Key Dates

Related Announcements

• July 1, 2024 - Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Clinical Researchers (LRP-CR). See Notice NOT-OD-24-134.  
• July 1, 2024 - Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Pediatric Research (LRP-PR). See Notice NOT-OD-24-135.  
• July 1, 2024 - Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Research in Emerging Areas Critical to Human Health (LRP-REACH). See Notice NOT-OD-24-137.  
• July 1, 2024 - Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB). See Notice NOT-OD-24-138.  
• July 1, 2024 - Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Contraception and Infertility Research (LRP-CIR). See Notice NOT-OD-24-139.  
• July 3, 2023 - Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR). See Notice NOT-OD-23-144.  

Issued by

Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health (OD)

Purpose

This Notice replaces NOT-OD-23-144 and provides program-specific information for the Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR). The NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are programs established by Congress and designed to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into biomedical or biobehavioral research careers. Additional detailed information about each LRP is provided at www.lrp.nih.gov.

The NIH invites qualified health professionals who contractually agree to engage in NIH mission-relevant research for an average of at least 20 hours each week for at least two years, initially, to apply for an award in the Extramural LRP. The Extramural LRP repays up to $50,000 annually of a researcher's qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in NIH mission-relevant research at a domestic, nonprofit, or government entity. Research funding from NIH is not required to participate in the Extramural LRP. LRP awards are based on an applicant's potential to build and sustain a research career.

Extramural LRP applications will be accepted from September 1 until November 21, 2024. All LRP applications must be submitted electronically using the Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST): https://public.era.nih.gov/assist/.

LRP-HDR Objective

The objective of the LRP-HDR is to recruit and retain highly qualified health professionals into research careers that focus on minority health or health disparities.

The Program serves as an avenue for NIH to engage and promote the development of research and research programs that reflect the variety of issues and problems associated with minority health and disparities in health status. This requirement highlights the need for the involvement of a cadre of culturally competent health professionals in minority health research and research on health disparities. Research focused on diseases or conditions more prevalent or associated with greater morbidity/mortality in one or more minority racial or ethnic group or research focused on health disparity populations, without the proposed work itself being focused on improving minority health or addressing health disparities, is not considered health disparities research and will not be supported by LRP-HDR.

According to the NIMHD website, a health disparity (HD) is a health difference that adversely affects disadvantaged populations in comparison to a reference population, based on one or more of the following health outcomes:

• Higher incidence and/or prevalence of disease, including earlier onset or more aggressive progression of disease
•  
• Premature and/or excessive mortality from specific health conditions 
• Greater global burden of disease, such as Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY), as measured by population health metrics
• Poorer health behaviors and clinical outcomes related to the aforementioned
• Worse outcomes on validated self-reported measures that reflect daily functioning or symptoms from specific conditions

NIH-designated populations experiencing health disparities include racial and ethnic minority populations, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, underserved rural populations, sexual and gender minority groups, and people with disabilities in the U.S.

OMB Directive 15 defines minority populations include American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino American, Middle Eastern or Northern African, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.

Disability is broadly defined in the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 as a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities” (e.g., mobility, cognition, independent living, vision, and self-care) and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 added “major bodily functions” to major life activities.

Health Disparities Research is a multi-disciplinary field of study devoted to gaining greater scientific knowledge about the influence of health determinants, understanding the role of mechanisms, and determining how this knowledge is translated into interventions to reduce or eliminate adverse health outcomes.

Minority Health Research is the scientific investigation of singular and combinations of attributes, characteristics, behaviors, biology, and societal and environmental factors that influence the health of minority racial and/or ethnic population(s), including within-group or ethnic sub-populations, with the goals of improving health and preventing disease. 

Minority Health Conditions means all diseases, disorders, and other conditions (including mental health and substance abuse) that are unique to, more serious, or more prevalent in members of minority racial or ethnic groups, for which the medical risk or types of medical intervention may be different for members of minority groups, or for which it is unknown whether such factors or types are different for such individuals, or research involving such populations as subjects or data on such individuals is insufficient.

Eligible Applicants

No applicant will be excluded from consideration on the basis of age, race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other non-merit factors.

