Participating Organization(s)	National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Components of Participating Organizations	Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Funding Opportunity Title	Limited Competition: Global Health Research and Research Training eCapacity Initiative (R25)
Activity Code	R25 Education Projects
Announcement Type	New
Related Notices	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-13-107
Companion Funding Opportunity	None
Number of Applications	Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)	93.989
Funding Opportunity Purpose	The goal of this initiative is to develop innovative educational approaches that enhance research capacity at low and middle income country (LMIC) institutions by expanding the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in global health research and research training. This funding opportunity aims to leverage the research capacity established by current or former Fogarty International Center research and research training grants through direct links with these awards.

Posted Date	February 1, 2013
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)	April 15, 2013
Letter of Intent Due Date(s)	April 15, 2013; April 15, 2014
Application Due Date(s)	May 15, 2013; May 15, 2014, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
AIDS Application Due Date(s)	Not Applicable
Scientific Merit Review	October/November, 2013; October/November, 2014
Advisory Council Review	January, 2014; January, 2015
Earliest Start Date	February, 2014; February, 2015
Expiration Date	May 16, 2014
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.

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

This FOA encourages applications from current or former FIC grantees or collaborators who propose innovative research education programs to teach researchers at low and middle income country (LMIC) institutions the knowledge and skills necessary to incorporate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into global health research and research training. The initiative is intended to leverage the capacity that has been built through prior FIC support by building on the established research programs, research training programs, or collaborations. The proposed programs should aim to significantly increase the ability of researchers to use, adapt, and integrate ICT approaches, thus establishing electronic capacity (eCapacity) at LMIC institutions. In addition, participants in the proposed programs should develop into adaptable users of ICT who are able to sustain ICT activities as changes arise in technology.

Applications are invited that include the following research education objectives:

1. Provide educational opportunities, such as courses and workshops, for LMIC researchers to gain the expertise needed to implement ICT activities that are relevant to global health research and research training at their institutions.

and

2. Provide mentored, targeted practicum ICT project support that will allow researchers to use acquired ICT knowledge and skills to directly enhance research or research training at their LMIC institutions.

Recently, ICT research tools have transformed biomedical research and have become an essential part of many types of research projects. However, access to these resources and the capacity to use them in global health research are often lacking in LMIC institutions. One aim of this FOA is to increase this research capacity through programs that enhance the capabilities needed for specific global health research projects (such as the use of surveillance, epidemiology, and geospatial technology tools) and programs that target a broader global health research community. Programs could focus on one or more types of ICT, including mobile health, modeling, bioinformatics, biostatistics, or other areas.

Global health research projects are increasingly distributed across multiple countries, resulting in collaborations and networks that require electronic communication, data sharing, and new forms of research training. While ICT platforms for facilitating online collaborations and e-learning are becoming more accessible in LMICs, there is a need for LMIC institutions to develop institutional capacity to create their own electronic learning, training, and collaboration resources. This FOA also aims to increase research training capacity through programs that enhance the capabilities of researchers to develop and sustain innovative distance learning platforms or open educational, collaboration, or library electronic resources.

Proposed programs may include courses, workshops, practicum experiences, and learning or experimental laboratories that are short- or medium-term (i.e., less than 12 months). While the proposed programs should be aimed at educating researchers, other members of the research support community may also be participants if their involvement will aid the incorporation of ICT into research and research training.

This FOA addresses the need for expert users of ICT and is not intended to support the basic discovery or development of new ICT. Programs should not intend to use support provided through this opportunity for master's degree or Ph.D. training in informatics, engineering, or computer science. However, programs should aim to drive innovation in research and research training through the use of novel ICT implementation and educational approaches.

It is expected that the research education opportunities supported by this initiative will enhance the career development of participants from LMICs and increase collaborative research and research training at their institutions. In addition, it is expected that some of the faculty leaders, mentors, or program partcipants at LMIC institutions will develop into expert resources for the future dissemination of ICT approaches.

