Part 1. Overview Information

Key Dates

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts).

Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions.

Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

1. Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online.
2. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants.gov and eRA Commons to track your application. Check with your institutional officials regarding availability.
   
   
3. Use Grants.gov Workspace to prepare and submit your application and eRA Commons to track your application.



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

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

The 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 overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research.

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

• Research Experiences: Hands-on exposure to neuroscience research within the mission of the relevant NIH Institute (the institute that funds the associated T32), to prepare participants for admission into a strong, research focused, neuroscience-related graduate program, and, ultimately, a career in biomedical research.
• Courses for Skills Development: Courses and/or activities designed to develop an understanding of critical knowledge, and scholarly potential of participants, to facilitate admission to a strong, research-focused doctoral degree program, and ultimately a career in the biomedical research workforce.

Purpose and Background Information

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recognizes the need to promote a diverse biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences (collectively termed "biomedical") research workforce. 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 research, enhancing public trust, and increasing the likelihood that health disparities and the needs of underserved populations are addressed in biomedical research. NIH strives to ensure that future generations of researchers will be drawn from the entire pool of talented individuals, bringing different skills, perspectives, interests, and experiences to address complex scientific problems.

In spite of recent advances, individuals from certain groups and backgrounds are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences research workforce.For more information, see Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity. The under representation of these groups becomes more severe at each training stage.. For example, students from certain racial and ethnic groups, including Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos/Latinas, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders comprise ~39 percent of the college age population (Census Bureau data), but earn only ~17 percent of bachelor’s degrees and ~15 percent of Ph.D. degrees in the life sciences (National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics). Additionally, while the United States has seen a significant increase in the number of Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences earned by scientists from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the biomedical research workforce, a corresponding increase in the ranks of the faculty in basic science departments has not occurred (Gibbs, et al., eLife 2016;Valantine, Lund & Gammie, CBE-Life Sciences Education, 2016). Similarly, women have earned a majority of biomedical Ph.Ds. since 2008 (NSF data), but only approximately a third of NIH-funded principal investigators are women (NIH Databook).

The Approach of the DR Program

This Limited Competition Doctoral Readiness (DR) Program is intended to provide neuroscience research experience, neuroscience education, skills development and education about choosing graduate programs, mentors and careers to research-oriented postbaccalaureate participants from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Completion of this two-year research education program should enable participants to successfully transition into strong, research-focused, doctoral degree programs (e.g., Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or D.D.S./Ph.D.) in biomedical fields. These DR Programs are only intended to support individuals from institutions that do not offer undergraduates access to substantive research opportunities. Funded programs are expected to provide participants with a strong research experience, together with neuroscience education and activities that will build a strong cohort of neuroscience research-oriented individuals.

Integrating this research education experience within an excellent, established T32 research training program is intended to enhance neuroscience research identity, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging among all participants within the neuroscience research community. It will facilitate the entry of participants into an existing cohort within which they can participate in career-building activities with others that have similar goals. This integration will afford opportunities to participate in activities that have been developed locally, and evaluated by the NIH peer review process, as best practices for helping individuals succeed as neuroscience researchers. Additionally, the program will demonstrate first-hand to participants what graduate school trainees are offered in a strong graduate program, and will expose them to models of mentorship and graduate school education. Combined, the experiences in the Neuroscience DR Program will enable participants to make informed choices about the types of research and/or careers in which they may have an interest, the variety of mentorship models that exist within a graduate program, and differences in institutions and programs to which they might apply for graduate education.

Each program should provide high-quality experiences that educate participants on the technical (e.g., appropriate methods, technologies, and quantitative/computational approaches), operational (e.g., independent knowledge acquisition, rigorous experimental design, and interpretation of data) and professional (e.g., management, leadership, communication, and teamwork) skills required for careers in the neuroscience research workforce. Moreover, participants should be integrated into a team of scientists (at a minimum, paired up with a graduate or postdoctoral researcher who values a collaborative effort and seeks strong mentorship experience themself) to pursue all aspects of a research project (e.g., hypothesis generation, experimental design, analytical approaches, data collection, etc.). Funded R25 programs are expected to actively promote fully inclusive research environments (i.e., institutional, departmental, and individual laboratory), where researchers from all backgrounds and career stages are included, fully integrated into, and supported equally by the community.

The research education program should provide participants with the following:

• An introductory understanding of the breadth of scientific areas and technologies within neuroscience, a deeper understanding within a specific area and the skills to independently acquire the knowledge needed to pursue a neuroscience career. Participants should gain this knowledge as any scientist would, via a combination of didactics, discussions, seminars, and their own research of the literature.
• The ability to think critically and independently, and to identify important neuroscience research questions and approaches that can lead to future scientific discoveries;
• A solid foundation in scientific reasoning, hypothesis testing, rigorous research design, experimental methodology, analytical approaches and data interpretation;
• A profound understanding of how to approach and conduct neuroscience research responsibly, ethically, and with integrity;
• Experience in developing, conducting, interpreting, and presenting neuroscience research, with rigor in all processes and approaches;
• An understanding of how to work both independently and as part of a team of colleagues from a variety of cultural and scientific backgrounds and experiences, and as a promoter of inclusive and supportive scientific research environments;
• Experience with, and strong education in, presentation of scientific research methodologies and findings, particularly as it pertains to written and oral presentations to prospective graduate programs;
• Opportunity for unique contributions to a research project and the ability to present their research accomplishments;
• A knowledge of potential careers made accessible by a research doctorate in a neuroscience-related discipline.
• An opportunity to gain authorship on a peer-reviewed research publication via their contribution to an experimental research project;
• An opportunity to attend national and/or local scientific meetings to present the data they’ve collected during the research component of their experience.

