Key Dates

Related Announcements

October 9, 2020 - Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional). See NOFO PA-20-272.

Issued by

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

Purpose

Aiming to improve human health, the NIH Bench-to-Bedside and Back Program (BtB) Program (https://ocreco.od.nih.gov/btb/btb_program.html) supports innovative small/pilot research projects designed to translate basic scientific findings into therapeutic interventions for patients and to increase understanding of important clinical observations of disease processes. It promotes robust multi-directional collaborations among laboratory ("bench") and patient-focused ("bedside") investigators. Through the NIH BtB Program, this funding opportunity will invite two-year administrative supplement applications for collaborations between the NIH intramural research investigators, who conduct translational and clinical research and extramural NIH recipients. This NOSI is intended for the Extramural collaborators of awarded Bench to Bedside (BtB) proposals. Selected Applicants will be notified by the BtB Program Officer to apply for an administrative supplement in response to this NOSI. Every project must include an NIH intramural investigator who is responsible for submitting the BtB Letter of Intent (LOI) and application online (ProposalCentral; PC; https://proposalcentral.com/).

This NOSI is intended for the extramural collaborators of awarded Bench to Bedside (BtB) proposals. Selected Applicants will be notified by the BtB Program Officer to apply for an administrative supplement in response to this NOSI. Projects may have single or multiple Principal Investigator(s). Extramural investigators may initiate or lead projects, though the extramural investigator must still have an intramural collaborator. Extramural investigators who need assistance identifying Intramural partners may consult:

• NIH’s database of all current intramural research at http://intramural.nih.gov/search/index.tml;
• Intramural Principal Investigator Directory at http://irp.nih.gov/our-research/principal-investigators;
• “Search the Studies” website to identify investigators on relevant protocols at https://clinicalstudies.info.nih.gov/; or
• BtB Program Office (BenchtoBedside@mail.nih.gov) for assistance in identifying Intramural partners.

Background and Goals

The NIH BtB program was originally established in 1999 to integrate the work of basic and clinical intramural scientists and expanded in 2006 to partnerships between intramural and extramural programs. (Intramural science refers to research that takes place on an NIH campus under the auspices of federal employees, while extramural research is conducted by investigators and institutions outside of NIH.) Funded projects may receive up to $150,000 in direct costs per year for up to two years (total for the entire project, both intramural and extramural investigators). For projects involving only intramural investigators, they will need to apply through the ProposalCentral system, not to this administrative supplement NOSI.

Intramural investigators within all NIH Institutes/Centers are eligible to serve as project leaders on proposals. For awards involving Extramural partners, PIs can budget a portion of their funds to their Extramural collaborator(s), which will be directed as an administrative supplement to an existing grant. In order to ensure uninterrupted funding, the project and budget periods of the supplement request must be within the currently approved project period for the existing parent award up to two years. For additional information please contact the BtB contact listed at the end of this notice. For additional information and requirements please visit https://ocreco.od.nih.gov/btb/eligibility.

Research Objectives

Beginning in 1999 Bench to Bedside projects were originally funded by Clinical Center carryover funds. Support expanded in 2003 with funding from both the Office of Rare Disease Research (ORDR) and the Office of AIDS Research (OAR). Through the NIH BtB Program, awards will be available in topics relevant to the research interests and priorities of funding NIH Institutes/Centers/Offices (ICOs). If additional award categories are added prior to the LOI due date, these will be highlighted on the BtB Program website https://ocreco.od.nih.gov/btb/deadlines. All applications are automatically considered for “general category” funding through the Office of Clinical Research Education and Collaboration Outreach’s BtB funds in addition to any funding consideration by the donor offices listed below:

• AIDS (Support from Office of AIDS Research) Exemplary HIV/AIDS projects aligned with the overarching HIV/AIDS research priorities and NIH OAR signature programs (Women’s health & HIV; HIV and Aging) will be considered for funding (https://www.oar.nih.gov/hiv-policy-and-research/research-priorities).
• Behavioral and Social Sciences (Support from Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research): Projects will be considered for funding that facilitate the translation of basic behavioral and social science research findings into effective interventions and those that meet the mission of OBSSR.  Topics of interest include research on the initiation and maintenance of health-promoting behaviors and the mechanisms (basic behavioral and physiologic) underlying behavioral interventions that promote health; research that examines the role of social relationships and interactions (e.g., in dyads, families, and other social groups) on health, including the mechanisms through which social isolation or connectedness accelerate or impede biologic and other disease processes and impact overall health and well-being; research that examines the interaction of behavioral and social influences on health; research that examines the effects of health communication on behavior and health outcomes, both at the individual and group levels and; research that integrates behavioral and social sciences research into biomedical research projects (e.g. methods, measurement, and behavioral and/or social sciences related outcomes). Projects that help accelerate the translation, implementation, dissemination, and adoption of behavioral and social sciences research findings are of interest to OBSSR.
• Dietary Supplements (Support from the Office of Dietary Supplements): Awards in this funding category are designed to promote scientific study of the benefits of dietary supplements in maintaining health and preventing chronic disease and other health-related conditions but not in disease treatment.  In the U.S., dietary supplement ingredients are usually defined as including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and herbs or other botanicals, that are intended to be taken by mouth, and are consumed in addition to the regular diet.
• Health Disparities & Minority Health (Support from the National Institute on Minority Health & Health Disparities): NIMHD will fund projects that support the overall NIH effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities, improve minority health, and promote health equity.  Research projects must focus on 1) improving our understanding of ways to reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities, persons of less privileged socioeconomic status, sexual and gender minorities, underserved rural residents, or persons with disabilities; or 2) health determinants and mechanisms of health outcomes in racial and ethnic minority populations as defined by the US Census. NIMHD is especially interested in intersectional issues between race and ethnicity and SES and other populations.
• Women's Health (Support from the Office of Research on Women's Health): One project may be funded that focuses on efforts to improve the health of women through biomedical and behavioral research.  Broadly defined, women’s health includes female specific conditions (e.g., endometriosis, gynecologic cancers, menopause), conditions that disproportionately affect women (e.g., mental health conditions, migraine), and conditions that present and progress differently in women (e.g., cardiovascular disease, HIV). The influence of sex as a biological variable and/or gender as a social and structural variable on health and disease is of particular interest as well. For information on the NIH-wide Strategic Plan for Women’s Health Research, see: www.nih.gov/women/strategicplan. 

The Office of Autoimmune Disease Research in the Office of Research on Women’s Health (OADR-ORWH) is seeking applications to support bench-to-bedside research in autoimmune disease. The portfolio of the Office of Autoimmune Disease research encompasses more than 140 diseases and conditions and encompasses basic and translational science and is seeking applications that focus on either autoimmune aspects of the specific disease or diseases being studied, and/or autoimmunity pathogenesis in more general terms. This may include studies investigating basic immunology, gene expression, pathophysiology, diagnostic imaging, environmental exposures, biomarkers, sex influences, co-occurring autoimmune diseases, mechanistic pathways as therapeutic targets, animal models, systems biology, health outcomes research, symptom science, and translational research as they related to autoimmune disease and conditions. 

For details of each partner’s priorities and mission please visit https://ocreco.od.nih.gov/btb/funding_sources.