The NIH Research Education (R25) grant mechanism is designed to support the development of creative and innovative research education programs for the development of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical researchers, or for public education and outreach on health-related research to a variety of audiences. Although research education grants are not typical research instruments, they do involve experiments in education and/or dissemination of research knowledge that require an evaluation plan in order to determine their effectiveness. As such, each application must include a plan to evaluate the activities proposed (see Section IV, Evaluation Plan). For some types of projects, a plan for disseminating results may also be appropriate and may be required as well (see Section IV, Dissemination Plan).

The proposed research education program may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, but the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those research training and research education programs currently receiving federal support. The R25 is not a substitute for an institutional research training program (T32) and can not be used to circumvent or supplement Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) mechanisms.

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 Resubmission The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.
Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards	The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Award Budget	Applications may request up to $100,000 direct costs per year.
Award Project Period	The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding announcement may not exceed 3 years.

Personnel Costs	Individuals designing, directing, and implementing the research education program may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate 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 are not allowable costs from grant funds.
Participant Costs	Participant costs must be itemized in the proposed budget. Participants in proposed programs should not be given stipends or other salary compensation; other allowable participant costs depend on the educational level/career status of the individuals to be selected to participate in the program. While generally not an allowable cost, with strong justification, participants in the research education program may receive partial costs of meals unless such costs are furnished as part of the registration fee. Participants may also receive funds to defray partial tuition, and other education-related expenses. Costs to cover travel is allowable if necessary to carry out the proposed program. Expenses for foreign travel must be well justified. Individuals supported by NIH training and career development mechanisms (K, T, D or F awards) may receive, and indeed are encouraged to receive, educational experiences supported by the R25 mechanism, as participants, but may not receive salary or stipend supplementation from a research education program. Because the R25 mechanism is not intended as a substitute for an NRSA institutional training program (T32) or an international research training grant (D43), costs to support full-time participants (supported for 40 hours/week for a continuous, 12-month period) are not allowable.
Other Program-Related Expenses	Consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel for key persons, and other program-related expenses may be included in the proposed budget. These expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant institution. Support from this award should not be used to build major ICT infrastructure. Software and platform subscription or license costs may be included, as well as internet or cellular connectivity costs that are necessary for establishing the proposed education program. However, these costs should not be a signficant portion of the proposed budget and applicants are encouraged to explore open source software and sustainable sources of connectivity where available.
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.

Higher Education Institutions

• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education

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

• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

Other

• Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions)

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.

Institutions with existing Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) institutional training grants (e.g., T32) or other Federally funded training programs may apply for a research education grant provided that the proposed educational experiences are distinct from those training programs receiving NIH support. In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed research education program will complement ongoing research training occurring at the applicant institution.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.

Non-domestic entities are restricted to institutions in "low and middle income" countries (as defined by the World Bank according to Gross National Income per capita as low income, lower middle income, and upper middle income ; see: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/CLASS.XLS).

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

• Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) - All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
• System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.
• NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.
• eRA Commons - Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
• Grants.gov Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account and should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate an existing account with the applicant organization’s eRA Commons account. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Applicants must be current or former Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) or collaborators of FIC research, research training, or research education grants (R03, R21, R01, R24, R25, R00, U01, D43, S07). PDs/PIs should leverage the qualifying grant, which may entail applying with the co-investigators and collaborators from the current or previous grant or bringing in new collaborators to add expertise or expand the scope of the proposed program.

Individuals from U.S. and LMIC institutions that meet the criteria above are eligible to apply and partnerships between countries are encouraged as long as the capacity building efforts are focused in the LMIC institution(s). Individuals from high income country institutions outside of the U.S. may serve as partners or collaborators in the programs.

Any qualifying individuals 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.