Programmatic activities must include, but are not limited to, active participation in a strong research project, communication skills development and strong mentorship (activities proven to increase persistence in STEM fields, c.f. PCAST Report, 2012, Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century, 2018, and The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM, 2019). Activities should also include those typically associated with graduate education, such as participation in seminars, journal clubs, presentation at national meetings. Didactics should not be the primary focus of the experience. Any courses taken should relate to the requirements for admission to neuroscience-focused doctoral degree programs at research-intensive institutions. Finally, participants should be considered integral contributors to an on-going, funded research project with the opportunity for co-authorship of publications resulting from their contribution to the research project. In addition to the skills, knowledge and accomplishments that they will gain from the DR Program, a critical objective is for participants to gain a clear understanding of the daily life of a career in neuroscience research and an understanding of the nature of different graduate programs at different institutions. DR Program participants should also have opportunities to learn about other potential careers that utilize PhD Training. DR Program participants will be required to devote full time professional effort to the DR Program and are expected to attend at least one NINDS (or other institute) sponsored meeting of T32 graduate program trainees.

The linking of this R25 to T32 graduate programs is intended to provide participants with the knowledge, research experience, communication skills and confidence to successfully navigate the admissions process into a strong, neuroscience graduate program.

Participating NIH Institutes will not support applications, regardless of the results of merit review, if they do not propose research education that is directly within the mission of the NIH Institute funding the affiliated T32 program. Therefore, we strongly recommend that potential applicants consult the Scientific/Research Contact(s) listed in this funding announcement relevant staff member at a target NIH institute that supports an eligible, associated T32 before preparing an application.

• NINDS will support applications focused on research experiences that address or seek fundamental knowledge in a research area related to the associated NINDS T32. Research can include studies on healthy or diseased brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerves. NINDS also encourages research focused on understanding and addressing disparities in neurologic health and disease in disparate populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, the geographically disadvantaged, sexual and gender minorities, and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent inequality and socioeconomic disadvantage. Research experience can focus on participation in basic, translational, and/or clinical research projects.
• NIDA will support applications related, but not limited to: cellular and molecular neuroscience, neuroimaging, genetics, medication and treatment development, development of new and improved strategies to prevent substance use and its consequences, pain and analgesia, neuroimmune signaling, neuropathology in brain systems, cognitive processes, population neuroscience, delivery of HIV and substance use prevention and treatment services, medication development, epidemiology of substance use, identifying the biological, environmental, behavioral, and social causes and consequences of substance use and addiction across the lifespan, and implementation science, including secondary data analysis. In addition, American Indians and Alaska Natives experience tremendous disparities in substance abuse and addiction, are disproportionately impacted by substance abuse and addiction. Factors contributing to the increased risk of addiction include historical trauma, violence, poverty, high levels of unemployment, discrimination, racism, lack of health insurance and lack of access to quality educational opportunities, having the highest rates of abuse and addiction relative to other racial
• or ethnic groups, and experience high rates of negative consequences from substance abuse. Research addressing American Indian and Alaska Native substance abuse and addiction health related disparities is particularly encouraged.

This is a limited competition funding opportunity announcement and is limited to PD(s)/PI(s) or MPI teams that include at least one PD/PI of a grant from the following T32 NOFOs: Jointly Sponsored Institutional Predoctoral Training Program (JSPTPN), PAR-22-265; NINDS Advanced Institutional Research Training Program, PAR-21-149; NINDS Institutional Translational Research Training Program, PAR-19-228 and PAR-24-108; NINDS Institutional AD/ADRD Research Training Program, PAR-23-113; or Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant, PA-23-048. In all cases, a PD/PI of the previous grants cited above must be the PD/PI or an MPI of the R25.

Program Considerations

Funded programs will have the research education objective of facilitating entry of participants from diverse backgrounds into strong neuroscience graduate programs and will be evaluated based on the success of achieving this objective. Programs will also be evaluated based on the quality of the research education provided, as evidenced by recognized contributions of participants to research projects (such as presentations at meetings and publications), as well as opportunities provided for participant growth as scientists. It is expected that upon completion of the program, the majority of participants will transition into strong, research-focused doctoral programs (e.g., Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or D.D.S./Ph.D.) in neuroscience.  For the purpose of this announcement, institutions are expected to recruit a diverse pool of prospective participants interested in the program, including individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce on a national basis (see, e.g., Notice of NIH's of Interest in Diversity).  Please note, however, that consistent with applicable law and NIH practice, funded programs may not use the race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) of program participants as an eligibility or selection criteria. The race, ethnicity, or sex of faculty, mentors, researchers, or participants will not be considered by NIH in the application review process or when making funding decisions.

Institutional commitment and support for the proposed training program are important elements of the application. The program should complement and synergize with ongoing, federally-supported research training and education programs at the applicant institution (e.g., with the existing NIH-funded T32 and, if applicable, relevant NIH-funded R25 programs) in the development of skills needed for careers in the biomedical research workforce. However, the DR Program goals must be distinct from related programs currently receiving federal support at the same institution.

In cases where an institution has multiple NIH funded programs that aim to promote a diverse biomedical research workforce, it is expected that these programs will seek to create administrative and programmatic efficiencies. For example, although two such programs might have different goals and objectives, there are undoubtedly many activities that would be common across the programs and would benefit all participants by synergizing across the programs. Similarly, although the goal of the DR Program is to facilitate entry into a graduate doctoral program, a major intent of associating the DR Program with funded NIH T32s is to enable the seamless integration of DR Program participants into relevant programmatic activities within the T32 program. 

