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 will not be reviewed

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

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research educational activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH Institutes and Centers. The over-arching goals of the NIH R25 program are to: (1) complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs; (2) enhance the diversity of the biomedical, behavioral and clinical research workforce; (3) help recruit individuals with specific specialty or disciplinary backgrounds to research careers in biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences; and (4) foster a better understanding of biomedical, behavioral and clinical research and its implications.

The over-arching goal of this National Institute on Aging (NIA) R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs in interdisciplinary areas of science relevant to behavioral and social research on aging.

The Division of Behavioral and Social Research (BSR) at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) supports a number of interdisciplinary research initiatives on the processes of aging at both the individual and societal level, with emphasis placed on multilevel interactions across biological, psychological, behavioral and social levels of analysis. The 2013 National Advisory Council on Aging Review of the Division of Behavioral and Social Research http://www.nia.nih.gov/research/announcements/2014/03/naca-evaluation-bsr-report-2013 highlighted the critical need to ensure that highly trained scientists are available in adequate numbers to advance this interdisciplinary research agenda and sustain a research workforce that is multidisciplinary and diverse, at both junior and senior levels, with skills that cut across multiple scientific disciplines.

The past decade has seen rapid growth in interdisciplinary behavioral and social research on aging in fields such as behavioral and population genetics, decision science and neuroeconomics, behavioral economics and behavior change, social and affective neuroscience, biodemography, etc. New investigators (advanced graduate students, post-docs, junior faculty) have few existing options that provide appropriate introduction to these fields. There is a continued need to train new researchers (and re-train established investigators) in the methodologies and languages of seemingly unrelated disciplines, so that existing gaps in terminology, approach, and methodology might be gradually eliminated; and to bring new approaches and methods to bear on the framing and investigation of research questions.

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on:

Short-term Intensive Courses or Summer Institutes for Skills Development aimed at enhancing the development of interdisciplinary scientists and advancing the development of common languages and sharing of tools and methodologies across disciplines. This FOA will support short-term education programs such as intensive summer institutes and advanced workshops on methodology. Such courses typically bring together researchers from different disciplines centered on a common research question or methodology. They can be effective at seeding collaboration and communication in ways that are not typically possible at a single institution or in standard training curricula. They offer participants extended access to leaders in the field and allow for intensive bursts of education where questions about terminology, theory, data resources, analytic approaches, and common or overlapping frameworks can be deliberated and addressed.