Eligibility criteria to participate in the Extramural LRP:

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.
• Applicants for LRP-HDR must possess an M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D., Psy.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.P.M., D.C., N.D., O.D., D.V.M., or equivalent doctoral-level degree from an accredited institution.
• Applicants must have total qualifying educational debt equal to or in excess of 20 percent of their institutional annual base salary at the time of award. Institutional annual base salary is the annual amount the organization pays for the individual's appointment, whether the time is spent on research, teaching, patient care, or other activities. Institutional annual base salary excludes any income that an applicant may earn outside of the organization's duties. This criterion is not applicable to applicants for a renewal award.
• Applicants must be employed by and conduct qualifying research (as defined above) supported by a domestic nonprofit foundation (e.g., universities), professional nonprofit association, or other nonprofit institution, or a U.S. government agency (Federal, State, or local). A domestic foundation, professional association, or institution is considered nonprofit if exempt from Federal tax under the provisions of Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501). NIH grants and university salaries are considered eligible funding sources.
• Part-time federal employees (4/8ths or less) who are (a) not conducting research as a Federal employee, and (b) whose funding source is from a domestic nonprofit source, are eligible to apply for loan repayment if they meet all other eligibility requirements.
• Applicants must agree to conduct only research that is not prohibited by Federal law, regulations, or policies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or NIH. Applicants who receive LRP awards must conduct their research in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and local law (e.g., applicable human subject protection regulations) for the entire award period. Additionally, awardees must engage in qualified research for an average of at least 20 hours per week during each quarterly service period of the LRP award.
• No individual may submit more than one LRP application to the NIH in any fiscal year. Individuals who have applied previously for the LRP, but did not receive an award, are eligible to apply for a new award if they meet all of the above eligibility criteria.
• Recipients of a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) individual postdoctoral fellowship (F32) or those supported by an NRSA institutional research training grant (T32) are eligible for loan repayment. There is an NRSA service payback period during the second year of NRSA support, and fulfilling LRP and NRSA service obligations simultaneously is prohibited. Deferral of the NRSA payback obligation will be granted automatically upon acceptance of an LRP award. It is the individual’s responsibility to satisfy the NRSA payback obligation immediately after the LRP award concludes.

The following individuals are ineligible for participation in the Extramural LRP:

• Persons who are not U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.
• Any individual who has or had a federal judgment lien against his/her property arising from a federal debt is barred from receiving federal funds even if the judgment is paid in full or satisfied.
• Any individual who owes an obligation of health professional service to the federal government, a State, or other entity, unless deferrals or extensions are granted for the length of their Extramural LRP service obligation.
• Individuals who are employed by the federal government with work schedules of more than 20 hours per week (more than 4/8ths time).
• Individuals who receive any research funding support or salary from a for-profit institution or organization.
• Individuals employed by an institution located outside the United States.
• Current recipients of NIH Intramural Research Training Awards (IRTA) or Cancer Research Training Awards (CRTA).
• Individuals conducting research for which funding is precluded by federal law, regulations or HHS/NIH policy, or that does not comply with applicable federal, state, and local law regarding the conduct of the research (e.g., applicable human subject protection regulations).

Funds Available

The NIH intends to commit approximately $13 million annually to fund LRP-HDR awards.

Where to Obtain Additional Information: Please visit the LRP website at www.lrp.nih.gov, email [email protected], or call the Division of Loan Repayment Information Center toll-free at (866) 849-4047. Applicants are strongly encouraged to pay attention to Institute or Center (IC) specific funding priorities, and discuss their career interests with an IC scientific liaison: www.lrp.nih.gov/contact-engage.

Application Receipt, Peer Review, and Review Schedule: Upon receipt, applications for both new and renewal awards will be reviewed for eligibility and completeness. Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered. Applications that are complete and eligible will be forwarded for peer review.

• Application Receipt Period: September 1 through November 21, 11:59 p.m. EST
• Peer Review Period: February – April
• Anticipated Award Period: June – August

Application Materials:

The following information is furnished by applicants or others on behalf of applicants using ASSIST, https://public.era.nih.gov/assist/, and must be submitted from September 1 through November 21, 11:59 p.m. EST.

Applicants submit the following:

• Applicant information
• Applicant's NIH Biosketch
• Applicant's NIH eRA Commons ID
• Personal statement, which discusses career goals and academic objectives
• Funding Information: source(s) of applicant's research funding
• Description of Research Activities, including the specific responsibilities and role of the applicant in conducting the research
• Description of Research Environment, including funding, lab space, and major areas
• Career Development Plan (if the applicant is an independent researcher) or Training/Mentoring Plan (if the applicant is a mentored research scientist), including a discussion of the research methods and scientific techniques to be learned
• Mentor's NIH Biosketch (if the applicant is a mentored research scientist)
• An additional NIH Biosketch (optional) if there is another laboratory staff member involved in the applicant's mentoring program (if the applicant is a mentored research scientist)
• Identification of at least three, but not more than five, referees/recommenders (one of whom is identified as the applicant's research mentor)
• Identification of an Institutional Business Official
• For New Award Applicants: Loan information obtained from lending institution(s), including current account statement(s), and promissory note(s) or disclosure statement(s)
• For Renewal Award Applicants: Description of Research Accomplishments and updated loan payoff amounts