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

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically and programmatically (with respect to the ICT capability to be enhanced) 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:

• To an RFA of an application that was submitted previously as an investigator-initiated application but not paid;
• Of an investigator-initiated application that was originally submitted to an RFA but not paid; or
• Of an application with a changed grant activity code.

Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as preceptors/mentors. Mentors should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program. Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the mentee s participation in this award. Applicants are encouraged to include faculty members at LMIC institutions as mentors where appropriate.

Participants in proposed programs must be recruited from low and middle income countries (as defined by the World Bank according to gross national income (GNI) per capita as low income, lower middle income, and upper middle income ). For a list of country classifications see: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/CLASS.XLS).

Applications must describe the intended participants and the eligibility and/or specific educational background characteristics that are essential for participation in the proposed research education program. Where relevant, identify the career levels essential for participation in the planned program.

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.

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.

Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

By the date listed in Part 1. Overview Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

• Descriptive title of proposed research education program
• Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s)
• Names of other key personnel
• Participating institution(s)
• Number and title of this funding opportunity

The letter of intent should be sent electronically to:

Laura Povlich, PhD
Division of International Training and Research
Fogarty International Center
National Institutes of Health
Building 31 Room B2C39
Bethesda, MD 20892-2220
Telephone: 301-827-2227
Email (preferred): [email protected]

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.

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

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.

Additionally, describe any existing ICT infrastructure (including cellular or internet connectivity) that will support the proposed program.

Advisory Committee (Uploaded via the Other Attachments section)

Applicants may convene an Advisory Committee of outside experts to provide oversight for the program design and goals. This may be especially desirable for applicants who lack sufficient experience using ICT. If an Advisory Committee will be part of the program, describe the composition of the committee, identify the roles, responsibilities, and desired expertise of members, discuss the frequency and purpose of the proposed meetings, and other relevant information. Describe committee involvement in the evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the program. An Advisory Committee is not required. Also, note that proposed Advisory Committee members should not be named in the application. Please name your file Advisory_Committee.pdf

The filename provided for each Other Attachment will be the name used for the bookmark in the electronic application in eRA Commons.

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

• Include all personnel other than the PD(s)/PI(s) in the Other Personnel section, including clerical and administrative staff.
• Use the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs to include all allowable categories of funds requested to support participants in the program.

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, Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, Evaluation Plan, Dissemination Plan.

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

While the proposed research education program may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those research training and research education programs currently receiving federal support. When research training programs are on-going in the same department, the applicant organization should clearly describe the distinction between the intended participants in the proposed research education program and the research training supported by the training program. The information should include a description of the education and/or career levels of the planned participants.

Significance: All applicants should provide a detailed assessment of the current status of ICT capabilities at the participating LMIC institution(s) that are relevant to the proposed research education program. As rationale, applicants should describe the needs and opportunities for research-related ICT education in the LMIC institution(s) where participants will be recruited. Any existing gaps in research- or research training-related ICT knowledge and capacity should be specified.

Scope: Proposed activities should seek to significantly increase the ability of LMIC researchers to use, develop, adapt, integrate and sustain ICT approaches that enhance global health research capacity. Simply delivering existing US courses by distance learning, for example, would not be responsive. By contrast, developing the institutional capacity to create locally relevant distance learning classes, would be.

Research Education Approach: Applicants should cite the qualifying FIC grant in the application and describe how the proposal complements, synergizes or builds on the research capacity strengthening efforts of the qualifying grant. Applicants who are current or former PIs or collaborators of FIC grants that include ICT activities must propose new and distinct activities. If there are multiple FIC awards based at the same LMIC institution, grantees are encouraged to collaborate to propose common ICT-relevant courses, activities, initiatives, educational research experiences, and ICT capability enhancements.

Additionally:

1. Where appropriate, applicants are encouraged to work with partners, including public or private sector entities, to aid the development and implementation of the proposed program.

2. Proposed programs should contain a balance of didactic courses and mentored practicum experiences designed to build research-related ICT capacity at LMIC institutions.

