EXPIRED
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Career Development Program in Emergency Care Research (K12)
K12 Physician Scientist Award (Program) (PSA)
Reissue of RFA-HL-11-011
RFA-HL-16-019
None
An eligible institution may submit only one application in response to this FOA. See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.
93.837, , 93.242, 93.361, 93.838, 93.839
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) solicits applications for institutional research career development (K12) programs from applicant organizations that propose to develop multidisciplinary clinical research training programs in emergency care research that prepare clinician-scientists for academic leadership roles and independent research careers in emergency medicine.
June 5, 2015
September 9, 2015
September 9, 2015
October 9, 2015, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. All types of non-AIDS applications allowed for this funding opportunity announcement are due on this date. No late applications will be accepted for this Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.
Not Applicable
March 2016
May 2016
July 1, 2016
October 10, 2015
Not Applicable
Required Application Instructions
It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide including the Supplemental Instructions to the SF424 (R&R) for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Application, 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
The overall goal of the NIH Research Career Development
program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is
available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation s
biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. More information about
Career programs may be found at the NIH
Extramural Training Mechanisms website.
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages applications from
organizations that propose creative and innovative institutional research
career development programs in the mission area(s) of the sponsoring
Institutes. In particular, this FOA invites applications to develop
multidisciplinary clinical career development programs in emergency care
research that prepare clinician-scientists for academic leadership roles and
independent research careers in emergency medicine. The goal of this FOA is to
build a well-qualified cadre of emergency care investigators through an
integrated, multidisciplinary mentored research and career development program
by providing mentored research training to assist junior faculty in their
transition into productive, independent clinician-scientists in areas related
to emergency care research.
The proposed institutional research career development program may complement other, ongoing research training and career development programs at the applicant institution, but the proposed career development experiences must be distinct from those career development programs currently receiving Federal support.
Emergency medicine has developed as a distinct subspecialty over the past 30 years, however the number of federally-funded emergency care investigators remains low. There is a critical need for clinical scientists trained in emergency care research so that clinical, translational and behavioral research and bio-technologies can be translated into clinical practice in this complex domain.
In 2006, the Institute of Medicine reported that the nation's emergency medical system was overburdened, underfunded, and highly fragmented. However, the number of federally funded emergency medicine investigators remained low. The NIH organized three roundtables in 2009 to identify barriers, achievable goals, and priorities to strengthen emergency care research. Barriers included a limited number of adequately trained investigators, poorly defined professional research tracks, limited interdisciplinary collaboration, and limited funding streams. In 2010, a summary from these roundtables published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine included a unanimous recommendation for NIH to establish dedicated emergency care research training programs. In 2012, the NIH announced the formation of the Office of Emergency Care Research that promotes efforts to train the next generation of emergency care researchers as part of its mission.
Applications that propose comprehensive career development programs aimed at preparing investigators to evaluate innovative approaches for screening, diagnosis and clinical management of patients with severe, acute manifestations of disease pertaining to cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, psychiatric and behavioral diseases and disorders in the Emergency Department (ED) setting and severe trauma in emergency settings are strongly encouraged. Of high programmatic interest are applications that demonstrate formal ties to emergency medicine and/or trauma programs to ensure adequate access to patient populations and settings required to conduct this research. Multiple ED/trauma settings may be required to meet programmatic needs. Applications that limit appointments to Scholars who are committed to an emergency care research career are of high programmatic interest.
This FOA is intended to support programs that lead to a Master of Science in clinical research or an equivalent research degree that includes didactic courses in research design and analysis; Scholar-initiated, independent research projects; courses in ethical conduct of clinical research; institutional review board training and apprenticeship; training in clinical trial oversight, data safety and monitoring; data management and security; scientific writing, grant writing, and scientific presentations; and leadership training. Didactic courses that include epidemiology, health services research, biostatistics, medical decision-making, and other courses that are determined to be important by the Scholars and their mentors for research career development are highly encouraged.