Research mentors submit the following:

• Reference Letter
• Concurrence with Research Forms submitted by the Applicant (Research Activities, Research Environment, and Training/Mentoring Plan)

Referees/Recommenders submit reference letters:

Information is obtained from individuals who can comment on the research skills and the abilities of the applicant. Reference letters are expected to include the following information about the applicant:

• Previous training and experience to prepare for a research career
• Commitment to a career in research
• Potential for a successful career in research
• Research-related strengths and weaknesses
• Overall recommendation

Institutional Business Officials submit a certification that:

• Assures the applicant will be provided the necessary time and resources to engage in the research project for the period of the Loan Repayment Program award (two years for a new award and one or two years for a renewal award)
• Assures the applicant is or will be engaged in research for an average of 20 hours per week (a total of 260 hours during a 13-week quarter)
• Certifies the sponsoring entity is a domestic nonprofit institution (exempt from tax under 26 USC 501)
• Confirms the applicant's institutional annual base salary
• Confirms the applicant is a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or Permanent Resident of the U.S.

Renewal Award Applications

Loan repayment awardees who wish to apply for a renewal award should do so no earlier than the year before their current award ends. LRP renewal awards are available for one- or two-year periods and are based on the same criteria used for new awards, plus two additional criteria: an assessment of research accomplishments and the applicant’s development as an independent investigator. A detailed description of research accomplishments during the most recent award period is required. Progress toward becoming an independent investigator is a major factor in granting a renewal award.

LRP policy allows a thirty-seven-month period (starting the day after the last day of the most recent LRP award) for submitting a renewal award application. After thirty-seven months, any submission will be considered a new award application, regardless of whether an unsuccessful application was submitted during the thirty-seven month period. Renewal awards are competitive, and submitting an application does not guarantee receiving a renewal award.

Change of Institution

A change of institution after the application submission deadline may be permissible, pending approval from the Institute or Center reviewing the application. All applicants must submit a Change of Institution (COI) request to the NIH Division of Loan Repayment immediately whenever there is a pending change in the applicant's employment, the scope of a submitted research plan, or research mentors. All COI applications must be submitted by January 31 for the application to be considered for review. A COI applicant must meet all LRP eligibility criteria, and COI requests are subject to final approval by the NIH Institute or Center reviewing the application. Approval of COIs is not guaranteed. Notification of a COI after the January 31 deadline will result in the application being withdrawn from funding consideration.

Post-submission Application Materials

Applicants may submit certain types of application materials after the application submission deadline if they result from unforeseen administrative issues or events. These materials must be received by the Division of Loan Repayment via email at [email protected] by January 31. Allowable post-submission materials for LRP applications are:

• Change of institution (e.g., applicant moved to another university)
• Updates related to changes in senior/key personnel pivotal to the LRP project (e.g., biosketch for new mentor)
• Adjustments resulting from unforeseen events (e.g., natural disasters)
• Citations of newly accepted manuscripts for publication
• Newly awarded funding or decisions on pending proposals

No modifications will be made to the original application. Any post-submission materials will be shared with reviewers as a separate addendum. To ensure fairness, no post-submission materials will be accepted after January 31. Additionally, there are no guarantees that any updated information will be included for review.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications for the Extramural LRP are evaluated against the following criteria as related to the likelihood that the applicant will continue in a career focused on research in one of the following program areas:

Applicant's potential to pursue a career in research, including:

• Appropriateness of the applicant's previous training and experience to prepare for a research career
• Appropriateness of the proposed research activities during the LRP award period to foster a career in research
• Commitment to a research career, as reflected by the personal statement of long-term career goals and a plan to achieve those goals
• Strength of the reference letters (recommendations) attesting to the applicant's potential for a successful career in research

Quality of the overall environment to prepare the applicant for a research career, including:

• Quality and availability of appropriate scientific mentors and colleagues to help achieve or enhance the applicant's research independence, including the mentors' record in mentoring researchers, funding history, and research productivity
• Quality and appropriateness of institutional resources and facilities

For renewal award applications, progress under the previous project period is an additional evaluation criterion:

• Assessment of the renewal applicant's research accomplishments during the previous LRP award period
• Assessment of the renewal applicant's development as an independent investigator

Program Administration Details

Under the LRP, the NIH will repay a portion of the extant qualified educational loan debt incurred to pay for the researcher's undergraduate, graduate, and/or health professional school educational expenses. It is the LRP awardee’s responsibility to notify the Division of Loan Repayment immediately if there is a pending change in employment, research focus, or extended leave. Failure to fulfill the terms of the LRP contract will result in termination of the LRP award and could be considered a breach of contract. The penalty for a breach of contract is $7,500 for every month of unfulfilled service or $31,000, whichever is higher.