This NOFO does not allow appointed participants to lead an independent clinical trial but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor. However, in such cases, there must be a clear plan to achieve the goals of the DR Program within the two-year time frame via this research experience.

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

Section II. Award Information

Other Award Budget Information

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

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

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)

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

This is a limited competition funding opportunity announcement and is limited to institutions that hold an NIH T32 Award from one or more of the following T32 NOFOs: Jointly Sponsored Institutional Predoctoral Training Program (JSPTPN), PAR-22-265; NINDS Advanced Institutional Research Training Program, PAR-21-149; NINDS Institutional Translational Research Training Program, PAR-19-228 and PAR-24-108; NINDS Institutional AD/ADRD Research Training Program, PAR-23-113; or Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant, PA-23-048.

Only one application is allowed per institution, as defined by the DUNS number.

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 Organizations) 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 How to Apply - 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. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications for additional information.

• System for Award Management (SAM) – 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.
• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) – A UEI is issued as part of the SAM.gov registration process. The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
• eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants.gov registration; all registrations must be in place by time of submission. 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 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 their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. See, Reminder: Notice of NIH's Encouragement of Applications Supporting Individuals from Underrepresented Ethnic and Racial Groups as well as Individuals with Disabilities, NOT-OD-22-019 and Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity, NOT-OD-20-031.

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 How to Apply - Application Guide.

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

PD/PI eligibility for this NOFO is limited to PD(s)/PI(s) or MPI teams that include at least one PD/PI of a grant from the following T32 NOFOs: Jointly Sponsored Institutional Predoctoral Training Program (JSPTPN), PAR-22-265; NINDS Advanced Institutional Research Training Program, PAR-21-149; NINDS Institutional Translational Research Training Program, PAR-19-228 and PAR-24-108; NINDS Institutional AD/ADRD Research Training Program, PAR-23-113; or Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant, PA-23-048. For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, at least one of the PD/PIs must be the PD/PI of an active institutional training grant (T32) from one of the participating institutes.

2. Cost Sharing

This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1.2 Definition of Terms..

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

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

NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time per NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. 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 NIH Grants Policy Statement 2.3.9.4 Similar, Essentially Identical, or Identical Applications).

Program Faculty

The selected faculty should be trained researchers in the neurosciences or related fields as demonstrated by recent publications and research support. When building a team of mentors, programs should include faculty who are committed to training, mentoring, and providing supportive and inclusive research environments. Program faculty must fully agree to the goals and objectives of the program, which include not only providing an outstanding research experience with an opportunity to contribute significantly to an important research project, but also to fully integrating participants into their laboratory cohort of trainees and activities. Moreover, program faculty must be committed to having the participants in this program participate in centralized program activities that are designed to achieve the goals and objectives of the overall program. Programs are encouraged to build a diverse team of preceptors/mentors that includes, for example, faculty at different career stages (i.e., early stage as well as senior faculty). Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the mentee’s participation in this award.

Participants

The overarching goal of this program is to develop a diverse pool of well-trained post baccalaureate participants who will transition into strong, neuroscience-oriented, research-focused higher degree doctoral programs.   Individuals are only eligible for DR Program acceptance if they received their baccalaureate degree from an institution that did not provide opportunities for a strong biomedical research experience. Individuals who obtained their baccalaureate degrees from institutions that have doctoral degree programs in neuroscience-related biomedical sciences are not eligible.

In order to receive salary support, the participant must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Additionally, participants must have a baccalaureate degree in a biomedically relevant science from an accredited college or university awarded no more than 36 months prior to applying to the program, and must not be currently enrolled in a degree-granting program. Parental, medical, or other well-justified leave for personal or family situations is not included in the 3-year eligibility limit, nor is national service (e.g., Peace Corps, or service in the National Guard or Armed Forces Reserves). Selection criteria for individuals to participate in this post baccalaureate program should include the intention to apply to research-focused biomedical doctoral degree programs (e.g., Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or D.D.S./Ph.D.) to commence immediately following completion of the DR Program.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed in this Notice of Funding Opportunity to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions will not be reviewed.

Letter of Intent

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:

Marguerite Matthews, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email: [email protected]

All page limitations described in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

The following section supplements the instructions found in the How to Apply - Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - 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. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program.

A letter providing assurances of the institutional commitment must be included in the Letters of Support section of the application. Detailed instructions on the types of support are found below in the Letters of Support section of the NOFO.

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”.

Training Data Table 4, Research Support of Participating Faculty Members, is a required attachment. Please follow the Instructions for the Data Tables [All Training Tables (Undergraduate Programs)]. Please name your file "Table 4 Research Support.pdf". Applications lacking the "Training Data Table 4" attachment will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

No other data tables are permitted in the Other Attachments Section of the application. Inclusion of additional Training Data Tables will result in application withdrawal before peer review.

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 How to Apply - Application Guide.

Follow all instructions provided in the How to Apply - 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 How to Apply - Application Guide.

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Research Strategy

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
• Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity
• 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. As a reminder, applicants may choose to address one or more of the activities listed in Section I. Funding Opportunity Description.

The plan should describe an integrated set of activities that will develop a diverse pool of well-trained post baccalaureate scientists who have the technical, operational and professional skills required to conduct neuroscience research in an ethically responsible and rigorous manner, and to transition into and succeed in rigorous neuroscience doctoral degree programs as described in the Program Objective. It is anticipated that the majority of research experiences available to the participants will fall within the mission of participating NIH Institutes. Applicants are encouraged to summarize what they view as especially important results contained in the data tables within the Research Education Program Plan of the application. This summary does not replace the data tables, and applicants are urged to ensure consistency between the summary and the relevant table information.