Programs that provide mentoring by a multidisciplinary research team based on the research and clinical focus of the Scholar s research and that demonstrate how Scholars will advance in their career development following the K12 program are of high programmatic interest.
Scholars research projects may be experimental or observational. Observational research may only be pursued if it will lead to hypothesis generation and primary data for future competitive studies.
NHLBI
Examples of research topics of programmatic interest to NHLBI that Scholars might pursue in their research project include, but are not limited to:
NIMH
Examples of research topics of programmatic interest to NIMH that Scholars might pursue in their research project include, but are not limited to the following, conducted in emergency care settings, across all age groups:
NINR
Examples of research topics of interest to NINR that Scholars might pursue in emergency care settings include but are not limited to:
Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.
New
The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.
The following NIH components intend to commit the following amounts:
NHLBI intends to commit total costs up to $250,000 in FY2016, $637,000 in FY2017, $1,097,000 in FY2018, $1,304,000 in FY2019 and $946,000 in FY2020.
NIMH intends to commit total costs up to $450,000 in FY2017, $450,000 in FY2018, and $450,000 in FY2019.
NINR intends to commit total costs up to $150,000 in FY2017, $150,000 in FY2018, and $150,000 in FY2019.
Up to 3 awards are intended to be funded in total.
Application budgets may not exceed direct costs of $77,160 in FY2016, $381,790 in FY2017, $523,765 in FY2018, $587,654 in FY2019, and $291,975 in FY2020.
The maximum project period allowed is 5 years.
Individuals designing, directing, and implementing the career development 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 Scholars are considered a regular part of an individual's academic duties, then mentoring and other interactions with scholars are non-reimbursable from grant funds.
Limited program-related administrative and clerical salary costs associated distinctly with the program that are not normally provided by the applicant organization may be direct charges to the grant only when they are in accordance with applicable cost principles. For institutions covered by OMB Circular A-21, this type of training program may qualify as a major project where administrative salaries are allowable as a direct cost. When specifically identified and justified, these expenses must be itemized in Sections A and B, as appropriate, of the R&R Budget.
Items that may NOT be supported with K12 grant funds include:
Scholars are those individuals who benefit from the proposed activities and experiences involved in the career development program. Scholar costs must be justified as specifically required for the proposed career development program and based on institutional policies for salaries paid to individuals in similar positions, regardless of the source of funds. These expenses must be itemized in the proposed budget.
K12 awardee salary is capped at $75,000 for 75% effort excepting fringe and Scholar health insurance.
Scholar costs per year should not exceed the following: $35,000 for tuition and associated texts and $25,000 for research costs. Allowable costs under the research costs category may include: 1) research expenses such as supplies, equipment and technical personnel, including expenses generated in the laboratories of the established investigators who serve as mentor. These research costs must be related to the Scholar's research activities and cannot be pooled and used for other programs unrelated or only indirectly related to the research activities of individual scholars.
NOTE: Each applicant should not propose more than 6 scholars in a 3-year period and scholars may only enter the program in years 2, 3 and 4 of the award. No new candidates shall begin after year 4 unless prior approval from the NHLBI Grants Officer is obtained.
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.
Allowable costs include:
Scholars as well as the PD/PI are expected to attend the annual K12 meeting in Bethesda, MD and Scholars may also attend an additional scientific meeting per year. Funds may be requested in the budget for this purpose but may not exceed $3,889 per traveler.
Items that may NOT be supported with K12 funds include:
Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees, consortium costs in excess of $25,000, 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
The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:
Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
Governments
Other
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.
The applicant institution must have a strong and high quality research program in the area(s) proposed under this FOA and must have the requisite faculty and facilities on site to conduct the proposed institutional program. In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed program will complement other ongoing career development programs occurring at the applicant institution and that a substantial number of program faculty will have active research projects in which participating scholars may gain relevant experiences consistent with their research interests and goals.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are
not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in
the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
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.
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 training program as the
Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (Training PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to
develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial
and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities 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 SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.