LRP service obligation and NRSA service payback cannot overlap, and deferral of NRSA payback is automatic upon acceptance of an LRP award.

The NIH will repay lenders for the extant principal, interest, and related expenses (such as the required insurance premiums on the unpaid balances of some loans) of educational loans from a U.S. government entity, academic institution, or a commercial or other chartered U.S. lending institution, such as banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, not-for-profit organizations, insurance companies, and other financial or credit institutions which are subject to examination and supervision in their capacity as lending institutions by an agency of the United States or of the State in which the lender has its principal place of business, obtained by applicants for the following:

• Undergraduate, graduate, and health professional school tuition expenses
• Other reasonable educational expenses required by the school(s) attended, including fees, books, supplies, educational equipment and materials, and laboratory expenses
• Reasonable living expenses, including the cost of room and board, transportation and commuting costs, and other living expenses as determined by the Secretary

Loan repayments are made directly to lenders, following receipt of (1) the Research Supervisor's verification of completion of the prior period of research, and (2) lender verification of the crediting of prior loan repayments, including the resulting account balances. The NIH will repay loans in the following order:

1. Loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL)
• Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL)
• Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS)
• Nursing Student Loan Program (NSL)

2. Loans guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education:

• Direct Loans (Stafford, Consolidation, Perkins)
• Federal Family Education Loans (Stafford, Consolidation)
• PLUS Loans disbursed to graduate and professional students on or after July 1, 2006. Note: PLUS loans to parents do not qualify

3. Loans made or guaranteed by a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or possession of the United States

4. Loans made by academic institutions

5. Private (Alternative) Educational Loans:

• MEDLOANS
• Private (non-guaranteed) Consolidation Loans

The following loans are NOT repayable under this program:

1. Loans not obtained from a U.S. or other government entity, academic institution, or a commercial or other chartered U.S. lending institution such as loans from friends, relatives, or other individuals, and non-educational loans (e.g., home equity loans)

2. Loans for which eligibility documentation (current account statement, and promissory note or lender disclosure statement) is not provided

3. Consolidation loans that include a loan not eligible for repayment, such as loans obtained from an unqualified lender, loans obtained by the applicant for an individual other than the applicant (e.g., spouse or child), loans obtained by an individual other than the applicant (e.g., spouse or parent), or non-educational loans (e.g., home equity loan)

4. Loans or portions of loans obtained for educational or living expenses that exceed a reasonable level as determined by the standard school budget for the year in which the loan was made

5. Loans, financial debts, or service obligations incurred under a program where an incurred service obligation converts to a loan upon failure to satisfy the service obligation

6. Loans that are delinquent, in default, or not current in their payment schedule

7. Parent PLUS loans

8. Loans that are paid-in-full

9. Loans obtained after the start date of the first NIH LRP award (e.g., a promissory note signed after the start date of an LRP award). This provision does not apply to qualifying loan consolidations.

Before the commencement of loan repayment, or during lapses in loan repayments, due to administrative complications, Leave Without Pay (LWOP), or a break in service, LRP awardees are wholly responsible for making payments or other arrangements that maintain loans current, such that increases in either principal or interest do not occur. Penalties and/or fees assessed to awardees failing to maintain their current payment status may not be considered for reimbursement.

LRP payments are NOT retroactive. Loan repayment will commence after a loan repayment award begins, expected to be no earlier than July 1 and no later than September 30 annually.

Required Federal Citations

Awards are made pursuant to Section 2022 of the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255), which amended Section 487B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-2) to consolidate all NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Programs into a single Extramural Loan Repayment Program while retaining Health Disparities Research as a subcategory.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Additional detailed information about the NIH Loan Repayment Programs is provided at www.lrp.nih.gov/eligibility-programs. Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their career interests with an NIH Institute or Center scientific liaison provided on this web page: www.lrp.nih.gov/contact-engage.