Include the following items in this section:

Current Status of the Graduate Biomedical Science Academic Programs: Describe the size of the graduate student body (Ph.D. level) in biomedically relevant disciplines. Provide institutional data on Ph.D. student enrollment from the last five years. Provide the number of Ph.D. students (overall) from the participating departments or programs, and their graduation rates for the last 5 years. Present this data in table format within the text (not in the appendix or with the required data tables). Include relevant outcomes from the associated NINDS or NIDA-funded T32(s).

Program Rationale, Mission, Objectives, and Overall Research Education Plan: Applications must include the rationale for the proposed DR Program as well as the feasibility of success in the context of the institutional setting. Describe and summarize institutional and externally sponsored programs to promote a diverse research workforce  in the biomedical sciences at the participating institution within the last 5 years. Specifically, the application must describe the following:

• The rationale for the proposed program. The application should describe the current institutional efforts to promote diversity through means consistent with applicable law and to create inclusive research environments, and how the program will enhance, but not duplicate, these efforts.
• The program mission (i.e., broad statement of purpose of the program), and objectives (i.e., specific measurable outcomes the program intends to achieve). Objectives should include, but not be limited to, program completion rates, percentage of participants who will complete the program in two years, the rate of transitioning into and completing research-focused biomedical doctoral degree programs. The program-specific mission and objectives should align with the Overarching Objective of this funding opportunity announcement described above.
• How the research experiences and courses for skills development will accomplish the specific program mission and objectives. Explain how these research education activities are designed to develop the technical, operational, and professional skills of participants.
• How the activities will employ evidence-based approaches to postbaccalaureate participant learning, mentorship, inclusion, and professional development.
• Representative examples of research education programs for individual participants. Examples may include laboratory experiences, courses for skills development, and other activities, such as seminars, journal clubs, “mini-committee” meetings, etc. Describe how each participant's program will be guided, and how the participant's performance will be monitored and evaluated. Discuss the anticipated time required to complete the research education program.
• The rationale and strategies used for selecting participants and a clear description of why the participants selected need additional preparation prior to applying to and attending research-oriented doctoral degree programs. Priority should be given to participants without access to substantive prior research experiences.
• The activities will build a strong cohort of research-oriented postbaccalaureate participants while enhancing the science identity, self-efficacy, and a sense of belonging among the cohort members.
• The strategy that will be used to develop the appropriate IDP for each participant in order to leverage their unique assets and address their specific points of development to enhance their ability to transition into and successfully complete a research-oriented neuroscience doctoral degree program.

Career Development. The application must describe how the program participants will:

• Be provided with information about the career outcomes of previous participants who have completed the program (e.g., on publicly accessible websites) and about the overall biomedical research workforce employment landscape;
• Be provided with adequate and appropriate information regarding the variety of careers in the biomedical research workforce for which their training would be useful; and
• Learn the skills, knowledge, and steps needed to attain positions in the sectors of the biomedical research workforce that are of interest to them.

Programs should describe a planned, organized approach to providing participants with an understanding of the different kinds of graduate programs, differences and similarities among these programs and advantages and disadvantages to joining different types of graduate programs. Education on this topic should include discussions of the different approaches programs have to matching graduate students with mentors. Describe the plan by which participants will obtain a thorough knowledge of how to choose a graduate program that best suits their interests and needs.

Similarly, programs should describe their approach to informing participants on how to choose mentors and different types of laboratories. Education should include a discussion of different mentorship styles, advantages and disadvantages to labs of different sizes and makeups, etc.

Program Oversight, Participating Faculty Selection, and Mentor Training. The application must include the planned strategy and administrative structure to oversee and monitor the program and to ensure appropriate participant progress. The application must describe how the participating faculty are trained to ensure the use of approaches to teaching, training, and mentoring practices that promote the development of participants from all backgrounds, including participants from underrepresented groups in the biomedical sciences (see,  NIH's Interest in Diversity). The application must describe the following:

• How the program will ensure that participating faculty employ the highest standards of scientific rigor and impart those standards to program participants;
• How the program will ensure that participating faculty reinforce and augment the curricular material on responsible conduct of research and methods for enhancing reproducibility;
• The mechanism for matching participants with the appropriate participating faculty (e.g., mini-rotations, faculty forums, and/or interviews);
• How the program will ensure that participating faculty engage in activities that promote participant career development (including but not limited to the effective utilization of an IDP); and
• A process to monitor mentoring, including oversight of the effectiveness of the participant/faculty match, and a plan for removing faculty displaying unacceptable mentorship qualities from the research education program (the application may include the appendix labeled “Conflict Resolution Protocols” to provide details of the plan).

If a program coordinator or administrator position is planned to enhance oversight, a description of the person's qualifications and administrative capabilities that are essential to coordinate the program must be included in the application.

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.

The application should expand on the information in the biosketch(es) to address how the PD/PI or PD/PI team has:  

• The administrative and training experience and skills to provide strong leadership, direction, management, and administration of the proposed research education program;
• The time to commit sufficient effort to ensure the program’s success given other professional obligations (the application should indicate the program director’s effort in person months in the proposed program);
• At least one member who has scientific expertise in the neurosciences and who has a record of using rigorous and transparent methods in experimental design, data collection, analysis and reporting;
• A demonstrated commitment to the development of the next generation of the biomedical research workforce, leading recruitment efforts to enhance diversity, and fostering inclusive research environments. As with all participating faculty, the PD(s)/PI(s) should have received training on how to effectively mentor participants from all backgrounds, including  individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences (see, e.g., NIH's Interest in Diversity).

