NIMH CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN RESEARCH EDUCATION AND TRAINING (COR) HONORS 
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TRAINING GRANT (T34)

Release Date:  October 31, 2000 (see amendment NOT-MH-03-003)

PA NUMBER:  PAR-01-008 (Reissued as PAR-08-093)

Update: The following update relating to this notice has been issued:

May 17, 2007  - See Notice (NOT-MH-07-112) This PAR has been expired.

April 14, 2006 (NOT-MH-06-111) - See this notice for Extension of the NIMH 
Career Opportunities in Research Education and Training (COR) Honors 
Undergraduate Research Training Grant (T34) (PAR-01-008) 

EXPIRATION DATE: May 10, 2006

National Institute of Mental Health
 (http://www.nimh.nih.gov)

Application Receipt Date:  May 10, Annually

PURPOSE

This program announcement replaces PA-95-045 for the Career Opportunities in 
Research (COR) Education and Training Program (T34) of the National Institute 
of Mental Health (NIMH).  This program is intended to strengthen research and 
research training experiences of undergraduate minority students in 
scientific disciplines related to mental health. It is directed specifically 
to 4-year colleges and universities that serve substantial numbers of 
students of one or more racial/ethnic minority groups, including African 
Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Alaska Natives, and Asians/Pacific 
Islanders.  Persons belonging to these racial/ethnic groups are 
underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences research relevant to 
mental health-related fields.  An applicant institution must propose a 2-year 
COR Honors Undergraduate program for which 6 to 10 highly talented third-and 
fourth-year undergraduate students are selected.  Proposed training programs 
should provide students with special research training experiences designed 
to improve their qualifications for entry into advanced research career 
training programs leading to doctoral-level or M.D. research career degrees.

As part of its efforts to stimulate interest among racial/ethnic minority 
youth for research careers in biomedical and behavioral science, NIMH 
encourages applicant organizations that have received NIMH COR funding for 3 
or more years to apply for a COR high school training component.  This 
optional program is described in PAR-01-009 
(https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-01-009.html.  The high 
school component provides a unique opportunity for pre-college students to 
have hands-on experiences in research or science education enrichment 
programs to encourage the choice of a research career in a mental health-
related field.  This component also provides an opportunity to offer 
mentoring and role modeling for up to 6 high school students per year through 
interaction with both COR honors undergraduate students and faculty of 
institutions having COR Honors Undergraduate Grant programs.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010

The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health 
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-
led national activity for setting priority areas.  This Program Announcement 
(PA), NIMH COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grant (T34) is related 
to the priority areas of mental health and mental disorders.  Potential 
applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at 
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Institutions

Applicant institutions must be 4-year public or private, non-profit colleges, 
universities, or heath professional schools with at least 50 percent 
racial/ethnic minority students from one or more of the ethnically defined 
groups noted above, and be able to develop the faculty and institutional 
facilities in order to provide a suitable research environment and high-
quality research training in areas relevant to mental health.  Foreign 
organizations are not eligible to apply.

Trainees

Trainee candidates must be outstanding students who are in their third or 
fourth year of a baccalaureate degree program and have at least a 3.00 grade 
point average (on a scale of 4.00).

Trainee candidates must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United 
States, or must have been admitted lawfully to the United States for 
permanent residence and must have in their possession an Alien Registration 
Receipt Card (I-155 or some other legal evidence of admission for permanent 
residence) at the time of appointment to the training program.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

This PA will use the National Institutes of Health (NIH) T34 award mechanism 
for minority institution undergraduate research training in the biomedical 
and behavioral sciences.  A direct cost ceiling of $300,000 annually applies 
to this program.  Six (6) to 10 highly talented third and fourth year 
undergraduate students may be selected.  The total project period for an 
application submitted in response to this PA may not exceed 5 years.  The 
maximum period of support a trainee may receive is 2 years.

Allowable Costs

Student Support

Stipends must be requested for each trainee.  The stipend is a pre-
established level of support to help provide for the trainee's living 
expenses during the period of training.  The stipend is not payment for 
services performed.  Trainees are not considered to be employees of either 
the NIH or the sponsoring institution. The current stipend level for COR 
honors undergraduate trainees (juniors and seniors) is $9,492.  The NIH 
announces periodic stipend increases.  For tuition and fees, the NIMH will 
pay 100 percent of the first $3,000 and 60 percent of the remaining costs.

Supplementation of a COR Honors Undergraduate stipend from non-Federal funds 
is permitted.  No NIH grant funds may be used for supplementation.  Other 
Federal funds may be used for supplementation only if explicitly authorized 
by the program from which funds are derived.  Additional support may be 
provided to the trainee without obligation by the trainee institution or may 
be conditioned on performance of certain services, such as serving as a 
laboratory assistant.  Under no circumstances, however, may the service 
requirements detract from or prolong the training.

