Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Administrative Supplements to NINR Institutional Research Training Grants (T32) to Increase Capacity for Research to Prevent Firearm Injury and Related Health Disparities
Notice Number:
NOT-NR-23-009

Key Dates

Release Date:

March 3, 2023

First Available Due Date:
March 22, 2023
Expiration Date:
April 13, 2023

Related Announcements

PA-20-272 - Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional) or its subsequent reissued equivalent

NOT-NR-21-001 - Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): NINR Priority Areas for Training and Career Development Awards

Issued by

National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

Purpose

This Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) announces that NINR aims to train new cohorts of nurse scientists to address prevention of firearm injury and related health disparities. Current NINR funded Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) grantees may apply to support training of up to two additional trainees in pre-doctoral and/or post-doctoral positions.

Background

NINR convened a two-day workshop in November of 2022 to explore how nurse scientists and nursing research can contribute to firearm injury prevention. The multi-disciplinary event included an examination of current research and an exploration of critical research gaps. Advancing research in this area is closely aligned with the NINR Strategic Plan, with all five NINR research lenses highly relevant as perspectives to design innovative and rigorous research to help solve the pressing issue of firearm injuries: health equity, social determinants of health, community and population health, prevention and health promotion, and systems and models of care. Additionally, work to prevent firearm injuries and their related health sequelae must be situated within all the various settings in which nurses practice including homes, schools, workplaces, clinics, justice settings, and the community.

NINR aims to train new cohorts of nurse scientists to address prevention of firearm injuries, with the additional goal of reducing disparities in firearm injury and related health sequelae, that leverages the current structure of the NINR’s T32 research training programs. Trainees, mentors, and T32 Program Directors (PDs)/Principal Investigators (PIs) will design trainings, educational activities, and collaborative programs across the funded sites. The research training should be innovative, team building, and designed to prepare trainees in the state of the science and methods required to conduct rigorous and innovative research in firearm injury prevention and related health disparities.

NINR invites administrative supplements from PD(s)/PI(s) at Schools of Nursing with currently funded T32 institutional training grants to support training of up to two additional trainees in pre-doctoral and/or post-doctoral positions. Eligibility of pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees for this opportunity are described in the IC-specific information for the parent T32 funding opportunity.

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to bring in mentors that will provide guidance and support for the development of the trainees in firearm injury prevention research. One of the goals for this program is to build a cohort of trainees and mentors across the T32 grants. Funded awardees will be expected to build a cross-program network among the trainees and mentors. Applicants should address in the application how they will support and engage in this network.  Integration of relevant disciplines in addition to nursing for training, mentorship, and collaboration is expected. The work of the additional trainees must be entirely within the scope of the parent award. The applicant institution must have an active, NINR-funded T32 program with at least two (2) years remaining from the parent grant from the expected start date at the time of submission.

The overall objective is to implement innovative, interdisciplinary, and team-building research training opportunities among a cohort of trainees and mentors committed to research in firearm injury prevention. Addressing disparate outcomes will be key to the training program.

Examples of potential trainee research topic areas include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Structural factors in injury prevention related to firearms that create health inequities. 
  • Aspects of social determinants of health including community conditions (e.g., job opportunities, school quality, transportation systems, social cohesion, and green space) and/or individual and family social and economic circumstances (e.g., income, educational attainment, social isolation, traumatic experiences, nutrition security, and housing) that are associated with outcomes in firearm injury prevention.
  • Health systems-level challenges, such as coordinating care and integrating data across clinical and community settings and/or understanding the impacts of organizational practices and policy on firearm injury prevention outcomes.

Research in the many settings where nurses practice including homes, schools, workplaces, justice settings, and the community, as well as hospitals and clinics, is encouraged.

This program has three objectives:

  1. Increase nurse research capacity in firearms injury prevention.
  2. Address disparities in firearm injury and health sequelae associated with firearm violence exposure and firearm injury itself.
  3. Build a network for trainees, mentors, and investigators to share and collaborate on innovative ideas and research.

Eligibility

Applicants must have an active NINR-funded T32 grant from an approved school of nursing at the time the administrative supplement is submitted. There must be at least two years left on the parent grant from the expected start date and the proposed project period cannot exceed the parent award.

Mentors
Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women, are encouraged to participate as mentors. 
Mentors should have expertise and experience in research related to firearm injury prevention, such as research in violence prevention, health disparities, community and population health, etc. It is strongly encouraged that trainees have additional exposure to those who work in firearm injury prevention, especially if the academic mentor is not a firearm injury prevention research expert. Examples of exposure could include, but are not limited to, a secondary mentor, an academic course, a seminar series with community experts, or a community/school/justice setting/etc. based practicum. Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the award.  

Trainees
Trainees for this program must be new appointees with a defined trajectory, per the intent of this program. If a current trainee has the desire to switch research goals to firearm injury prevention research, the applicant must provide a strong justification, as well as a plan to back fill the trainee slot.

Details on citizenship, training period, and aggregate duration of support are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Teambuilding
Mentors and trainees must agree to formal networking across the funded T32 grants in this program. The networking structure will be determined by the awardees and NINR. Reaching out to include other NIH firearm injury prevention programs for mentorship and collaboration is also encouraged. Include in the project plan and budget justification time for teambuilding.
 

Application and Submission Information

Applications for this initiative must be submitted using the following opportunity or its subsequent reissued equivalent.

  • PA-20-272 - Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and PA-20-272 must be followed, with the following additions:

  • Applications will be accepted through April 12, 2023 by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
  • For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-NR-23-009” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
  • The Research Strategy section of the application is limited to 6 pages.
  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify the program contact at the Institute supporting the parent award that a request has been submitted in response to this FOA in order to facilitate efficient processing of the request.

NINR will consider budget requests for teambuilding activities, including an annual meeting of the trainees and mentors, seminar series or virtual courses with experts in the field, etc. The budget for these activities should not exceed $15,000 per year and must be well justified.

Inquiries

Sung Sug (Sarah) Yoon, RN, PhD
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Telephone: 301-402-6959
Email: sungsug.yoon@nih.gov