• Genetics/Genomics Methodologies for the Behavioral and Social Sciences:  Enhance the education of behavioral and social scientists to enable them to apply genetic and genomic approaches to research questions in the behavioral and social sciences. Potential areas to be covered include, but are not limited to: information about platforms and protocols for the collection of genetic, genomic, epigenetic, gene-expression and other genetic-based data; new approaches for genetic and genomic data analysis; use of existing resources, tools, databases and software within human genomics; approaches to examining the interplay between genetic and social and behavioral factors, including transcriptomic and epigenetic approaches to studying gene-environment interactions; big data challenges in the genomic era, including working with large genetic data infrastructure for data sharing and the NIH BD2K effort; approaches for conducting cross-study comparisons; and approaches to studying the evolutionary and genetic bases of sociality, in both human and animal models. 
• Neuroeconomics and Social Neuroscience: Bridging theory and methods in economics, psychology, social science and neuroscience in the study of decision making and social behavior. Potential areas to be covered include, but are not limited to: Neural and computational models of valuation, choice and decision making; economic and behavioral economic models of individual and social decision making; the role of affect in decision making; advances in social and affective neuroscience; animal models of social behavior and decision making; neurobiology and psychology of aging; cognitive neuroscience of memory and decision making; accounting for neurodevelopmental and social processes that affect decision making and economic behavior over the life span; behavioral, psychological, neural and economic models of motivation and self-regulation; linking laboratory approaches to real world social and economic behaviors and outcomes; integration of population- and laboratory-based approaches spanning the life course.
• Developing Partnerships for Research in Private-sector Settings: Enhance the skills of behavioral and social scientists seeking to develop private sector research partnerships to advance applied behavioral science. Collaborative work with the private sector can leverage resources and allow for testing programs in real-world settings. Negotiating partnerships in the private sector and implementing interventions within organizations pose unique research challenges. Potential areas to be covered include, but are not limited to: Strategies for negotiating partnerships with private sector organizations (e.g. healthcare organizations, workplaces, financial institutions) that are relevant contexts for studying behavior change, health and well-being in midlife and older age; development of legal documents for research partnerships; accessing institutional data for secondary data analysis; conducting experiments and/or interventions within organizations; ensuring that research is consistent with business practices and confidentiality concerns, while also meeting goals of scientific independence and replicability.
• Cross-training in Economics and Psychology: Especially, cognitive, affective and personality psychology, to improve and integrate approaches to measurement, modeling and intervention. Potential areas to be covered include, but are not limited to: The integration of economic and psychological models of decision making and individual differences; identification and measurement of appropriate economic phenotypes in population-based studies, based on approaches honed in behavioral and experimental studies; integration of approaches to behavior change from behavioral economics and behavioral medicine, including understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying behavior change and attending to how effect sizes compare in different settings; approaches to testing mechanistic hypotheses in behavior change interventions; cognition-emotion interactions in economics and psychology; how psychological aging impacts decision making; the use of natural and field experiments to test external validity of theories; use of system-wide thinking to consider unintended consequences of interventions; incorporation of psychobiological approaches in studies of economic behavior.

A component of the proposed curriculum should be designed to enhance skills in aging-relevant research. For the purposes of this FOA, aging-relevant research is that which includes a developmental, lifecourse or life cycle perspective. Research questions relevant to aging include research on early life factors that impact trajectories of aging, as well as research focused on midlife and/or older ages.

Applications that propose to integrate education in economics, neuroscience, and/or genetics with psychology, demography, or sociology are particularly encouraged.

Applications may propose courses for skills development at the following levels of professional career development: medical/graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, medical resident, and/or independent scientist.

Depending on the stated goals of the proposed short course, its duration can vary from one week or less to a maximum of 2 weeks. Recurring courses (i.e., the same course is offered multiple times) are welcome. Courses are solicited that have a broad reach, i.e., beyond the applicant institution, and/or can be widely disseminated, as the goal of this FOA is to make the educational courses available to a wide range of investigators. Applicants may request time for curriculum development. Courses do not need to be offered in each year.

Numerous NIA/BSR-sponsored workshops have identified the skills needed to negotiate the interdisciplinary domains described above. Of particular relevance are the following reports:

Expert Planning Meeting on Economic Decision-Making in Aging Populations: https://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2015/expert-planning-meeting-economic-decision-making-aging-populations

White House workshop on Psychological Science and Behavioral Economics in the Service of Public Policy: http://www.nia.nih.gov/research/announcements/2013/07/white-house-workshop-psychological-science-and-behavioral-economics

Using Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) to Explore Fundamental Questions About Aging in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Sample: http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2011/using-genome-wide-association-studies-gwas-explore-fundamental-questions-about

NIA Workshop on Genetic Methods and the Life Course: http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2011/nia-workshop-genetic-methods-and-life-course

Integrating genetic data into behavioral and social research: A follow-up to the NAS meeting on the HRS and GWAS: http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2012/integrating-genetic-data-behavioral-and-social-research-follow-nas-meeting-hrs-and

Workshop on Economic Phenotypes: http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2011/workshop-economic-phenotypes

Harmonization Strategies for Behavioral, Social Science, and Genetic Research: http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2012/harmonization-strategies-behavioral-social-science-and-genetic-research

NIA Expert Meeting on Pathways and Mechanisms Linking Behavioral and Social Factors to Health: http://www.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/pathways-meeting-summary-report_0.pdf

Social Neuroscience of Aging: http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2011/social-neuroscience-aging

Neuroeconomics of Aging Workshop: http://www.nia.nih.gov/about/events/2011/neuroeconomics-aging-workshop

Please check the BSR website for additional workshop reports: http://www.nia.nih.gov/research/dbsr/featured-reports/

Research education programs may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, but the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those training and education programs currently receiving Federal support. R25 programs may augment institutional research training programs (e.g., T32, T90) but cannot be used to replace or circumvent Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) programs.