The PD/PI should be an established NIH 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. The PD/PI has responsibility for the day to day administration of the program and is responsible for appointing members of the Advisory Committee (when applicable), using their recommendations to determine the appropriate allotment of funds for research and career development. If the PD/PI lacks extensive experience in organizing and running an NIH clinical research training program, they are strongly encouraged to partner with a PD/PI who is well versed in running an NIH training program (T32) or CTSA clinical research training program.
This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed.
The NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time. This means that the NIH will not accept:
Program faculty should have strong records as researchers, including recent publications and successful competition for research support in the area of the proposed research mentoring program. Program faculty should also have a record of research training, including successful, former trainees who have established productive research careers relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes. Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as mentors.
Mentors will interact closely with the Scholar, and should be investigators with expertise and experience relevant to the proposed career development program. Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the Scholar’s career development under this award.
The Emergency Medicine K12 program’s goal is to recruit a wide variety of clinician Scholars to build a strong emergency medicine research workforce. Physicians who have completed residencies or fellowships in clinical specialties other than emergency medicine (such as trauma surgery, pediatrics, hematology, internal medicine) or with interests in emergency medicine research are also eligible to become K12 scholars. In addition to physicians in training, clinician-scientists are eligible candidates including clinicians with PhDs or equivalent research training (such as nurses, psychologists, or pharmacists) who have demonstrated interests in emergency medicine research.
Details on citizenship requirements are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
An institution receiving a Trans-NIH K12 Career Development Program in Emergency Care Research (K12) award must recruit and select Scholars who have a demonstrated commitment to an emergency care research career. Scholars may not be or have been a PD/PI on an R01, R29, U01/U10, subproject of a Program Project (P01), Center (P50, P60, U54) grant, or individual mentored or non-mentored career development award (e.g., K01, K08, K22, K23, K25, K99/R00).
Special note for scholars pursuing research of interest to NINR, as described in Section I:
These scholars must have at least a baccalaureate degree in nursing and a research doctoral degree to be eligible.
Special note for scholars pursuing research of interest to NIMH, as described in Section I:
These scholars must have at least one NIMH funded mentor and a project that falls within the NIMH emergency care research mission.
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 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:
The letter of intent should be sent to:
Director, Office of Scientific Review
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 7214
Bethesda, MD 20892-7924 (Express Mail Zip: 20817)
Telephone: (301) 435-0270
Fax: (301) 435-0730
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 for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA).
Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA).
Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA), with the following additional modifications:
Substitute the term scholars for all references to trainees in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, and substitute the term career development for all references to training in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Project Summary/Abstract. Provide an abstract of the entire application. Include the objectives, rationale and design of the research career development program, as well as key activities in the training plan. Indicate the planned duration of appointments, the projected number of scholars including their levels (i.e., , , faculty), and intended scholar outcomes.
Other Attachments. An Advisory Committee is not a required component of a career development program. However, if an Advisory Committee is intended, provide a plan for the appointment of an Advisory Committee to monitor progress of the career development program. The composition, roles, responsibilities, and desired expertise of committee members, history of R01 funding, 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 only if they have been invited to participate at the time the application is submitted.
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 for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA).
Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA).
Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA)
Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following additional modifications:
Note: An application should not propose more than a total of 6 trainees in a 3-year period. Scholars may enter the program only in years 2, 3, and 4 of the award.
All Supplemental Instructions to the SF424 (R&R) for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Application must be followed, with the following additional instructions:
Substitute the term scholars for all references to trainees in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, and substitute the term career development for all references to training in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
Particular attention must be given to the required Training Data Tables (use for K12 scholars). Table 2, Table 4, Table 6B, Table 9B, Table 10 and Table 12 must be completed. All other data tables listed in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide do not apply.
Program Plan
Program Administration. Describe the acknowledged strengths, leadership and administrative skills, training experience, scientific expertise, and active research of the PD/PI. Relate these strengths to the proposed management of the training program. Describe the strategy and administrative structure to oversee and monitor the program. If there are multiple PDs/PIs, then the plan for Program Administration is expected to synergize with the Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan section of the application.