Additional funding for the following budget items may be requested.  Each 
item of cost must be directly related to the proposed research education 
program and the application must include justification for each category.

o  Personnel

Salary and fringe benefit support may be requested for present and additional 
faculty, to the extent that the support reflects the time or effort devoted 
to this program and is based on institutional salary levels.  Such requests 
may not exceed 50 percent of the total time for any individual.  Limited 
funds may be requested for support personnel (e.g., laboratory and 
secretarial assistance).  Mentoring of trainees is considered as part of the 
role of faculty and therefore not reimbursable from the grant.

o  Consultants

Support may be requested to cover expenses for consultants, such as seminar 
and colloquium speakers. 

o  Equipment

Support may be requested for purchasing research equipment items necessary to 
conduct the trainee research projects.

o  Supplies

Support may be requested for supplies necessary for use in conducting 
research, such as glassware, chemicals, or animals, and for other office and 
institutional supplies needed to conduct the training and research program, 
not otherwise available at the grantee institution.

o  Travel

Attendance by trainees and selected faculty at national meetings (e.g., the 
annual COR Colloquium) closely related to the research projects is 
encouraged, and support for this travel may be requested.  Staff travel to 
off-campus training sites for purposes of consultation with participating 
off-campus staff/preceptors and evaluation of student progress is also 
allowed.

o  Other Expenses

The applicant may request other items necessary to the training program, such 
as computer time, reference materials, duplication costs, telephone, and 
costs related to publishing trainee research papers.

o  Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs

The applicant may request actual F&A costs, or 8 percent of allowable direct 
costs, whichever is less.

RESEARCH TRAINING OBJECTIVES

The principal objectives of COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grants 
are to:  (a) increase the number of well-prepared students from institutions 
with substantial minority enrollments who can compete successfully for entry 
into research career training programs leading to the Ph.D. or equivalent 
research degree, the combined M.D./Ph.D. degree or other combined 
professional degree and research doctoral degree in the biomedical, 
behavioral sciences, or health services areas relevant to mental health; and, 
(b) develop and strengthen undergraduate didactic and experiential research 
opportunities for racial/ethnic minority undergraduate students in areas 
relevant to mental health.

Applications must provide information on the following:

Institution Characteristics

o  A brief overview of the applicant institution (i.e., when it was founded, 
its status as a private or state-supported institution, and other pertinent 
information)

o  A description of the research infrastructure (i.e., facilities, 
laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any other 
resources to be used in the conduct of the proposed program)

o  Evidence of institutional commitment and support for the proposed program

o  Where applicable, a description of plans for collaborating with other 
institutions and laboratories for purposes of exchange, consolidation, and 
sharing of resources, including faculty, equipment, and facilities (Letters 
of agreement or memoranda indicating intended cooperation must be included 
with the application.)

o  Description of facilities and resources available to conduct the research 
training at the grantee institution; evidence of commitment of the sponsoring 
institution

Training Program

o  A detailed training plan for 6 to 10 students, including core curriculum 
and specific research experiences from entry to completion of COR training

o  A detailed plan for student recruitment, selection and retention
 
o  A detailed plan for facilitating the successful transition of students 
into graduate research programs relevant to mental health

o  A detailed plan for students' summer research and study experiences 
between the junior and senior years (It is desirable for students to study 
and conduct research in graduate departments specializing in behavioral and 
neuroscience projects related to mental health.)

o  A detailed plan demonstrating that trainees will receive high-quality 
scientific training and research experiences that provide both learning and 
motivation to pursue research careers in the mental health field

o  A description of seminar and colloquia series, academic courses, and other 
activities whereby trainees can become knowledgeable about mental health 
research

o  A description of the method(s) of providing instruction in the responsible 
conduct of research.

o  A means for preparing trainees in effective communication, both written 
and oral, about science and scientific issues

o  A detailed plan for tracking COR program graduates, from entry to 
completion of post-graduate studies or other career options

Program Director

o  Evidence that Program Director is actively engaged in research and/or 
scholarship activity in an area related to mental health

o  Evidence that Program Director can organize and administer the training 
program

o  A description of the membership and role of a Program Advisory Committee

Faculty/Preceptors

o  Evidence that a high percentage of the participating faculty hold a Ph.D. 
or other doctoral-level degree

o  Evidence that participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in 
research or other scholarly activities related to mental health

o  Evidence that faculty and preceptors publish in research areas related to 
mental health

o  Evidence that sufficient time is committed by preceptors and faculty to 
conduct a high-quality program (A staffing chart that details percent-of-time 
allotted for each staff member is recommended.)