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)

For-Profit Organizations

• Small Businesses
• For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Governments

• State Governments
• County Governments
• City or Township Governments
• Special District Governments
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Independent School Districts
• Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
• Regional Organizations

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 federal 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 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 allowed.

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.  PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. 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.

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.

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 distinct.

The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time.  This means that the NIH will not accept:

• A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application.
• A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.
• An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NOT-OD-11-101).

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.

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 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, including Supplemental Grant Application Instructions 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 will not be reviewed.

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 activity
• 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 to:

Lis Nielsen, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-4156
Email: [email protected]

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

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this FOA.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following additional 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.

Other Attachments. An Advisory Committee is not a required component of a Research Education program. However, if an Advisory Committee is intended, provide a plan for the appointment of an Advisory Committee to monitor progress of the research education program. The composition, roles, responsibilities, and desired expertise of committee members, frequency of committee meetings, and other relevant information should be included. Describe how the Advisory Committee will evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. Proposed Advisory Committee members should be named in the application if they have been invited to participate at the time the application is submitted. Please name your file Advisory_Committee.pdf

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. The PD/PIs should have experience working on interdisciplinary teams in the research areas that are the focus of the application. Key Personnel must include the PD(s)/PI(s) (or multiple PD(s)/PI(s)) as well as any other key persons, such as those involved in adminstrative aspects of implementing, monitoring, evaluating, disseminating, etc., the proposed research education program.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following additional 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.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

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

Research Strategy

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
• Program Director/Principal Investigator
• Program Faculty
• Program Participants
• Institutional Environment and Commitment
• Diversity Recruitment Plan
• Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
• Evaluation Plan
• Dissemination Plan

Research Education Program Plan

Proposed Research Education Program. 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 distinguish between the activities in the proposed research education program and the research training supported by the training program. Provide the rationale for the proposed short course including the scientific need and timeliness, how the course complements existing course/training opportunities (as appropriate) in meeting the needs of interdiciplinary scientists seeking to work one of the priority areas of focus described in the FOA. Programs may span institutions, or draw on expertise from multiple institutions. Applicants are expected to describe the learning objectives for the proposed short course, how the proposed course will enhance existing skills and capabilities of the target participants, and how the learning will be measured. Describe how the program will enhance skills in aging-relevant research as a component of the proposed curriculum. Describe how course content and syllabus are linked to the course objectives. Justify the balance between didactic and hands-on training and the time allotted for the planned material. Describe plans for individual attention and faculty-participant interaction to accomplish the course objectives.

Provide the rationale for any curriculum development activities proposed. If the program is in the early stages of development, describe approaches for establishing feasibility and managing risky aspects of the program.   Provide evidence that the program is based on sound research concepts and educational principles. 

Course duration and frequency as well as the number of anticipated participants in each offering of the course should be stated. This section should also describe expected processes for: (a) planning and implementing the proposed educational activities; and (b) coordinating among existing training or research activities already available (where appropriate).  Describe any plans for enabling continued exchange of information after participants complete the course.  Describe how the short course may be modified over time depending upon the outcome of the initial offering and participant feedback and/or new developments in the field in order to ensure that the course continues to be at the cutting edge.  

Describe approaches to managing potential problems and alternative strategies for their solutions. Clearly describe benchmarks for success.

Program Director/Principal Investigator. Describe arrangements for administration of the program. Provide evidence that the Program Director/Principal Investigator 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. For programs proposing multiple PDs/PIs, describe the complementary and integrated expertise of the PDs/PIs; their leadership approach, and governance appropriate for the planned project. Provide evidence that the PDs/PIs have experience conducting interdisciplinary research relevant to the scientific focus of the program.

