Participating Organization(s)	National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Components of Participating Organizations	National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Funding Opportunity Title	MARC Ancillary Training Activities (T36)
Activity Code	T36 MARC Ancillary Training Activities Grant
Announcement Type	Reissue of PAR-08-118
Related Notices	August 17, 2011 - See Notice NOT-GM-11-112. Notice of Correction Regarding Participant/Trainee Support Costs.
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number	PAR-11-243
Companion FOA	None
Number of Applications	See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)	93.859
FOA Purpose	The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) will award the MARC Ancillary Training Activities (T36) Program as a means to facilitate the training and development of individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences. Ancillary training support is provided for national conferences, short courses, or other well-defined training activities that further the NIGMS mission of increasing the diversity of the NIH funded biomedical and behavioral research workforce.

Posted Date	July 1, 2011
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)	August 16, 2011
Letter of Intent Due Date	Not Applicable
Application Due Date(s)	September16, 2011, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
AIDS Application Due Date(s)	Not Applicable
Scientific Merit Review	January - February, 2012
Advisory Council Review	May, 2012
Earliest Start Date(s)	July, 2012
Expiration Date	September 17, 2011
Due Dates for E.O. 12372	Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide especially the Supplemental Instructions to the SF424 (R&R) for Preparing Institutional Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Application, except where to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research workforce. The NIH expects efforts to diversify the workforce to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups; to improve the quality of the education and training environment; to balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities; to improve the ability to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols; and to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities. Accordingly, the NIH continues to encourage institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations and thus to increase the participation of individuals currently underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) has a longstanding commitment to fostering a diverse and highly capable biomedical and behavioral research workforce that helps achieve the NIH mission. Toward this end, in 2010 the Institute launched a process to examine our activities and general philosophy of research training. The NIGMS Strategic Plan for Biomedical and Behavioral Research Training (http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/trainingstrategicplan/Strategic_Training_Plan.pdf) presents several actions, with a key aspect being the need for diversity in the scientific workforce. Existing data from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other sources shows a striking lack of correlation in the level of representation among underrepresented science students, and even more so among underrepresented science and engineering faculty (see Association of American Medical Colleges, U.S. Medical School Faculty, 2009 https://www.aamc.org/data/facultyroster/reports/69036/usmsf09.html, and National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics data tables - http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf09317/content.cfm?pub_id=3920&id=2) as compared to their national demographic levels. In response, NIGMS offers the MARC Ancillary Training Activities (T36) Program which is designed to increase the pool of highly trained biomedical and behavioral scientists from diverse underrepresented backgrounds in leadership positions who can assume leadership positions that significantly impact the health-related research needs of the National Institutes of Health. Nationally, underrepresented groups (UGs) in the biomedical and behavioral sciences include: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, and individuals with disabilities (see reports from the National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering and the National Research Council, Office of Scientific and Engineering Personnel: Addressing the Nations Changing Needs for Biomedical and Behavioral Scientists Washington, DC, 2000). However, an applicant institution/organization may consider other groups as underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral research agenda of this country as long as such groups are uniformly considered in all of its local policies. For example, if an institution or organization considers a certain group as underrepresented for all of its employment/hiring practices, student admittance practices, etc., then that group(s) should also be considered for participation in this program.

Various strategies may be employed to significantly increase the number and competitiveness of UGs pursuing leadership positions in biomedical research careers. Examples include scientific- or program-related national conferences, short courses or other ancillary training activities that could meet the overall goals of the MARC Ancillary Training Activities (T36) Program are listed below. This list is not intended to be comprehensive or directive.

I. National Conferences: various conferences, meetings, workshops and symposia may include:

• Biomedical research symposia for students with broad, national impact;
• Workshops on research techniques in conjunction with annual meetings of scientific societies;
• Workshops on graduate school survival skills;
• Workshops to develop science faculty pedagogical skills;
• Meetings between NIGMS program directors of student development programs and NIGMS staff to facilitate communication and provide technical assistance, discuss evaluation, etc.