Trainees

o  Evidence that trainees will be selected for their potential to pursue 
graduate work successfully in mental health-relevant sciences 

o  Evidence that trainees will be selected for their commitment to pursue 
graduate programs leading to doctoral-level degrees necessary for research 
careers

o  Documentation of the number of students majoring in each participating 
department during the past 5 years; the number of graduates from the 
participating departments who continued studies in pursuit of advanced 
degrees (especially the Ph.D. or M.D. degrees), and the pool of potential COR 
scholars currently enrolled in the college

Evaluation

o  An evaluation plan for determining success of the program in achieving 
goals and objectives

o  A plan for tracking trainees after completion of COR program, including 
information about graduate schools, assistance in locating financial support, 
and provisions for follow-up support and consultations

For competing continuation applicants only, the following information about 
the previous training grant period should be provided:

o  Number of individuals who completed COR training to date

o  Post-COR career activities of program graduates (advanced training, 
employment, etc., including type of degree, fields pursued and publications)

o  Attrition rate of COR trainees

o  Publication record of past and present COR trainees

If applicable, provide information requested in bullets 1-3 (above)

If a high school component is proposed, follow instructions in PAR-01-009

Special Requirements

Each COR trainee candidate must meet National Research Service Award (NRSA) 
eligibility requirements in order to be appointed to an Honors Undergraduate 
Training Grant.

The institution must submit a Statement of Appointment (form PHS 2271) to 
NIMH each time a trainee is appointed or reappointed to the grant (usually 
every 12 months).  At the end of the total support period for an individual 
trainee (which may be a maximum of 2 years under this program), the 
institution must submit a Termination Notice (form PHS 416-7) to NIMH. 
Failure to submit the required forms in a timely fashion may result in an 
expenditure disallowance.

As with all NRSA Awards, no funds for tuition, fees, or trainee expenses may 
be provided from a COR Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grant to, or on 
behalf of, any individual unless that individual is receiving a stipend under 
the COR grant.

Institutions may make no trainee appointment for less than 9 months without 
prior approval by the NIMH.

An NRSA traineeship may not be held concurrently with other Federally 
sponsored fellowships or similar Federal awards that provide a stipend or 
otherwise duplicate provisions of the NRSA.  A trainee however, may accept 
concurrent educational remuneration from the Veterans Administration (e.g., 
G.I. Bill) and loans from Federal funds.

Trainees in academic institutions are not entitled to vacations as such.  
They are, however, entitled to the normal short student holidays observed by 
the training institution.  The time between the spring and fall semesters is 
to be used as an active part of the training period.

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS
 
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and 
their sub-populations must be included in all NIH-supported biomedical and 
behavioral research projects involving human subjects, unless a clear and 
compelling rationale and justification are provided indicating that inclusion 
is inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of 
the research.  This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 
(Section 492B of Public Law 103-43). 

All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the 
UPDATED "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in 
Clinical Research," published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on 
August 2, 2000 
(https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-048.html); 
a complete copy of the updated Guidelines are available at  
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_update.htm.  The 
revisions relate to NIH defined Phase III clinical trials and require: (a) 
all applications or proposals and/or protocols to provide a description of 
plans to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by 
sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; 
and (b) all investigators to report accrual, and to conduct and report 
analyses, as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group 
differences.
  
INCLUSION OF CHILDREN AS PARTICIPANTS IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN SUBJECTS

It is the policy of NIH that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) 
must be included in all human subjects research, conducted or supported by 
the NIH, unless there are scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.  
This policy applies to all initial (Type 1) applications submitted for 
receipt dates after October 1, 1998.

All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should read the 
"NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Children as Participants in 
Research Involving Human Subjects" that was published in the NIH Guide for 
Grants and Contracts, March 6, 1998, and is available at the following URL 
address:  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-024.html
  
Investigators also may obtain copies of these policies from the program staff 
listed under INQUIRIES.  Program staff may also provide additional relevant 
information concerning the policy.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 
4/98) and will be accepted at one receipt date, May 10, annually, rather than 
at the standard application deadlines as indicated in the application kit.  
Application kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored 
research and may be obtained from the Division of Extramural Outreach and 
Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, 
MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: 
GrantsInfo@nih.gov.  The application is also available at 
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
 
The title and number of the program announcement must be typed on line 2 of 
the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked.