Program Faculty. Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as program faculty. Faculty should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program and demonstrate a history of, or the potential for, their intended roles. Describe the characteristics and responsibilities of the participating faculty; provide evidence that the participating faculty are actively engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to the scientific focus of the program and are appropriate to the career level of the participants.

Program Participants. Applications must describe the intended participants, and the eligibility criteria and/or specific educational background characteristics that are essential for participation in the proposed research education program. Identify the career levels for which the proposed program is planned. Applications may propose courses for skills development at the following levels of professional career development: medical/graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, medical resident, and/or independent scientist.

Institutional Environment and Commitment. 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 (see below). Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program. Programs may span institutions, or draw on resources from multiple institutions.

Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity. Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key component of the NIH strategy to identify, develop, support and maintain the quality of our scientific human capital (NOT-OD-15-053).

Every facet of the United States scientific research enterprise from basic laboratory research to clinical and translational research to policy formation requires superior intellect, creativity and a wide range of skill sets and viewpoints. NIH’s ability to help ensure that the nation remains a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation is dependent upon a pool of highly talented scientists from diverse backgrounds who will help to further NIH's mission.

Research shows that diverse teams working together and capitalizing on innovative ideas and distinct perspectives outperform homogenous teams. Scientists and trainees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity, and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems. There are many benefits that flow from a diverse NIH-supported scientific workforce, including: fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, contributing to robust learning environments, improving the quality of the researchers, advancing the likelihood that underserved or health disparity populations participate in, and benefit from health research, and enhancing public trust.

In spite of tremendous advancements in scientific research, information, educational and research opportunities are not equally available to all. NIH encourages institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups identified as underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, such as:

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 report 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: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.  See NSF data at, http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-5_updated_2014_10.pdf.

C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, 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 http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml.
2. Individuals who come from an educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that has demonstrably and directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.
   
   The disadvantaged background category (C1 and C2) is applicable to programs focused on high school and undergraduate candidates.

New applications must include a description of plans to enhance recruitment, including the strategies that will be used to enhance the recruitment of trainees from underrepresented backgrounds 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:

• Individuals who applied for admission to the research education program,
• Individuals who were offered admission to the research education program,
• Individuals who participated in the research education program. 

For those individuals who participated in the research education program, the report should include information about the duration of education and aggregate information on the number of individuals who finished the program in good standing. 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 will not be reviewed.

Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research. All applications must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). The plan must address the five, required instructional components outlined in the NIH policy: 1) Format - the required format of instruction, i.e., face-to-face lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups (a plan with only on-line instruction is not acceptable); 2) Subject Matter - the breadth of subject matter, e.g., conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics; 3) Faculty Participation - the role of the program faculty in the instruction; 4) Duration of Instruction - the number of contact hours of instruction, taking into consideration the duration of the program; and 5) Frequency of Instruction instruction must occur during each career stage and at least once every four years. See also NOT-OD-10-019. The plan should be appropriate and reasonable for the nature and duration of the proposed program.

Applications lacking a plan for instruction in responsible conduct of research will not be reviewed.

Evaluation 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. 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., sharing course curricula and related materials via web postings, presentations at scientific meetings, workshops.

Letters of Support

A letter of institutional commitment must be attached as part of Letters of Support (see section above: Institutional Environment and Commitment.

Resource Sharing Plans

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following Guide:

When relevant, 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 . A course syllabus may be included in the Appendix.

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Planned Enrollment Reports as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

When conducting clinical research, follow all instructions for completing Cumulative Inclusion Enrollment Report as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

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

Organizations must submit applications to 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 due date 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. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Guidelines for Applicants Experiencing System Issues.

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.

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Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by the National Insitute on Aging, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.  

In order to expedite review, applicants are requested to notify the NIA Referral Office by email at [email protected] when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and title, PD(s)/PI(s) name(s), and title of the application.