3. Applications may propose programs and practicum experiences for LMIC participants at LMIC institutions or at collaborating U.S. institutions. Most of the activities, however, should take place at LMIC institutions.

4. Applicants should provide an outline of the proposed components of the program and a plan for the development of curriculum or workshop content. Also, applicants should discuss the learning objectives and specific knowledge and skills that will be taught to participants, along with the anticipated duration of the components and desired outcomes.

5. Plans should include a milestone driven time line, benchmarks for success, and a clear statement of the research-related ICT capababilities that will be established at the end of the proposed grant period.

6. All applications must comment on the sustainability of the global health research or research training capacity that is developed in the proposed program. Applicants should consider whether the education program will produce skilled users who will continue to incorporate these approaches into their research and research training and whether these users will be able to adapt to future changes in technology. Additionally, applicants should consider the lasting institutional impact on the use of ICT in research and research training and how the targeted global health research community could remain informed of emerging ICT approaches beyond the timeframe of the grant.

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

Describe the institutional environment, reiterating the availability of facilities and educational resources (described separately under Facilities & Other Resources ), that can contribute to the planned Research Education Program. Evidence of institutional commitment to the research educational program is required. A letter of institutional commitment must be attached as part of Letters of Support. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program. For applications that involve collaborations across multiple institutions, all of the participating institutions should provide letters of support for the proposed program.

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

Describe arrangements for administration of the program, provide evidence that the Program Director is actively engaged in research and/or teaching in an area related to the mission of NIH, and can organize, administer, monitor, and evaluate the research education program, as well as evidence of institutional and community commitment and support for the proposed program.

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

Describe the characteristics and responsibilities of the participating faculty; provide evidence that the participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to the mission of NIH.

LMIC researchers should be substantially involved in the planning stages for the proposed program to insure the relevance of the educational activities and practicum projects supported as well as the sustainability of the program outcomes. This includes involvement in determining ICT needs at the LMIC institution, desired outcomes, and design of the proposed program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to collaborate with researchers with expertise in designing and implementing ICT for research and research training, particularly in LMICs.

Program Participants (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Where the proposed program involves participants, provide details about the pool of expected participants, their qualifications, recruitment strategies and sources of applicant pool, etc.

Participant recruitment and selection strategies should be designed to identify the strongest candidates for maximum impact after training is complete. Candidates should have the potential to incorporate ICT applications into current and future global health research or training projects.

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

Applicants are encouraged to include a plan for instruction in the responsible conduct of research, where relevant to the topic and length of the educational experience. A plan should include a discussion of any ethical, privacy, or security issues involved with the technology that is introduced in the proposed program.

If such instruction is not appropriate for the proposed research education program, then the PD/PI should provide a 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.

Dissemination Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

A specific plan must be provided to disseminate nationally any findings resulting from or materials developed under the auspices of the research education program, e.g., sample curricula, web postings, presentations at scientific meetings, workshops, etc.

Applicants are encouraged to share materials that are developed in their program with the broader global health research community.

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:

• Software source code should be freely available to biomedical researchers and educators in the non-profit sector, such as institutions of education, research institutions, and government laboratories. Users should be permitted to modify the code and share their modifications with others.
• The terms of software availability should permit the commercialization of enhanced or customized versions of the software, or incorporation of the software or pieces of it into other software packages.
• 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

Foreign (non-U.S.) institutions must follow policies described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, and procedures for foreign institutions described throughout the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

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. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late.

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.

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

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.

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 and the Fogarty International Center. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

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

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 and research training are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

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

Does the proposed program address a significant gap in research- or research training-related ICT knowledge and capacity at the LMIC institution(s) and does it provide an educational opportunity that is not currently available to the LMIC participants? Will the proposed program build research or research training capacity at the LMIC institution(s)? Will the proposed program address an important topic in research or research training at the LMIC institution(s)?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers appropriately trained and well suited to the proposed research education program? Is the PD/PI 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 research education program? If Early Stage Investigator or New Investigator, or in the early stages of an independent career, does the PD/PI have appropriate experience to lead the 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? If the application involves collaboration between multiple institutions, is there a high level of involvement and commitment from investigators at all of the institutions?