The application must also describe the administrative structure and leadership succession plan for critical positions (e.g., PD(s)/PI(s)).

• Receive training in the use of effective, evidence-informed mentoring and teaching practices;
• Cooperate, interact, and collaborate (which can include joint sponsorship of participants' research);
• Promote the development of program participant skills in approaches to rigorous experimental design, methods of data collection, data analysis and interpretation, and reporting
• Provide opportunities for program participants to initiate, conduct, interpret, and present rigorous, reproducible, and responsible biomedical research with increasing self-direction; and
• Are evaluated as mentors and teachers.

Program Faculty. The application should describe how the participating faculty will promote the success of the participants and research education program. Describe how the program has or will build a diverse team of participating faculty (ie.g., faculty at different career stages) to help participants gain access to potential role models within the research education program and to enhance the excellence and inclusivity of the research environment. Summarize and expand on the material presented in the Training Table 4 and biosketches. 

Program Participants. Applications must describe the intended participants, and the specific educational background characteristics that are essential for participation in the proposed research education program. Provide the criteria and strategy for DR Program participant selection. Priority should be given to participants without access to substantive prior research experiences. Program candidates should have the potential to strongly benefit from, and with proper support, succeed in the program and transition into rigorous research-oriented doctoral degree programs. Applications should explain why participants will strongly benefit from being in the program rather than going directly to doctoral-degree granting programs. Strategies for ensuring that participants have sufficient commitment to careers in biomedical research should be described.

Institutional Environment and Commitment. Describe any additional aspects of the Institutional Environment and Commitment not addressed under “Facilities & Other Resources” or the required “Institutional Commitment Letter of Support,” described below. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program. This section should not duplicate information provided elsewhere.

Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility. Applicants are required to provide a Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility. The plan must describe how participants will be instructed in principles important for enhancing research reproducibility including, at a minimum, critical evaluation of foundational research underlying a project, rigorous experimental design and data interpretation, consideration of relevant biological variables such as sex, authentication of key biological and/or chemical resources, data and material sharing, record keeping, and transparency in reporting. Applicants are encouraged to consult the NIGMS clearinghouse for training modules to enhance data reproducibility and other resources when developing the plans. Describe how instruction strategies are sufficiently well integrated into the overall curriculum, that is, how they are taught at multiple stages of participant development and in a variety of formats and contexts. Describe how all participating faculty will reiterate and augment key elements of methods for enhancing scientific rigor and reproducibility when program participants are performing research in their laboratories.

Applications lacking a plan for instruction in methods for enhancing reproducibility will not be reviewed.

Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity  (NOT-OD-20-031):

The applicant must provide a recruitment plan to enhance diversity. Include outreach strategies and activities designed to recruit prospective participants  from groups described in the Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity. Describe the specific efforts to be undertaken by the program and how the proposed plan reflects past experiences in recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups.

Applications lacking a Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity  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. All participating faculty who served as course directors, speakers, lecturers, and/or discussion leaders during the past project period must be named in the application.

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

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.  Please note that the race, ethnicity, or sex of participants will not be considered in the application review process or when making funding decisions.
• Describe the evaluation or assessment process to determine whether the overall program is effective in meeting its mission and objectives, and whether the scientific research climate is inclusive, safe, and supportive of participant development (the application may include the "Evaluation and Assessment Instruments" appendix to provide blank survey instruments, rubrics or forms);
• Detail the plans for being responsive to internal and external outcomes analyses, critiques, surveys and evaluations; and
• Explain how the plan will effectively track participant career outcomes, provide information to prospective and current program participants about outcomes, and ensure the data collection and storage methods will be safeguarded and preserved.

Wherever appropriate, applicants are encouraged to obtain feedback from participants to help identify weaknesses and to provide suggestions for improvements. Applications lacking an evaluation plan will not be reviewed.

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. Programs are expected to make outcomes publicly available and are expected to disseminate successful research education practices, and lessons learned, to the broader community. The latter can be done either by individual programs or by the cohort of programs together. Applications lacking a dissemination plan will not be reviewed.

Letters of Support

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

The application must include a signed letter on institutional letterhead from a President, Provost, Dean or key institutional leader that describes the activities and resources provided by the institution that will ensure the success of the planned research education program and its participants (not to exceed 10 pages). This letter must be attached as part of Letters of Support (see section above: "Institutional Environment and Commitment”)

The letter should address and/or include a description of the following:

• The financial and non-financial resources that are directly committed or available to the proposed DR Program, including the specific resources that are intended to directly aid in accomplishing the programmatic mission of the research education program to be supported by this R25;
• Support for the PDs/PIs and other key staff associated with the planned research education program and policies that ensure that faculty with a role in the proposed program have time available to devote to their responsibilities to the program;
• Active institutional actions  to develop and promote a culture in which the highest standards of scientific rigor and responsible conduct are advanced and indeed, expected;
• Actions undertaken and/or processes in place to ensure    DR Program Participants with disabilities have access to research facilities, core resources and technologies 
• Efforts to ensure that all faculty, including early stage faculty, are recognized and supported for their participation and effort in training and mentoring;
• Institutional approaches to evaluation of the mentorship provided by faculty, and policies that pertain to remediation or removal of Participating Faculty who are poorly performing mentors
• The institution’s consideration of the activities integral to this DR Program, with particular attention to time spent mentoring participants, in tenure and promotion decisions;
• Actions initiated and ongoing to  promote diversity and inclusion and create a positive, supportive and inclusive research and training environment, both within institutional units and individual laboratories, for individuals from all backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented groups at all levels of the research education environment (participants, trainees, staff, faculty, leadership);
•  
• The institution’s efforts to build a diverse team of participating faculty to serve as role models and to enhance the excellence and inclusivity of the research environment (e.g., women, individuals from different backgrounds and with different perspectives, senior faculty and junior faculty). Please note that consistent with applicable law and NIH practice, funded programs may not use the race, ethnicity, or sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender status) of faculty as an eligibility or selection criteria. The race, ethnicity, or sex of faculty, mentors, researchers, or program participants will not be considered by NIH in the application review process or when making funding decisions
• The institutional involvement in providing resources and expertise for evaluating the research education outcomes of the program.

