Notice of Clarification to RFA-HD-12-203 Learning Disabilities Innovation Hubs (R24)

Notice Number: NOT-HD-12-016

Release Date: March 29, 2012

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

This Notice serves to clarify three items in the published FOA, RFA-HD-12-203, Learning Disabilities Innovation Hubs (R24).

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

The last paragraph is clarified as follows:

The FOA text states that "LDR [Learning Disabilities Research] Hubs must meaningfully interact, in consortium, with the existing LDRCs [Learning Disabilities Research Centers] throughout the LDR Hubs funding period of up to four years". By this, we mean that joint activities will be planned post-award for the funded LDR Hubs, such as joint principal investigators' meetings. Applicants do not need to plan for these integrative activities as part of their application. For this FOA, there is no requirement for applicants to propose to conduct research or mentoring in collaboration with an LDRC or related investigators. The Learning Disabilities Innovation Hubs' initiative simply intends to complement NICHD's existing investment in learning disabilities represented in substantial part by the efforts of the Learning Disabilities Research Centers.

Developmental Infrastructure Core (optional)

This section is clarified as follows:

The text of the FOA indicates that the Developmental Infrastructure Core is optional. By optional, we mean that applicants may propose a Developmental Infrastructure Core if and only if the applicant plans to develop and oversee infrastructure and support allocations within the award, as optionally allowable under the FOA, that would assist (1) early-career investigators who are developing pilot projects that are within scientific scope of the parent application but not specifically outlined as projects within the application sent in response to this FOA; or (2) non-LDR Hub affiliated mid-senior level staff whose expertise complements that of the existing center in developing projects. This activity is the only function of this core, and no other activities may be subsumed under this core.

Administrative Core (required)

This section is clarified as follows:

Per the FOA, all applicants must propose an Administrative Core. The FOA describes activities that should be included in the Administrative Core. The FOA enumerates various requirements related to research oversight and mentoring that must be included as part of the plans for the Administrative Core. Applicants must utilize the Administrative Core for all LDR Hub related resources that will ensure appropriate management and oversight of scientific and mentorship activities as well as particular management and scientific needs specific to their Hub application unless the activity is explicitly required to be subsumed by the Developmental Infrastructure Core; all other core related activities should occur within the auspices of the Administrative Core.

Core Unit Descriptions

This section is clarified as follows:

In the description of the core requirements, there are two bullets listed under the Administrative Core section indicating that the application and administrative core specifically should include a management, publication, and data sharing plan. The text included in these two bullets uses the term center incorrectly, when in fact the text should refer specifically to the LDR Hub. The specific bullets in question should read as follows:

Original Text

• Management plan for the overall center, within-center data sharing, and proposed publication plan to be implemented across the center
• Protocols for intra-center extra-center data sharing

Revised text

• Management plan for the overall LDR Hub, within-LDR Hub data sharing, and proposed publication plan to be implemented across the LDR Hub
• Protocols for intra-LDR Hub and extra-LDR Hub data sharing

Also in the description of the core units, there is one bullet listed underneath the Developmental Infrastructure Core section that uses the term center incorrectly, when in fact the text should refer to the LDR Hub. The specific bullet in question is revised below:

Original Text

• Plans to solicit and review applications for pilot/seed projects from early career investigators currently involved in the center and from the broader scientific community and from mid- or senior-level scientists with complementary expertise to current center staff. This should include information on at least the following items: (1) priorities for allocating funds; (2) procedures for reviewing applications; (3) requirements, if any, for leveraging funds or preparing research applications to continue or expand the research project; (4) size of awards; (5) length of award periods; (6) number of awards permitted to an individual researcher; (7) mentoring arrangements; (8) procedures for developing early career researchers and fostering interdisciplinary research projects; and (9) planned efforts to recruit and encourage applications from individuals from under-represented groups in his/her area of science.

Revised Text

• Plans to solicit and review applications for pilot/seed projects from early career investigators currently involved in the LDR Hub and from the broader scientific community and from mid- or senior-level scientists with complementary expertise to current LDR Hub staff. This should include information on at least the following items: (1) priorities for allocating funds; (2) procedures for reviewing applications; (3) requirements, if any, for leveraging funds or preparing research applications to continue or expand the research project; (4) size of awards; (5) length of award periods; (6) number of awards permitted to an individual researcher; (7) mentoring arrangements; (8) procedures for developing early career researchers and fostering interdisciplinary research projects; and (9) planned efforts to recruit and encourage applications from individuals from under-represented groups in his/her area of science.

All other aspects of the FOA remain unchanged.

Please direct all inquiries to:

Brett Miller, PhD
Program Official
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-496-9849
Fax: 301-480-0230 
Email: millerbre@mail.nih.gov