the Research Plan. Describe arrangements for administration of the program, provide evidence that the PD/PI is actively engaged in research and/or teaching in an area related to the mission of the participating ICs, and can organize, administer, monitor, and evaluate the Summer Research Program.

Program Faculty/Staff (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

List all faculty members who would be eligible to participate in this program, including their areas of research. Describe the characteristics and responsibilities of the participating faculty; provide evidence that the participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in research and have the potential to mentor young students and/or teachers, and to provide a stimulating research and learning environment for all participants.

Program Participants (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Provide details about the pool of proposed participants, their qualifications, recruitment strategies and sources of the applicant pool, etc. Recruiting participants from schools that would contribute to the diversity of this program is especially encouraged. Describe how participants will be selected for this program.

Diversity Recruitment and Retention Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

The NIH recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research workforce. The NIH expects efforts to diversify the workforce to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups; to improve the quality of the educational and training environment; to balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities; to improve the ability to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols; and to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities.

Accordingly, the NIH continues to encourage institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations and thus to increase the participation of individuals currently underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences such as: individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups; individuals with disabilities; and individuals from socially, culturally, economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in health-related research. Institutions are encouraged to identify candidates who will increase diversity on a national or institutional basis.

The NIH is particularly interested in encouraging the recruitment and retention of the following classes of participants:

A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27 and the most recent report on Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Hawaiian Natives, and natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands. In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be convincingly demonstrated to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program.

B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are defined as:

1. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size; published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at HHS - Poverty Guidelines, Research, and Measurement. For individuals from low income backgrounds, the institution must be able to demonstrate that such participants have qualified for Federal disadvantaged assistance or they have received any of the following student loans: Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), Loans for Disadvantaged Student Program, or they have received scholarships from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Scholarship for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need.

2. Individuals who come from a social, cultural, or educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that have demonstrably and recently directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.

Recruitment and retention plans related to a disadvantaged background (C1 and C2) are most applicable to high school and perhaps to undergraduate candidates, but would be more difficult to justify for individuals beyond that level of academic achievement. Under extraordinary circumstances the PHS may, at its discretion, consider an individual beyond the undergraduate level to be from a disadvantaged background. Such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, based on appropriate documentation.

New applications must include a description of plans to enhance recruitment of a diverse participant pool and may wish to include data in support of past accomplishments.

Renewal applications must include a detailed account of experiences in recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups during the previous funding period. Information must be included on successful and unsuccessful recruitment strategies including aggregate information on the distribution of:

Additional information on the required Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity is available at Frequently Asked Questions: Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity (Diversity FAQs).

Applications lacking a diversity recruitment and retention plan may be delayed or not accepted for review. An award cannot be made if an application lacks this component.

Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Every participant supported by this Research Education grant must receive instruction in the responsible conduct of research. All applications must include a plan to provide such instruction. The plan must address five components (format; subject matter; faculty participation; duration of instruction; and frequency of instruction) as detailed in NOT-OD-10-019. Renewal (Type 2) applications must, in addition, describe changes in formal instruction over the past project period and plans for the future that address any weaknesses in the current instruction plan. All participating faculty who served as course directors, speakers, lecturers, and/or discussion leaders during the past project period must be named in the application.

Applications lacking a plan for instruction in responsible conduct of research will not be reviewed. The background, rationale and more detail about instruction in the responsible conduct of research can be found in NOT-OD-10-019.

If such instruction is not appropriate for the proposed Summer Research Program, then the PD/PI must provide a strong justification for its exclusion.

Evaluation Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Applications must include a plan for evaluating the activities supported by the award. The application must specify baseline metrics (e.g., numbers, educational levels, and demographic characteristics of participants), as well as measures to gauge the short or long-term success of the research education award in achieving its objectives. Wherever appropriate, applicants are encouraged to obtain feedback from participants to help identify weaknesses and to provide suggestions for improvements.

Resource Sharing Plans

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies(GWAS)) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modifications:

Applications are expected to include a software dissemination plan if support for development, maintenance, or enhancement of software is requested in the application. There is no prescribed single license for software produced. However, the software dissemination plan should address, as appropriate, the following goals:

To preserve utility to the community, the software should be transferable such that another individual or team can continue development in the event that the original investigators are unwilling or unable to do so.

Appendix

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

3. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the deadline to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Organizations must submit applications via Grants.gov, the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the deadline in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

4. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically.

Important reminders:
All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management (SAM). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-10-115.

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the NIH mission, all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

For this particular announcement, note the following:

The goals of NIH-supported research training, education, and career development programs are to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in adequate numbers and in appropriate scientific areas to address the Nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. The goal of this NIH-supported summer research experience is to provide a high quality research experience for high school and college students and for science teachers during the summer break.

Grant applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity announcement should be characterized by innovation, scholarship and/or the needs of participating ICs in meeting its objectives. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the relevant IC program staff for current information about targeted priorities and policies before preparing an application (see Section VII).

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likely effectiveness and impact of the Summer Research Program.