The institutional support letter must also include an additional, separate paragraph describing  the institution’s efforts to provide family-friendly environments, accommodations and leave policies (see examples in Model Policy on Pregnancy and Parenting Leave and Accommodations and Promising Practices for Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine). These policies and accommodations should  address, but are not limited to, timely access to affordable childcare services and accommodations for extended medical, family care or emergency circumstances that may impact or cause delays in scientific productivity.

It is expected that grantees eliminate barriers to participation and provide equal access to the opportunity to participate in NIH supported research, programs, conferences and other activities. The institutional support letter must also include a separate paragraph describing  institutional (including the departmental or program) activities supporting an environment free of discrimination and discriminatory practices, including harassment, consistent with commitments made by the  institution in  consideration of receipt of federal financial assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (see, Assurance of Compliance HHS 690 Form, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/form-hhs690.pdf )   This paragraph must describe the institutional actions in support of  the following:  

(i)    ensuring that proper policies, procedures, and oversight are in place to prevent discriminatory harassment and other discriminatory practices;  

(ii)   responding appropriately to allegations of discriminatory practices, including any required notifications to the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) (see NOT-OD-15-152); and

(iii)  adopting and following institutional procedure for requesting NIH prior approval of a change in the status of the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) or other senior/key personnel if administrative or disciplinary action is taken that impacts the ability of the PD/PI or other key personnel to continue his/her role on the NIH award described in the training grant application (also see NOT-OD-18-172 re policy on change in PD/PI status).

Applications lacking the Institutional Support Letter will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Resource Sharing Plan
Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, a Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable for this NOFO.

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide, with the following modification:

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

Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow the instructions for the Appendix as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

Any instructions provided here are in addition to the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide instructions.

The Appendix is meant to provide additional details to the following topics, but not meant to substitute for clear descriptions in the body of the application. Do not include items other than the allowable materials described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide or below, as doing so will result in administrative withdrawal of the application. A summary sheet listing all the items included in the Appendix may be included in the first page of the Appendix attachment.

The following are allowable Appendix materials:

• Evaluation and Assessment Instruments. The application may include blank surveys, rubrics, and/or forms used to (a) document and monitor participant progress and (b) determine whether the research education environment is effective, inclusive, safe, and supportive.
• Conflict Resolution Protocols (3-page maximum). The application may include detailed protocols for addressing problems with program participant and faculty matches, removal of faculty from the research education program with unacceptable training/mentoring skills and for conflict resolutions for multi PD(s)/PI(s) and mentor/mentee relationships.

PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the How to Apply - Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:

If you answered “Yes” to the question “Are Human Subjects Involved?” on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.

Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

Delayed Onset Study

Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start). All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

See Part 2. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov

4. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. contains information about Key Dates and times. 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. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

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. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications.

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 How to Apply - Application Guide.

5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

6. Funding Restrictions

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

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 7.9.1 Selected Items of Cost.

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the How to Apply - 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 How to Apply – Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

Important reminders:

All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile form. 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 unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. Additional information may be found in the How to Apply - 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 the appropriate NIH Institute. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant, and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

The goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that prepare postbaccalaureates from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce, to transition into and complete rigorous research-focused doctoral degree programs (e.g., Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.) in neuroscience-related fields. This NOFO is a limited competition to integrate post-baccalaureate research experiences within established T32 research training programs. In order to be considered responsive, a PD/PI of a T32 grant from one of the eligible NOFOs cited above must be the PD/PI or an MPI of this R25 and planned participants must adhere to all requirements in Section III. Eligibility, Participants. All other applications will be considered unresponsive and will be withdrawn by NIH.

Recipients or subrecipients must submit any information related to violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. See Mandatory Disclosures, 2 CFR 200.113 and NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 4.1.35.

Send written disclosures to the NIH Chief Grants Management Officer listed on the Notice of Award for the IC that funded the award and to the HHS Office of Inspector Grant Self Disclosure Program at [email protected]. 

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy.

Any instructions provided here are in addition to the instructions in the policy. For the purpose of this NOFO, follow the post-submission instructions for institutional training and training-related (e.g., T32 and T34) grants.

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

For this particular opportunity, note the following:

The goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that prepare postbaccalaureates from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce, with previously limited access to research experience to transition into and complete rigorous research-focused doctoral degree programs (e.g., Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., D.D.S./Ph.D.) in neuroscience-related fields. This NOFO is a limited competition to integrate post-baccalaureate research experiences within established T32 research training programs.

Applications that are complete and responsive to the NOFO will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit. Incomplete and/or non-responsive applications or applications not following instructions given in this NOFO will not be reviewed. Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.

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 research 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?

Specific to this NOFO:

Is there convincing evidence that the proposed research education program will provide participants with the experiences and skills that will allow them to transition into and complete rigorous neuroscience-related, research-focused doctoral degree programs?

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?