II. Short courses: Short courses on various scientific topics (e.g., using quantitative sciences such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and/or engineering to study biological phenomena -- a recommendation made in the book Bio2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education For Future Research Biologists; bioinformatics; biotechnology; biostatistics; etc.). Support for student academic development and enrichment activities that are designed to improve critical thinking and problem solving skills, communication skills and time management may be offered. Also activities to provide group or peer-led learning strategies and/or opportunities for participants to meet and discuss career choices with role models are appropriate.

III. Other Ancillary Training: To meet the NIGMS mission, other creative and well-defined ancillary training activities may be proposed (e.g., partnerships between institutions to strengthen the underrepresented student Ph.D. pipeline or interactions between science faculty), as long as such activities are not duplicating training supported by other mechanisms (e.g., NIH T35 grant mechanism with its summer/short term research training support). The proposed activity must be innovative and different from an existing program and should not be a mere substitution of NIGMS funds to replace an on-going program that is supported by another source.

NIGMS recognizes the heterogeneity in institutional/organizational settings and missions; therefore the scope, purpose, and objectives of the MARC Ancillary Training proposals are anticipated to be very diverse. A description of the proposed goals and measurable objectives, plans and logistics of the ancillary activity(s), along with a description of the methodology proposed (e.g., lectures, presentations, seminars, poster sessions, etc.) to obtain the desired outcomes must be stated. The focus of the proposed program should not be on any particular activity, but rather on the activity’s intended outcomes, that is, what the activity (national meeting, short course, etc.) is designed to accomplish. For example, if a national conference is proposed, then the applicant must state the intended outcomes for that investment based on the goals and measureable objectives of the program. Further, the relevance of the proposed ancillary training activity to the NIGMS program goal of increasing the diversity of the biomedical/behavioral scientific workforce should be explained in detail and any other pertinent information that contributes to a clear description of the training activity(s), such as qualifications and previous experience of trainers/presenters or other personnel, and characteristics of the targeted participants. A plan for evaluating the proposed activity and the extent to which the proposed goals and measurable objectives will be accomplished, as well as samples of the evaluation instruments (surveys, etc.) should also be included in the application. Applicants should check the NIGMS website for information on program evaluation. Additionally, applicants submitting competing renewals should describe in detail the progress accomplished to date and results of the evaluation performed to determine if the originally proposed goals and measurable objectives have been accomplished.

Applicants should note that this program will undergo evaluation and assessment by NIGMS, which is in keeping with NIGMS practices for all of its training and student development programs. The outcomes of this national evaluation determine whether the program is meeting its goals and objectives. The results of this evaluation will determine whether the funding opportunity is reissued, modified, or terminated. If it is determined that the program is no longer needed or is not meeting its goals and objectives, NIGMS may consider terminating the program. The national evaluation of the MARC Ancillary Training (T36) program will be carried out five to seven years after the release of this FOA.

Funding Instrument	Grant
Application Types Allowed	New Renewal Resubmission The OER Glossary and the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.
Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards	The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations, and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
Award Budget	There are no specific budget limitations; however, the requested direct costs must be reasonable, well documented, fully justified and commensurate with the scope and purpose of the proposed program for its intended outcome(s).
Award Project Period	The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The maximum period is 5 years.

Personnel Costs	Funds may be used to provide salaries, including fringe benefits, to professional personnel, clerical assistants, editorial assistants, and other support staff in proportion to the time or effort spent directly on the meeting, workshop or other activities within the scope of the proposed project. NOTE: Salaries, stipends, tuition and school fees to participants are not allowed under this grant mechanism.
Trainee Travel Participant Costs	Funds may be requested for the travel of activity participants. Travel costs may not exceed coach class fares. In all cases, U.S. flag carriers must be used where possible. Per diem costs for meals and lodging for activity participants may be requested and will be limited to the days of attendance at the meeting, conference, workshop, or other planned activity plus the actual travel time to and from the activity location. Where meals and/or lodging are furnished without charge or at a nominal cost, such as part of the registration fee, an appropriate deduction must be made from the authorized per diem.
Training Related Expenses Other Program Related Expenses	Consultant costs, equipment, supplies, speakers' fees, travel for key persons and staff, and other program-related expenses may be included in the proposed budget. These expenses must be well-justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant institution. Unallowable Costs: Funds may not be used for summer biomedical/behavioral research training since this would overlap with other NIH grant mechanisms. Grant funds may not be used to simply replace an existing training activity(s) supported by another source, excluding one that is supported by the MARC Ancillary Training Activity (T36) Program. Grant support may not be used for dues to organizations, federations, or professional societies, exclusive of registration fees. Funds may not be used for gifts (items such as hats, shirts, key rings, flashdrives, etc.). Grant funds may not be used for banquets, luncheons, coffee breaks, theater, or entertainment of any sort. Grant support may not be used for honoraria or other payments given for the purpose of conferring distinction on or to symbolize respect, esteem, or admiration. Grant funds may not be used for federal employees' travel expenses. Funds may not be used for entertainment, tips, personal telephone calls, personal Internet connection, laundry charges, etc.
Indirect Costs	Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees and expenditures for equipment), rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Higher Education Institutions:

• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)

Governments

• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply. Foreign (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not allowed.

If multiple sites are involved in the Ancillary Training Activities (T36) program, the applicant institution must be one of these sites for the program. The need for and use of multiple sites must be justified.

All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the applicant organization.

All registrations must be completed by the application due date.

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program.

Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following registrations.

• Central Contractor Registration (CCR) must maintain an active registration, to be renewed at least annually
• Grants.gov
• eRA Commons

All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the applicant organization.

All registrations must be completed by the application due date. Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration process at least four (4) weeks prior to the application due date.

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed program as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The PD/PI should be an established investigator in the scientific area in which the application is targeted and capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program. The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required.

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is programmatically distinct.

NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial peer review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. Resubmission applications may be submitted, according to the NIH Policy on Resubmission Applications from the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Participant Citizenship: Participants for the MARC Ancillary Training (T36) Program are selected by the awarded institution/organization. To receive support (i.e., travel, lodging) from the MARC T36 grant, participants must be U.S. citizens, or non-citizen nationals (a non-citizen national is a person who, although not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the US. This is generally a person born in a land that is not a state, but that is under U.S. sovereignty, jurisdiction, or administration -- for example, American Samoa) or permanent residents. An individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence must possess an alien registration receipt card (I-551) prior to participation. Individuals on temporary visas, those seeking asylum, or refugees are not eligible for support from this MARC T36 Program. It is the responsibility of the applicant institution/organization to establish the qualifications of participants prior to their MARC T36 training. Participant selection should take into consideration whether an individual’s participation would help achieve the overall goals and objectives of the proposed program.

Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

For information on Application Submission and Receipt, visit Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.

Letter of Intent

Not Applicable

The forms package associated with this FOA includes all applicable components, mandatory and optional. Please note that some components marked optional in the application package are required for application submission. Follow the instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to determine which components are required.

All page limitations described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed, with the following exception: applications for the MARC Ancillary Training Activities (T36) Program do not use data tables (Table 1 12) as shown on the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms. However, an applicant may provide information that s/he wishes in a tabular format.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following modifications:

Substitute all references to trainees in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide with participants and all references to training in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide with ancillary training

Project Summary /Abstract

Provide an abstract of the entire application, including the long-term goals and objectives of the program, key elements of the ancillary training plan, and brief descriptions of planned research projects, if proposed. Include the rationale and design of the program, the planned duration and projected number of participants, including their levels (i.e., predoctoral, postdoctoral, faculty).

Advisory Committee (Uploaded via the Other Attachments section)

A plan must be provided for the appointment of an Advisory Committee to monitor progress. Composition, responsibilities, frequency of meetings, and other relevant information should be included. Describe the composition of the Advisory Committee, identifying the role and the desired expertise of members. A plan for Advisory Committee approval and selection of participants should be included. Describe how the Advisory Committee will function in providing oversight of the development, implementation, and evaluation of recruitment strategies, the recruitment and retention of candidates, and the evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the program. Note that Advisory Committee members should not be named in the application, particularly if they include individuals from outside the institution..

The filename provided for each Other Attachment will be the name used for the bookmark in the electronic application in eRA Commons.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following modifications:

• Applicants must complete and submit detailed categorical budget requests using the SF24 Research and Related (R&R) Budget Component found in the application package for this FOA by including the PHS 389 Detailed Budget for the Initial and Entire Budget Period Direct Costs forms as instructed on the NIGMS website http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/MARC/MARCAncillaryTraining.htm
• Include all personnel other than the PD/PI(s) in the Other Personnel section, including clerical and administrative staff.
• Use the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs to include all allowable categories of funds requested to support participants in the program.
• Do not complete the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs.