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.

Significance

Will the design of this proposed program significantly impact participants attitudes toward biomedical research and/or science careers? Will this program inspire scientific inquiry and science literacy? How will implementation of the proposed program advance the objectives of this FOA?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD/PIs and participating faculty well suited to provide research guidance and mentoring for the proposed Summer Research Program? Is the PD/PI capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed Summer Research Program? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project? Is there evidence that an appropriate level of effort will be devoted by the program leadership to ensure the program's objectives? Is there evidence that the participating faculty will provide quality research and mentoring experiences?

Innovation

Will there be activities dedicated to the program participants, such as career seminars, forums for presenting research plans for the summer and of accomplished work at the end of the summer? Are there any unique activities proposed to enhance the research experiences of the participants? Does the plan show the potential to provide participants research experiences that offer insight into what constitutes a career in science?

Approach

Are the proposed experiences appriopriate and engaging for the participant’s career stage? Are the recruitment activities adequate to ensure a highly qualified participant pool? Is there a plan to ensure that the participants will be incorporated into the existing research community (orientation sessions, participation in lab meetings, attendance at seminars, etc,)? Will the participants have ample opportunities to interact with faculty, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students to learn about science as a career? Is the proposed plan for evaluation of the education program sound and likely to provide quantifiable data on the effectiveness of the education program? Are formal plans and tools developed for obtaining feedback and maximizing the response rate from the participants?

Environment

Will the scientific/educational environment in which the proposed research education program will be conducted contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional commitment and support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the program proposed? Will the program benefit from unique features of the scientific environment and/or organization of all the program’s elements? Is there evidence of appropriate collaboration among participating programs, departments, and institutions to ensure this program’s success?

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Vertebrate Animals

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Biohazards

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Resubmissions

For Resubmissions, the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.

Renewals

When reviewing a Renewal application (formerly called a competing continuation application), the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period. In addition, the committee will consider the following:

Has the research education program successfully achieved its stated objectives during the prior project period? For programs that existed before the previous award, did the R25 award clearly expand or enhance the ongoing program?

Has the research education program successfully recruited a diverse pool of participants? Has the PD/PI effectively shaped the recruitment plan in response to recruitment outcomes?

Revisions

Not Applicable

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

Recruitment & Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity

Peer reviewers will separately evaluate the recruitment and retention plan to enhance diversity after the overall score has been determined. Reviewers will examine the strategies to be used in the recruitment and retention of individuals from underrepresented groups. The review panel s evaluation will be included in an administrative note in the summary statement. Plans and past record will be rated as acceptable or unacceptable, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Taking into account the specific characteristics of the research education program, level of participant experience, and the particular circumstances of the participants, the reviewers will address the following questions. Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g., lectures and/or real-time discussion groups? Do plans include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety? Do the plans adequately describe how faculty will participate in the instruction? Do the plans ensure participants will receive instruction (or in the case of more senior level participants, provide instruction) for an appropriate amount of time given the length of the research education experience? Plans and past record will be rated as acceptable or unacceptable, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable

Select Agent Research

Not Applicable

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan; 2) Sharing Model Organisms; and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS).

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) , in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee’s business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, SAM Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

3. Reporting

The Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590 or RPPR) and financial statements as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are required 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 PHS 2590 Additional Instructions for Preparing a Progress Report for an Institutional Research Training Grant, Including Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards.

The Progress Report should provide information on the development and implementation of the proposed Summer Research Program, modifications to the program as originally proposed, and updates on the evaluation of the program. For teachers, provide a description of how they intend to apply their summer experience to their teaching responsibilities and curriculum, and any additional information about how their summer experience will affect their teaching plans. The results of feedback obtained from the participants should be included. A report on education in the responsible conduct of research and a completed Training Diversity Report, in accordance with the PHS 2590 additional instructions for preparing a Progress Report for an institutional training grant, must also be included.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

Failure by the grantee institution to submit required forms in a timely, complete, and accurate manner may result in an expenditure disallowance or a delay in any continuation funding for the award.

Other Reporting Requirements

A final progress report, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

4. Evaluation

In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, the NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program from databases and from participants themselves. Participants may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading or navigating forms)
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Telephone 301-710-0267
TTY 301-451-5936
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov

eRA Commons Help Desk (Questions regarding eRA Commons registration, tracking application status, post submission issues)
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Email: commons@od.nih.gov

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Special Note: Not all participating Institutes and Centers (ICs) support all aspects of this program. Therefore, prospective applicants must consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts to determine if your application will be accepted for review, and should contact staff at the relevant IC to discuss the proposed Program.

Peer Review Contact(s)

Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date)..

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Special Note: Not all participating Institutes and Centers (ICs) support all aspects of this program. Therefore, prospective applicants must consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts to determine if your application will be accepted for review, and should contact staff at the relevant IC to discuss the proposed Program.

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.


Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices



NIH Office of Extramural Research Logo
  Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Home Page Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
  USA.gov - Government Made Easy
NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health®



Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files.