Institutions with existing programs must explain what distinguishes this program from the others, how their programs will synergize with one another, if applicable, and make it clear that the pool of faculty, potential scholars, and resources are robust enough to support additional programs. When a program administrator position is planned, a description of the scientific expertise, leadership, and administrative capabilities essential to coordinate a program for developing investigators must be included in the application.
Clearly identify the complementary and integrated expertise of the program leadership team. Describe formal collaboration with the local emergency department or trauma center. Describe annual patient volumes and how they are sufficient to support Scholars research endeavors. If the population of available research subjects is limited, describe alternative, existing partnerships or agreements with regional emergency departments that may be used to enhance data collection opportunities.
Program Faculty. The application must include information about the program faculty who will be available to serve as preceptors/mentors and provide guidance and expertise appropriate to the level of trainees proposed in the application. Describe the complementary expertise and experiences of the proposed Program Faculty, including active research and other scholarly activities in which the faculty are engaged, as well as experience mentoring and training individuals at the proposed career stage(s). For any proposed Program Faculty lacking research training experience, describe a plan to ensure successful trainee guidance by these individuals. Describe the criteria used to appoint and remove faculty as Program Faculty and to evaluate their participation.
Include a description of plans for making available the expert guidance to be utilized by the Scholars for emergency medicine research projects that will enhance their knowledge and skills.
Mentors must interact closely with the Scholar and should have expertise and experience relevant to the proposed research and tailored career development plan. In regard to the mentors, describe the following:
Proposed Training. Provide an overview of the proposed program. Outline the objectives of the program and the program activities that will be used to meet these objectives. Describe for whom the training program is intended, including the training level(s) of the trainees, the academic and research background needed to pursue the proposed training, and, as appropriate, plans to accommodate differences in preparation among trainees. Include information about planned courses, mentored research experiences, and any activities designed to develop specific technical skills or other skills essential for the proposed research training. Describe how trainees will be educated in the human health- and disease-related aspects of their research training.
Provide an overview of the proposed program: Describe the immediate and long-term objectives of the program, including didactic training or career development activities that will be used to ensure that the objectives of the program are met. Include information about planned seminars, workshops, or tutorials that will be incorporated into the career development program and mentored research experiences and activities, including individual development plans for each scholar. The PD/PI should also describe past track records in NIH research training/career development including those of mentors, documenting the probability of success of the program.
Describe plans to provide all Scholars with additional professional development skills and career guidance including instruction and training in writing applications for research funding in order to apply successfully for future career development support such as K23 awards and independent research support such as R01 grants.
Describe plans for providing an integrated multidisciplinary team approach with effective collaboration among researchers and clinicians. Each Scholar must have a primary research mentor, an academic mentor, as well as other scientists/methodologists who can contribute to the Scholar s research development.
Describe plans for Scholar mentoring and frequency of mentoring.
Describe plans for creating research milestones for Scholars both within and following K12 training. Scholars are expected to transition from K12 training to individual career development awards (K awards) or independent NIH research funding by the end of the K12 training. Thus, applicants must indicate when and how Scholars will be transitioned to mentored career development grants (K23 for example) or to the role of PD/PI on NIH research grants.
Identify research degree programs that are available to K12 Scholars.
Program Evaluation. Describe a plan to review and determine the quality and effectiveness of the training program. This plan should include the metrics to be evaluated (including program activities completed, degree completion (if applicable), publications, fellowships/honors, and subsequent positions) as well as plans to obtain feedback from current and former trainees to help identify weaknesses and to provide suggestions for program improvements. Specified evaluation metrics should be tied to the goals of the program.
Metrics of Scholar progress should be established to help guide mentors in establishing milestones for Scholar success.
Plans for measuring the mentors contribution(s) to Scholar's progression should be ongoing.
Programs are strongly encouraged to track the research and career development of their scholars post-program.
Scholar Candidates. Describe, in general terms, the size and qualifications of the pool of scholar candidates including information about the types of prior clinical and research training and career level required for the program. Do not name prospective Scholars. Describe specific plans to recruit candidates and explain how these plans will be implemented (see also section on Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity). Describe the nomination and selection process to be used to select candidates who would be offered admission to the program and criteria for scholars' reappointment to the program.