All Supplemental Instructions to the SF424 (R&R) must be followed to prepare this application, with the additional instructions described below:

Do not use data tables (Table 1 12) as shown on the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms. However, a T36 applicant may provide information that s/he wishes in a tabular format. Substitute all references to trainees in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide with participants and all references to training in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide with ancillary training .

Program Administration (Component of Program Plan)

Describe the acknowledged strengths, leadership and administrative skills, and scientific expertise of the PD/PI. Include active research and the planned strategy to be used to oversee and monitor the program. For applications with multiple PDs/PI(s), address the Leadership Plan and how the combined knowledge, skills and experience of the individual PDs/PIs will enhance the likelihood of success of the program. The PD/PI will be responsible for the selection of participants to the approved training program, and for the overall direction, management, administration, and evaluation of the program.

Program Trainers/Speakers (called Program Faculty on the SF424 (R&R) form; Component of Program Plan)

Where program trainers and/or speakers are proposed, describe the complementary expertise and experiences of such individuals who will be providing guidance and expertise to the participants. The trainers/speakers should have strong records for their intended area of training and/or instruction.

Proposed Ancillary Training (Component of Program Plan)

The program should develop participant skills in the proposed training area or activity. Participants should be prepared to utilize what they have learned as they pursue future academic or research efforts.

Ancillary Training Program Evaluation (Component of Program Plan)

A plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed program must be included. The evaluation plan must have a timeline (milestones) and be in-line with the proposed measureable objectives. Evaluation is conducted for the purpose of providing useful information to the institution/organization for improving its program. Program evaluation is also considered in the NIH peer review process and should include plans to obtain feedback from current and/or former participants, where applicable, to help identify weaknesses in the training. Evaluation results should be included in future competing continuation (renewal) applications and as part of the Final Progress Report.

Training Participants (called Trainee Candidates on the SF424 (R&R) form (Component of Program Plan)

Describe the recruitment plans, including the sources and availability of the proposed training participants and the criteria and procedures by which training participants will be selected.

Institutional/Organizational Environment and Commitment to the Program (Component of Program Plan)

Include information in the application that documents the institutional/organizational environment, support and commitment to the goals of the training program. The application should include a description of support (financial and/or otherwise) to be provided to the proposed program. This could include, for example, space, shared laboratory facilities and equipment, support for additional participants in the program, or any other creative ways to improve the climate for the establishment and growth of the training program. Note: cost-sharing is not required for this program. Provide information establishing the commitment of the applicant institution/organization, the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI), the Research Administrator, if any, and the trainers/speakers to providing developmental experiences for participants.

Appendix

Do not use the appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit in advance of the deadline to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Organizations must submit applications via Grants.gov, the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically.

Important reminders:

All PD/PIs must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF 424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

Applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs in any year (excluding consortium F&A) must contact NIH program staff at least 6 weeks before submitting the application and follow the Policy on the Acceptance for Review of Unsolicited Applications that Request $500,000 or More in Direct Costs as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide. Applicants are advised to refer to Agency Contacts for exceptions.

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-10-115.

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the NIH mission, all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the program to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.

Ancillary Training Program and Environment

Are the facilities and training environment conducive to preparing participants for successful careers as biomedical/behavioral scientists? Is the proposed program innovative and not merely a substitution of NIGMS funds for an ongoing training activity supported by another source(s)? Do the measurable objectives, design and direction of the proposed program ensure effective training? Do the courses, where relevant, address state-of-the-art science relevant to the aims of the program? Is a significant level of institutional/organizational commitment to the program evident?

Ancillary Training Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PDs/PIs)

Does the Training PD/PI have the scientific background, expertise, and experience to provide strong leadership, direction, management, and administration to the proposed research training program? Does the PD/PI plan to commit sufficient time to the program to ensure its success? Is sufficient administrative support provided for the program?