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-13-030.

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, behavioral, and clinical research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

For this particular announcement, note the following: The goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs in interdisciplinary areas of science relevant to behavioral and social research on aging. To accomplish this goal, this FOA will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on Courses for Skills Development aimed at enhancing the development of interdisciplinary scientists and of common languages and sharing of tools and analytic approaches across disciplines. Applications that propose to enhance training in economics, neuroscience, and/or genetics with psychology, demography, or sociology are particularly encouraged. Applications may propose courses for skills development at the following levels of professional career development: medical/graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, medical resident, and/or independent scientist. This FOA will support short term education programs such as intensive summer institutes and advanced workshops on methodology. Such courses typically bring together researchers from different disciplines centered on a common research question or methodology and can be effective at seeding collaboration and communication in ways that are not typically possible at a single institution or in standard training curricula. Courses should offer participants extended access to leaders in the field and allow for intensive bursts of education where questions about terminology, theory, data resources, analytic approaches, and common or overlapping frameworks can be deliberated and addressed. Applications may propose courses for skills development at the following levels of professional career development: medical/graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, medical resident, and/or independent scientist. Priority areas of focus are: Genetics/Genomics Methodologies for the Behavioral and Social Sciences; Neuroeconomics and Social Neuroscience; Developing Partnerships for Research in Private-Sector Settings, Cross-Training in Economics and Psychology.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to strongly advance research education by fulfilling the goal of this R25 Education Program, 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 key audience and an important aspect or important need in research education? Is there convincing evidence in the application that the proposed program will significantly advance the stated goal of the program? Are the scientific need and timeliness well-justified? Does the program meet the needs of interdiciplinary scientists seeking to work in one of the priority areas of focus of the FOA and does it appropriately enhance skills in aging-relevant research as a component of the proposed curriculum?

Investigator(s)

Is the PD/PI capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program? Is there evidence that an appropriate level of effort will be devoted by the program leadership to ensure the program's intended goal is accomplished? If applicable, is there evidence that the participating faculty have experience in mentoring students and teaching science? If applicable, are the faculty good role models for the participants by nature of their scientific accomplishments? 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?Do the PDs/PIs have experience conducting interdisciplinary research relevant to the scientific focus of the program? Are the characteristics and responsibilities of the participating faculty clearly described? Is there evidence that the participating faculty are actively engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to the scientific focus of the program?

Innovation

Taking into consideration the nature of the proposed research education program, does the applicant make a strong case for this program effectively reaching an audience in need of the program’s offerings? Where appropriate, is the proposed program developing or utilizing innovative approaches and latest best practices to improve the knowledge and/or skills of the intended audience? Will the program enhance the ability of new investigators to bridge disciplinary gaps in terminology, approach, and methodology and to bring new approaches and methods to bear on the framing and investigation of research questions?

Approach

Does the proposed program clearly state its goals and objectives, including the educational level of the audience to be reached, the content to be conveyed, and the intended outcome? Is there evidence that the program is based on a sound rationale, as well as sound educational concepts and principles? Is the plan for evaluation sound and likely to provide information on the effectiveness of the program? If the proposed program will recruit participants, are the planned recruitment, retention, and follow-up (if applicable) activities adequate to ensure a highly qualified participant pool?

Are the overall strategy and approach well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the proposed research education program?  Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and 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?  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?  Is there adequate justification for any proposed curriculum development activities and for the proposed course duration and frequency?

Does the proposed program clearly state its goals and objectives, including the educational level of the audience to be reached, the content to be conveyed, and the intended outcome(s)? Are the curriculum and faculty appropriate for the career level of the participants? Are the course content and syllabus appropriate for the course objectives? Is there an adequate balance between didactic and hands-on training?  Is the time allotted sufficient for the planned material?  Is the level of individual attention appropriate to accomplish the course objectives? Is sufficient interaction planned between faculty and participants? Is the proposed plan for evaluation sound and likely to provide data on the effectiveness of the program in achieving its goals and objectives? Does the evaluation plan adequately describe how outcomes will be determined and evaluated? Is there a well-defined plan to disseminate user-friendly course materials to the broader scientific community?