Specific to this NOFO:

• Regarding the PD/PI(s)
  • Do the PD/PI(s) have a demonstrated commitment to mentoring the next generation of the neuroscience research workforce, leading recruitment efforts to enhance diversity, and fostering inclusive research environments?
  • Do the PD/PI(s) have a strong record of research productivity and research training success?
  • Does the PD/PI team have a demonstrated record of using rigorous and transparent methods in experimental design, data collection, analysis, and reporting in a neuroscience field?
  • Do the PD(s)/PI(s) have the time to commit sufficient effort to ensure the program’s success, given their other professional obligations?
  • Have the PD(s)/PI(s) received training on how to effectively mentor participants, including those from underrepresented groups, and promote inclusive, safe, and supportive research training environments?
• Regarding Program Faculty
  • Do participating faculty come from neuroscience fields related to the mission of participating NIH Institutes?
  • Do the participating faculty have a record of conducting ethically sound and responsible scientific research, and of rigorous and unbiased experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results?
  • Is there evidence that the participating faculty are likely to enhance the excellence and inclusivity of the prorgam's research environment?
  • Is evidence provided that the participating faculty will commit sufficient effort to ensure the participants' development and success in meeting the objectives of this program?
  • Is there evidence that each member of the program faculty agree to participate in, and support involvement of program participants in, the centralized activities designed to meet the objectives of this program?
  • Is there evidence that each member of the program faculty agree to integrate participants into their laboratory and include them in all the activities of the lab that other trainees participate in?
  • Is there evidence that each member of the program faculty has a commitment to effective mentoring and promoting an inclusive, safe, and supportive scientific and training environment?

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?

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?

Specific to this NOFO:

• Does the described approach provide confidence that the research experiences, courses for skills development, and structured activities designed specifically for the DR Program will achieve the stated mission and objectives of the program?
• Are the rationale and strategies for recruiting and selecting participants who will strongly benefit from being in the DR Program well-conceived?
• Does the program employ modern, informed approaches to mentorship, inclusion, and professional development?
• Are the activities likely to build a strong cohort of research-oriented individuals while enhancing the science identity, self-efficacy, and a sense of belonging among the cohort members?
• Does the application describe an effective strategy and administrative structure to oversee and monitor the program to ensure that participants will successfully, and in a timely manner, achieve the goals and objectives of the program?
• Is there a clear mechanism for matching the participants with appropriate participating faculty, and for monitoring mentoring, including oversight of the effectiveness of the participant/faculty match?
• Is there a well-described plan for timely intervention should participating faculty display inadequate mentorship qualities, or if pairings of participants and mentors are deemed problematic with respect to achieving the goals of the program?
• If a program coordinator or administrator position is planned, is there a description of the person's qualifications and administrative capabilities that are essential to coordinate the program?
• Is the proposed plan for dissemination of the education program sound and likely to provide data on the effectiveness of the education program?

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?

Specific to this NOFO:

• Is there clear institutional commitment to develop and promote a culture in which the highest standards of scientific rigor, reproducibility, and responsible conduct of research are advanced?
• Will the participants have access to all core facilities and technology resources necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the program?
• Is there evidence that the research facilities and laboratory practices ensure the safety of program participants (and trainees generally)?
• Does the institution have an affirmative policy, including institutional support, to reward faculty for excellence in training and mentoring?
• Is there an affirmative plan to promote diversity and inclusion at all levels of the research environment (participants/trainees, staff, faculty, and leadership)?
• Are appropriate policies and procedures in place to protect the participants from harassment and other prohibited practices? Are the research facilities accessible to participants/trainees with disabilities?

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.

Specific to this NOFO:

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the 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 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 Individuals Across the Lifespan

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 individuals of all ages (including children and older adults) 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 three points: (1) a complete description of all proposed procedures including the species, strains, ages, sex, and total numbers of animals to be used; (2) justifications that the species is appropriate for the proposed research and why the research goals cannot be accomplished using an alternative non-animal model; and (3) interventions including analgesia, anesthesia, sedation, palliative care, and humane endpoints that will be used to limit any unavoidable discomfort, distress, pain and injury in the conduct of scientifically valuable research. Methods of euthanasia and justification for selected methods, if NOT consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals, is also required but is found in a separate section of the application. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals Section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animals 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.

Training in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility

Does the Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility plan describe how trainees will be instructed in principles important for enhancing research reproducibility including, at a minimum, evaluation of foundational research underlying a project (i.e., scientific premise), rigorous experimental design, consideration of relevant biological variables such as sex, authentication of key biological and/or chemical resources, data and material sharing, record keeping, and transparency in reporting? Are the rigor and transparency components sufficiently well integrated into the overall curriculum? Are they taught at multiple stages of trainee development and in a variety of formats and contexts? Does the teaching synergize with elements of the curriculum designed to enhance trainees' abilities to conduct responsible research? Is there evidence that all program faculty reiterate and augment key elements of methods for enhancing reproducibility when trainees are performing mentored research in their laboratories?

Resubmissions

Not applicable

Revisions 

Not Applicable

Renewals 

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 prospective participants 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 Resource Sharing Plan(s) (e.g., Sharing Model Organisms) or the rationale for not sharing the resources, is reasonable. 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.

2. Review and Selection Process 

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

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.

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.

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

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 NOFO. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

• 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.

Since this NOFO is for a limited competition, R25 applications will only be awarded if there is an active NINDS or NIDA-funded institutional training grant (T32) to at least one of the PD(s)/PI(s) named on the application.

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 Section 2.5.1. Just-in-Time Procedures. This request is not a Notice of Award nor should it be construed to be an indicator of possible funding.