Eligibility and Eligible Individuals

• This NOSI is intended for the Extramural collaborators of awarded Bench to Bedside (BtB) proposals. Selected Applicants will be notified by the BtB Program Officer to apply for an administrative supplement in response to this NOSI.
• Administrative supplement applications are limited to funded extramural research grants supported by any NIH ICO.
• PDs/PIs must hold an active eligible R01, R37, P01, U19, U01, UG3/UH3, or UM1 grant award supported through the participating Institutes. Requests for no-cost extensions on the parent grant to accommodate a supplement will not be permitted.
• The proposed project for supplemental funding is required to be within the scope of the parent award.
• The scope of the parent grant must be aligned with the scope of submitted supplement application. The extramural collaborator must ensure that his/her role on the BtB proposal is within scope of the parent grant. This is the responsibility of the extramural collaborator, not the BtB program team.
• The project and budget periods of the supplement request must be within the currently approved project period for the existing parent award.
• For supplements to parent awards that include multiple PDs/PIs, the supplement may be requested by any or all of the PDs/PIs (in accordance with the existing leadership plan) and submitted by the recipient institution of the parent award. The PD/PI on the admin supplement MUST be one of the named PD/PIs on the parent grant.
• For additional information please visit https://ocreco.od.nih.gov/btb/btb_program.

Budget and Period of Support:

Applicants may request up to a maximum of $150,000/year in direct costs (for intramural and extramural investigators) for up to two years. The extramural investigator(s) cannot receive all project funds, at least half of the funds must be directed to the intramural investigator(s).

Intramural Funds: Intramural funds will be provided to intramural investigators via intra-agency agreements. At least one intramural investigator on the project must have responsibility for scientific and budgetary oversight (e.g., the investigator must have a budget/assigned CAN and resources).

Extramural Funds: Funds to extramural investigators will be provided as an administrative supplement to an eligible NIH grant. To receive funds, it is mandatory that the parent grant is aligned closely with the subject area of the proposal so the project can be supported within the aims and objectives of the parent grant. To ensure alignment with the parent grant, a written justification must be included in the budget section of the BtB application describing the scientific relationship. Incomplete grant information in the full proposal (e.g., invalid project period dates or lack of scientific alignment) will eliminate the proposal from funding consideration. Additional consideration:

• The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. The Bench to Bedside program may, at its discretion, approve a supplement at a level below the requested amount in the application.
• The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
  • Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by Bench to Bedside Program reviewing officials.
  • Availability of funds.
• The supplement budget requests, and the intramural funds must not exceed $150,000 in direct costs per year and must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
• The direct cost of the supplement MUST NOT exceed the intramural direct costs.
• Funding decisions will be made by program officials in consultation with donor offices.
• Funds are distributed by the earliest possible date, depending on budgetary conditions.
• Extramural collaborators receiving administrative supplements are required to include a section in the parent grant RPPR on the progress made on the Bench-to-Bedside and Back Program (BtB) project.

*NOTE: Due to NIH policy, there are no exceptions to the above requirements for receipt of extramural funds. Applications with ineligible extramural components may be eliminated from consideration or may have their funding reduced if awarded. Please contact the Bench-to-Bedside team (benchtobedside@nih.gov) with any eligibility questions.

Application and Submission Information:

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

• For administrative supplements to grants and cooperative agreements, supplement requests must be submitted electronically through eRA Commons in accordance with the parent program announcement, PA-20-272.
• To facilitate efficient processing of the supplement requests, applicants are strongly encouraged to notify the Institute Scientific Contact, as well as the assigned Program Official for the parent award that a request has been submitted in response to this NOSI.
• For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-OD-24-027” (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.

Page Limitations

The Research Strategy of the Administrative Supplement application must not exceed five (5) pages and must summarize the activities of the parent grant that encompass those proposed in the supplemental request and describe how those activities are proposed for augmentation and/or enhancement in the supplemental request by:

• Describing the supplement’s purpose, relationship of the supplement request to the parent grant (proposed research much be within scope of the parent grant), and the additional value provided to the underlying funded research (parent grant) of the PI and the collaborating investigators.
• Fill in all the sections of the PHS398 including the budget, and budget justification.

Application Due Date

Applications must be received by 5pm local time of the submitting institution on the following:

March 1, 2025.

Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections by the due date to errors found in the application during the submission process. 

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Hana Smith, M.Sc.
NIH, OD, Office of Clinical Research Education and Collaboration Outreach (OCRECO)
Telephone: 301-402-6313
E-mail: BenchtoBedside@nih.gov