Is the course duration and frequency as well as the number of anticipated participants in each offering of the course clearly described? Are processes clearly described for: (a) planning and implementing the proposed educational activities; and (b) coordinating among existing training or research activities already available (where appropriate)?  Are appropriate plans described for enabling continued exchange of information after participants complete the course?  Are appropriate plans described for how the short course may be modified over time depending upon the outcome of the initial offering and participant feedback and/or new developments in the field in order to ensure that the course continues to be at the cutting edge?    

Environment

Will the scientific and educational environment of the proposed program contribute to its intended goals? Is there a plan to take advantage of this environment to enhance the educational value of the program? Is there tangible evidence of institutional commitment? Is there evidence that the faculty have sufficient institutional support to create a sound educational environment for the participants? Where appropriate, is there evidence of collaboration and buy-in among participating programs, departments, and institutions?

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

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: (1) risk to subjects, (2) adequacy of protection against risks, (3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, (4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and (5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: (1) the justification for the exemption, (2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and (3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children 

When the proposed project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion (or exclusion) of children to determine if it is justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.

Vertebrate Animals

The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: (1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; (2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; (3) adequacy of veterinary care; (4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and (5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Resubmissions

Not Applicable

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 Plan to Enhance Diversity

Peer reviewers will separately evaluate the recruitment plan to enhance diversity after the overall score has been determined. Reviewers will examine the strategies to be used in the recruitment of individuals from underrepresented groups. The review panel’s evaluation will be included in the summary statement. Plans 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 proposed research education program, the level of participant experience, the reviewers will evaluate the adequacy of the proposed RCR training in relation to the following five required components: 1) Format - the required format of instruction, i.e., face-to-face lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups (a plan with only on-line instruction is not acceptable); 2) Subject Matter - the breadth of subject matter, e.g., conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics; 3) Faculty Participation - the role of the program faculty in the instruction; 4) Duration of Instruction - the number of contact hours of instruction, taking into consideration the duration of the program; and 5) Frequency of Instruction instruction must occur during each career stage and at least once every four years. See also: NOT-OD-10-019. The review panel’s evaluation will be included in the summary statement. Plans 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

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

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) Genomic Data Sharing Plan. If support for development, maintenance, or enhancement of software is requested in the application, the reviewers will comment on the proposed software dissemination plan.

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) convened by the National Institute on Aging, 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.

Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this FOA.

Applications will be assigned to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Advisory Council on Aging. 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. Balance across priority areas of focus.

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 terms and conditions found on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.  This includes any recent legislation and policy applicable to awards that is highlighted on this 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.

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

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.

A final progress report 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 or its Institutes and Centers will periodically evaluate their R25 research education programs, employing the measures identified below. In assessing the effectiveness of its research education investments, NIH may request information from databases, PD/PIs, and from participants themselves. Where necessary, PD/PIs and participants may be contacted after the completion of a courses for skills development for periodic updates on participants subsequent educational or employment history and professional activities.

Upon the completion of a program evaluation, NIH and its ICs will determine whether to (a) continue program as currently configured, (b) continue a program with modifications, or (c) discontinue a program.

In evaluating this research education program NIA expects to use the following evaluation measures:

For Courses for Skills Development:

• Aggregate number and demographic characteristics of participants
• Educational level of participants
• Content
• Participants feedback on the program
• New knowledge or skills acquired

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

eRA Service Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons registration, submitting and tracking an application, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, post submission issues)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
Finding Help Online: http://grants.nih.gov/support/index.html
Email: [email protected]

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Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
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Email: [email protected]

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-710-0267

Lis Nielsen, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-4156
Email: [email protected]

Ramesh Vemuri, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-496-9666
Email: [email protected]

Jeff Ball
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-7732
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 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 Part 75.