Prior to making an award, NIH reviews an applicant’s federal award history in SAM.gov to ensure sound business practices. An applicant can review and comment on any information in the Responsibility/Qualification records available in SAM.gov.  NIH will consider any comments by the applicant in the Responsibility/Qualification records in SAM.gov to ascertain the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and performance record of managing Federal awards per 2 CFR Part 200.206 “Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.”  This provision will apply to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements except fellowships.

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons. Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.4.4 Disposition of Applications.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

A Notice of Award (NoA) is the official authorizing document notifying the applicant that an award has been made and that funds may be requested from the designated HHS payment system or office. The NoA is signed by the Grants Management Officer and emailed to the recipient’s business official.

In accepting the award, the recipient agrees that any activities under the award are subject to all provisions currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions. 

Recipients must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.6. Funding Restrictions. Any pre-award costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the applicant's own risk.  For more information on the Notice of Award, please refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 5. The Notice of Award and NIH Grants & Funding website, see Award Process.

Institutional Review Board or Independent Ethics Committee Approval: Recipient institutions must ensure that protocols are reviewed by their IRB or IEC. To help ensure the safety of participants enrolled in NIH-funded studies, the recipient must provide NIH copies of documents related to all major changes in the status of ongoing protocols.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

The following Federal wide and HHS-specific policy requirements apply to awards funded through NIH: 

• The rules listed at 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. 
• All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the terms and conditions in the Notice of Award (NoA). The NoA includes the requirements of this NOFO. 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, Recipients, and Activities.  
• If a recipient receives an award, the recipient must follow all applicable nondiscrimination laws. The recipient agrees to this when registering in SAM.gov. The recipient must also submit an Assurance of Compliance (HHS-690). To learn more, see the Laws and Regulations Enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights website.
  • HHS recognizes that NIH research projects are often limited in scope for many reasons that are nondiscriminatory, such as the principal investigator’s scientific interest, funding limitations, recruitment requirements, and other considerations. Thus, criteria in research protocols that target or exclude certain populations are warranted where nondiscriminatory justifications establish that such criteria are appropriate with respect to the health or safety of the subjects, the scientific study design, or the purpose of the research.  For additional guidance regarding how the provisions apply to NIH grant programs, please contact the Scientific/Research Contact that is identified in Section VII under Agency Contacts of this NOFO.

All federal statutes and regulations relevant to federal financial assistance, including those highlighted in NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 4 Public Policy Requirements, Objectives and Other Appropriation Mandates.

Recipients are responsible for ensuring that their activities comply with all applicable federal regulations.  NIH may terminate awards under certain circumstances.  See 2 CFR Part 200.340 Termination and NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 8.5.2 Remedies for Noncompliance or Enforcement Actions: Suspension, Termination, and Withholding of Support. 

Not Applicable

3. Data Management and Sharing

Consistent with the 2023 NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, when data management and sharing is applicable to the award, recipients will be required to adhere to the Data Management and Sharing requirements as outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Upon the approval of a Data Management and Sharing Plan, it is required for recipients to implement the plan as described.

Not applicable for R25 research education program awards.

4. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, recipients will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 8.4.1 Reporting. To learn more about post-award monitoring and reporting, see the NIH Grants & Funding website, see Post-Award Monitoring and Reporting. 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. 

NIH NOFOs outline intended research goals and objectives. Post award, NIH will review and measure performance based on the details and outcomes that are shared within the RPPR, as described at 2 CFR 200.301.

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

Other Reporting Requirements

• The institution must submit a completed Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271) for each participant appointed full time for eight weeks or more or the equivalent. Recipients must submit the PHS 2271 data electronically using the xTrain system. More information on xTrain is available at xTrain (eRA Commons). An appointment or reappointment may begin any time during the budget period, but not before the budget period start date of the grant year.
• Participant Termination Notice: Within 30 days of the end of the total support period for each participant, the institution must submit a Termination Notice (PHS Form 416-7) via xTrain for each participant appointed full time for eight weeks or more, or the equivalent.

A final RPPR 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 Section 8.6 Closeout.

5. Evaluation

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 research education experience 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 a program as currently configured, (b) continue a program with modifications, or (c) discontinue a program.

In evaluating this research education program, participating Institutes expect to use the following evaluation measures:

• Aggregate number and demographic characteristics of participants
• Subsequent educational/career progress, including:
  • Enrollment in a research-oriented biomedical doctoral degree program (e.g., Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., or D.D.S./Ph.D.)
  • Successful completion of a research-oriented doctoral or dual-doctoral degree STEM graduate program
  • Subsequent participation in a formal research training or career development program in a STEM field
  • Subsequent participation in research
  • Subsequent employment in a research or research-related field

Section VII. Agency Contacts

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, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threaten submission by the due date, and post-submission issues)

Finding Help Online: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

General Grants Information (Questions regarding application instructions, application processes, and NIH grant resources)
Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-480-7075

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Email: [email protected]

SBA Company Registry (Questions regarding required registration at the SBA Company Registry and for technical questions or issues)
Website to Email: http://sbir.gov/feedback?type=reg

Marguerite Matthews, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email: [email protected]

Lindsey Friend, Ph.D.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Email: [email protected]    

Lindsey Nicole Friend
NIDA - NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Phone: none
E-mail: [email protected]

Chief, Scientific Review Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-496-9223
Email: [email protected]

Shellie Wilburn, M.B.A.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email: [email protected]

Pamela G. Fleming
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Email: [email protected]

Pamela G Fleming
NIDA - NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Phone: 301-480-1159
E-mail: [email protected]

Section VIII. Other Information

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

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.