For applications designating multiple PD/PIs: Is a strong justification provided that the multiple PD/PI leadership approach will benefit the training program and the participants? Is a strong and compelling leadership approach evident, including the designated roles and responsibilities, governance, and organizational structure consistent with and justified by the aims of the training program and with the complementary expertise of each of the PD/PIs

Program Trainers/Speakers

Where program trainers and/or speakers proposed, are sufficient numbers of such individuals with appropriate expertise to support the number and level of participants proposed in the application? Do the trainers/speakers have strong records of training in the area(s) directly related to the proposed training program?

Participants

Is a recruitment plan proposed with strategies to attract appropriate participants? Are there well-defined and justified selection criteria for participants? For renewal applications, how successful has the program been in attracting participants?

Evaluation and Training Record

Does the training program have a rigorous evaluation plan to assess the quality and effectiveness of the training? Are effective mechanisms in place for monitoring participants subsequent career development? How successful have training participants been (or for new applications, other participants in similar training), as evidenced by research accomplishments and publications; getting into science Ph.D. programs; obtaining other training appointments, fellowships, and/or career development awards; obtaining research grants; receipt of honors or awards; receipt of patents; promotion to scientific leadership positions and/or other such measures of success?

For renewal applications:

Does the application describe the program s accomplishments over the past funding period(s)? Does the application include an analysis of the program evaluation for the previous five-year funded term? Are changes proposed that would improve/strengthen the training experience?

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact/priority score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Vertebrate Animals

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Biohazards

Generally not applicable. Reviewers should bring any concerns to the attention of the Scientific Review Officer.

Resubmissions

For Resubmissions, the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.

Renewals

For Renewals, the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period.

Revisions

For Revisions, the committee will consider the appropriateness of the proposed expansion of the scope of the project. If the Revision application relates to a specific line of investigation presented in the original application that was not recommended for approval by the committee, then the committee will consider whether the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group are adequate and whether substantial changes are clearly evident.

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Taking into account the specific characteristics of the training program, level of trainee experience, and the particular circumstances of the trainees, the reviewers will address the following questions. Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g. lectures, coursework and/or real-time discussion groups? Do plans include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety? Do the plans adequately describe how faculty will participate in the instruction? Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., eight contact hours of instruction every four years? Taking into account the specific characteristics of the career development program, level of scholar experience, and the particular circumstances of the scholars, the reviewers will address the following questions. Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g. lectures, coursework and/or real-time discussion groups? Do plans include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety? Do the plans adequately describe how faculty will participate in the instruction? Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., eight contact hours of instruction every four years? Plans and past record will be rated as acceptable or unacceptable, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

Select Agent Research

Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by the NIGMS Office of Scientific Review, in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Review assignments will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

• May undergo a selection process in which only those applications deemed to have the highest scientific and technical merit (generally the top half of applications under review), will be discussed and assigned an overall impact/priority score.

Will receive a written critique.

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

• Scientific and technical merit of the proposed project as determined by scientific peer review.
• Availability of funds.
• Relevance of the proposed project to program priorities.

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, CCR Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Awards made primarily for educational purposes are exempted from the PHS invention requirements and thus invention reporting is not required, as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, the NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program. Accordingly, participants are hereby notified that they may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.

Not Applicable.

The Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) and financial statements as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are required annually. Continuation support will not be provided until the required forms are submitted and accepted.

Failure by the grantee institution to submit required forms in a timely, complete, and accurate manner may result in an expenditure disallowance or a delay in any continuation funding for the award.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

A final Progress Report and Financial Status Report are required when an award is terminated. Evaluation results should be included as part of the Final Progress Report.

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading or navigating forms)
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Telephone 301-710-0267
TTY 301-451-5936
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov

eRA Commons Help Desk(Questions regarding eRA Commons registration, tracking application status, post submission issues)
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Email: commons@od.nih.gov

Shawn Drew, Ph.D. or Adolphus Toliver, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-594-3900
Email: DrewL@mail.nih.gov or ToliverA@mail.nih.gov

Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).

You may also contact:

Helen Sunshine, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences, (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-594-2881
Email: SunshinH@nigms.nih.gov

Lori Burge
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Telephone: 301-451-3781
Email: BurgeL@mail.nih.gov

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Awards are made under the authorization of Section 487 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 288) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 66.

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 63A and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.