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including the 
Checklist, and five signed photocopies in one package to:

CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040, MSC 7710
BETHESDA, MD 20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)

Receipt and Review Schedule

Applications for the COR Honors Undergraduate Training Program are received 
on a single receipt date of May 10 and will be reviewed on the following 
schedule:

Receipt              Initial Review     Council      Earliest
Date                 Group Meeting      Meeting      Start Date

May 10, Annually     Oct/Nov            Jan/Feb      Apr 1

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral 
guidelines.  Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical 
merit by an appropriate scientific review group convened by NIMH in 
accordance with the standard NIH peer review procedures.  As part of the 
initial merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and 
undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest 
scientific merit, generally the top half of applications under review, will 
be discussed, assigned a priority score, and receive a second level review by 
the National Advisory Mental Health Council.

Review Criteria

Applications will be assessed for:

Quality of Training Program for COR Undergraduates

o  Scientific and educational merit of the proposed research training plans

o  Quality of the applicant institution's training record and potential for 
training future scientists

o  Adequacy and appropriateness of plans for recruitment, selection, 
retention, mentoring/counseling and facilitating the successful transition 
into graduate research training programs relevant to mental health

o  Adequacy of plans for providing students with appropriate summer research 
experiences, including linkages and commitments from placement sites

o  Appropriateness of course requirements and sequencing, and timetable for 
completing planned activities

o  Adequacy of facilities and resources at the applicant institution to 
sponsor an undergraduate research training program 

o  Overall organization of training program, the factors involved in 
assigning trainees to specific research experiences, and the plan for 
monitoring students' progress

o  Adequacy of training in the responsible conduct of research.

o  Adequacy of plans for protection of human subjects and/or care of animals 
in research, where applicable

Methods of Selection, Monitoring, and Follow-up of Trainees

o  Availability of trainee candidates of high potential

o  Adequacy of plans for selecting trainees

o  Methods for monitoring student progress, early identification and remedy 
of student problems, and provision of support and supervision

o  Provision of enrichment experiences, professional socialization, and 
interaction beyond those in the local setting

o  Knowledge of available graduate training programs and a plan for career 
advising and choice-assistance of students 

o  Adequacy of plans for assisting students in gaining acceptance in graduate 
research training programs in mental health, including plans to assist 
students in securing scholarships and obtaining financial aid

o  Adequacy of plans for tracking students after graduation

Program Leadership

o  Qualifications and experience of the Program Director, and effort to be 
devoted to direction and leadership essential for a successful training 
program

o  Relevant research experience of COR faculty and mentors

o  Plans for effective program administration and coordination among faculty 
and advisory committee by Program Director

Institutional Commitment and Resources

o  It is the intent of this program to foster interactions across disciplines 
and departments within institutions.  There should be evidence of 
institutional commitment to the goals and objectives of the COR program as it 
has an impact on students' academic preparation, research training, and 
faculty interaction

o  Access to research facilities and related resources, including laboratory 
space, computer time, equipment, and research samples

o  Adequacy of plans for linkages with collaborating institutions where 
necessary

o  Adequacy of plans for evaluating the effectiveness of the training
Program (for competing continuations, evidence for accomplishing previous 
goals)

o  Evidence of involvement of a wide variety of research areas in disciplines 
relevant to mental health research, such as psychology, sociology, biology, 
chemistry, neuroscience, and behavioral sciences

Budget

o  Appropriateness of budget in relation to scope of proposed training 
program

Program Evaluation

o  Adequacy of plans for evaluating the COR program on an annual basis,  
including methods for assessing the extent to which the COR program increases 
recruitment, training, and placement of racial/ethnic minority students in 
graduate programs in mental health fields

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved
applications assigned to the NIMH.  The following will be considered
in making funding decisions:  quality of the proposed project as determined 
by peer review; availability of funds; and, program priority.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or
questions from potential applicants is welcome.  

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Carolyn Strete, Ph. D.
Office for Special Populations
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8130 MSC 9659
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9659
Telephone: 301-443-2847
Fax: 301-443-8552
Email: cstrete@nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Diana S. Trunnell
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 6115, MSC 9605
Bethesda, MD 20892-9605
Telephone:  301-443-2805
FAX: 301-443-6885
Email: Diana_Trunnell@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 
93.282.  Awards are made under authorization of the Public Health Service 
Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410) as amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 
USC 241 and 285) and administered under PHS grants policies and Federal 
Regulations 42 CFR 66 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the 
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health 
Systems Agency review.  Awards will be administered under PHS grants policy 
as stated in the NIH Grants Policy Statement (October 1, 1998).

The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a 
smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products.  In 
addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking 
in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which 
regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early 
childhood development services are provided to children.  This is consistent 
with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of 
the American people.

Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices

	Office of Extramural Research (OER)			National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892			Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
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