Innovation

Is the proposed research education program characterized by innovation and scholarship? Does the proposed program challenge and seek to shift current research education paradigms or clinical practice, or address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Are the proposed concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies novel for this area or creatively adapted to the context of the program? Does this proposed program duplicate, or overlap with, existing research education, training and/or career development activities currently supported at the applicant institution or available elsewhere? Adaptations of existing research education programs may be considered innovative under special circumstances, e.g., the addition of unique components to an existing program.

Approach

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the proposed research education program Are benchmarks for success presented?  If the program is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed?  If called for, is the proposed plan for evaluation and/or dissemination of the education program sound and likely to provide data on the effectiveness of the education program?  Is there evidence that the program is based on sound research concepts and educational principles?  Is the approach feasible and appropriate to achieve the stated research education goals?  Does the proposed program leverage existing research capacity or collaborations that were formed through a current or previous FIC grant? Will the plan increase the capabilities of LMIC researchers to use, adapt, integrate, and sustain ICT approaches to enhance research or research training? Does the proposed program contain the necessary partnerships to develop and implement the planned education activities? Does the proposed program provide adequate balance between didactic and practicum learning opportunities? Will the proposed recruitment and selection process result in the most qualified participants who will benefit from the education program and implement ICT activities in research or research training after participation?  

If the program involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

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, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements?  Is there evidence of appropriate collaboration among participating programs, departments, and institutions?  If multiple sites are participating, is this adequately justified in terms of the research education experiences provided? Are adequate plans provided for coordination and communication between multiple sites (if appropriate)? Is the existing ICT infrastructure or the planned augmentation of this infrastructure adequate for carrying out the proposed plan?

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

Not Applicable

Revisions

Not Applicable

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

Not Applicable.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

If there is a plan for training in the responsible conduct of research, reviewers will assess the plan while taking into account the specific characteristics of the research education program, level of participant experience, and the particular circumstances of the participants. Will information be provided related to ethical, privacy, or security issues involved with the technology being introduced in the program?

If there is no plan, reviewers will assess whether this is justified for the proposed program.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Reviewers will assess whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions that exist in other countries and either are not readily available in the United States or augment existing U.S. resources.

Select Agent Research

Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

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.

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:

• May undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review) will be discussed and assigned an overall impact score.
• Will receive a written critique.

Applications will be assigned 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 Fogarty International Center Advisory Board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

• Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.
• Availability of funds.
• Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.
• Relevance of proposed project to program priorities of co-funding components.
• Geographic balance of programs.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

It is expected that participant data for educational experiences greater than 6 months will be entered annually via the web-based CareerTrac System managed by FIC by the deadline for submission of progress reports. PDs/PIs may choose to enter participant information for shorter training experiences as well. This information is not used to evaluate individual programs, but is used to investigate the global impact of FIC programs.

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.

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.

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

eRA Commons Help Desk (Questions regarding eRA Commons registration, submitting and tracking an application, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, post submission issues)
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

Web ticketing system: https://public.era.nih.gov/commonshelp
TTY: 301-451-5939
Email: [email protected]

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading forms and application packages)
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726

Web ticketing system: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/ContactUs.aspx
Email: [email protected]

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Telephone 301-710-0267
TTY 301-451-5936
Email: [email protected]

Laura Povlich, PhD
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Telephone: 301-827-2227
Email: [email protected]

Hilary D. Sigmon, Ph.D., R.N.
Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
Telephone:  301-357-9236
Email: [email protected]

Satabdi Raychowdhury, M.B.A
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Telephone: 301-496-9750
Email: [email protected]

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.

Awards are made under the authorization of Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 287b) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 63A.