Appointment of Scholars should be limited to individuals who are committed to an emergency care research career.
Institutional Environment and Commitment to the Program.
The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program including assurance that sufficient time will be allowed for the PDs/PIs and other Program Faculty to contribute to the proposed program, and that there will be protected time for scholars (9 person months, equivalent to 75%) selected for the program. The application must include a signed letter, on institutional letterhead, that describes the applicant institution s commitment to the planned program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program. This commitment may also include features such as PD/PI salary, stipend or tuition support for individuals involved in the proposed training program, or other commitments essential to a successful training program. Institutions with ongoing research training, student development, or career development programs that receive external funding should explain what distinguishes the proposed program from existing ones at the same trainee level, how the programs will synergize, if applicable, whether trainees are expected to transition from one support program to another, and how the training faculty, pool of potential trainees, and resources are sufficiently robust to support the proposed program in addition to existing ones.
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.
Literature shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields. (See, e.g., Inside the Double
Bind, A Synthesis of Empirical Research on Undergraduate and Graduate Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and mathematics http://her.hepg.org/content/t022245n7x4752v2/fulltext.pdf).
New applications must include a description of plans to enhance recruitment, including the strategies that will be used to enhance the recruitment of scholars 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:
For those individuals who participated in the career
development 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 Plan to Enhance Diversity is available at Frequently Asked
Questions: Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity (Diversity
FAQs).
Applications lacking a diversity recruitment plan will not be reviewed.
Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research as provided in Chapter 8 of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
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.
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.
See more
tips for avoiding common errors.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.
The following types of applications are outside the purpose of this FOA, will be considered non-responsive, and will not proceed to review:
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 and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.
Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood that the proposed training program will prepare individuals for successful, productive scientific research careers and thereby exert a sustained 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 the merit of the training program, and give a separate score for each. When applicable, the reviewers will consider relevant questions in the context of proposed short-term training. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.
Career Development Program and Environment
Mentors
Candidates/Scholars
Training Record
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.
Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.
Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.
Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.
Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
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 and retention of individuals from underrepresented groups. The plan will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the consensus of the review committee will be included in an administrative note in the summary statement.
Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research
All applications for support under this FOA must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Taking into account the specific characteristics of the career development program, the level of scholar experience, and the particular circumstances of the scholars, the reviewers will evaluate the adequacy of the proposed RCR training in relation to the following five required components: 1) Format - Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g. lectures, coursework and/or real-time discussion groups, including face-to-face interaction? (A plan involving only on-line instruction is not acceptable.); 2) Subject Matter Does the plan include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics? 3) Faculty Participation - Does the plan adequately describe how faculty will participate in the instruction? 4) Duration of Instruction - Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., at least eight contact hours of instruction? 5) Frequency of Instruction Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., at least once during each career stage (undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and faculty levels) and at a frequency of no less than once every four years?
Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.
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).
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 Heart, Lung and Blood Institute 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:
Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this FOA.
Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Advisory Council. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
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.
Not Applicable
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.
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.
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.
A notarized statement verifying possession of permanent residency documentation must be submitted with the Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271). Individuals with a Conditional Permanent Resident status must first meet full (non-conditional) Permanent Residency requirements before receiving support
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. Evaluation results should be included as part of the final Progress Report.
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 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]
Grants.gov
Customer Support (Questions
regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading forms and
application packages)
Contact Center Telephone: 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)
Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-710-0267
Jane D. Scott, ScD, MSN
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Telephone: 301-435-0535
Email: [email protected]
Lauren D. Hill, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-2638
Email: [email protected]
David Banks, PhD, MPH, RN
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Telephone: 301-496-9558
Email: [email protected]
Director, Office of Scientific Review
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Telephone: 301-435-0270
Email: [email protected]
Hubert Walters
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Telephone: 301-435-0166
Email: [email protected]
Tamara Kees
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-8811
Email: [email protected]
Lawrence Haller
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Telephone: 301-402-1878
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.