Part 1. Overview Information

Key Dates

All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

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

It is critical that applicants follow the Training (T) Instructions in the How to Apply Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the NOFO) 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.

There are several options available to submit your application through Grants.gov to NIH and Department of Health and Human Services partners. You must use one of these submission options to access the application forms for this opportunity.

1. Use the NIH ASSIST system to prepare, submit and track your application online.
2. Use an institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution to prepare and submit your application to Grants.gov and eRA Commons to track your application. Check with your institutional officials regarding availability.
   
   
3. Use Grants.gov Workspace to prepare and submit your application and eRA Commons to track your application.



Table of Contents
Part 1. Overview Information
Key Dates
Part 2. Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Other Award Budget 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

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

The overall goal of the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. In order to accomplish this goal, NRSA training programs are designed to train individuals to conduct research and to prepare for research careers. More information about NRSA programs may be found at the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) website.

The NRSA program has been the primary means of supporting predoctoral and postdoctoral research training programs since enactment of the NRSA legislation in 1974. Institutional NRSA programs allow the Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (Training PD/PI) to select trainees and develop an enhanced program of coursework, mentored research experiences, and technical and professional skills development appropriate for the appointed trainees that provides added value to already existing programs.

The grant offsets the cost of stipends, tuition and fees, and training related expenses, including health insurance, for the appointed trainees in accordance with the approved NIH support levels.

Purpose

The purpose of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (T32) program is to develop and/or enhance research training opportunities for individuals interested in careers in biomedical, behavioral or social sciences, and clinical research, in health services research, or in any other discipline relevant to the NIH mission.

Each proposed program should provide high-quality research training, and mentored research experiences, and are expected to help trainees develop:

• A strong foundation in scientific reasoning, rigorous and reproducible research design, experimental methods, analytic techniques, including quantitative/computational approaches, and data gathering, storing, analysis, interpretation and sharing appropriate for the proposed research area.
• Their individual development plans to identify areas of strengths and areas of career and personal growth with the ability to identify and engage mentors.
• Skills in engaging in their chosen area of science including networking, presentation and publication skills and opportunities to interact with members of the broader scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops.
• The competencies needed to advance to independent careers in their chosen field.
• The ability to think critically, independently, and to develop important research questions to initiate and conduct research and approaches that push forward their areas of study.
• An understanding of the relationship of their research training to health, diseases, and disorders.
• A commitment to approaching and conducting research responsibly and with integrity.
• The competencies to work effectively with colleagues from a variety of backgrounds and scientific disciplines to contribute to inclusive and supportive scientific research environments.;
• The knowledge, professional skills, and experiences required to identify and transition into careers that sustain biomedical research in areas that are relevant to the NIH mission.

The proposed institutional research training program may complement other ongoing research training and career development programs at the applicant institution but must be clearly distinct from related programs currently receiving Federal support.

Program Considerations

The duration of training, the transition of trainees to individual support mechanisms, and their transition to the next career stage are important considerations in institutional training programs.Also, an important consideration is the engagement of trainees in their training goals, process and activities through the program that enhances what they may be getting in existing programs within the institution.

Training PD/PIs should:

• Limit appointments to individuals who plan to remain in the training program for no less than two years, whether that support comes from a training grant or some combination of NRSA and non-NRSA programs. Short-term training is not intended, and may not be used, to support activities that would ordinarily be part of a research degree program, nor for any undergraduate-level training. Short-term positions should be requested at the time of application, as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Research training programs solely for short-term research training should not apply to this announcement, but rather the T35 NRSA NOFO, which can be found in the NIH Training Kiosk.

• Within the full-time training period, research trainees who are also training as clinicians must devote their time to the proposed research training and confine clinical duties to those that are an integral part of the research training experience or can be conducted in the allowable additional 25% of their time (e.g., 10 hours per week) that may be devoted to clinical employment. The program may not be used to support studies leading to the MD, DDS, or other clinical, health-professional degrees except when those studies are part of a formal combined research degree program, such as the MD/PhD. Similarly, trainees may not accept NRSA support for clinical training that is part of residency training leading to clinical certification in a medical or dental specialty or subspecialty. It is permissible and encouraged, however, for clinicians to engage in NRSA-supported, full-time postdoctoral research training even when that experience is creditable toward certification by a clinical specialty or subspecialty board.

• Encourage and make available appropriate training so that trainees are prepared to apply for subsequent independent support for their training, career development or research program (e.g., an individual fellowship award, mentored career development award, or research project grant), as appropriate for their career stage.

• In addition, past studies have shown that health professional trainees who train in programs with postdoctoral researchers who have intensive research backgrounds are more likely to apply for and receive subsequent research grant support. Therefore, programs that emphasize research training for individuals with the MD or other health-professional degrees are encouraged to develop interactions with basic science departments and include trainees with research doctorates when this approach is consistent with the goals of the proposed training program.

• Encourage the development of institutional training programs that will provide trainees with education and experience in rigorous, reproducible, and transparent scientific approaches, systems for study, tools and technologies.

• Consider team-based research approaches as may also be warranted depending upon the goals of the proposed training program.

Within the framework of the NRSA program’s longstanding commitment to excellence, attention should be given to recruiting and retaining trainees from diverse backgrounds, including groups underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, as described in the Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031).

Institutional commitment and support for the proposed training program are important elements of the application.

The career outcomes of individuals supported by NRSA training programs are intended to include both research-intensive careers in academia and industry, and research-related careers in various sectors, e.g., academic institutions, government agencies, for-profit businesses, and private foundations. Training programs should make available structured, career development advising and learning opportunities (e.g., workshops, discussions, Individual Development Plans). Through such opportunities, trainees are expected to obtain a working knowledge of various career paths that would make strong use of the knowledge and skills gained during research training and the steps required to transition successfully to the next stage of their chosen career.

Short-term training is not intended, and may not be used, to support activities that would ordinarily be part of a research degree program, nor for any undergraduate-level training. Short-term positions should be requested at the time of application as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Research training programs solely for short-term research training should not apply to this announcement, but rather the T35 NRSA NOFO, which can be found in the NIH Training Kiosk.

Program Objective

The National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA), enacted into public law in January 2011, is a detailed plan that directs activities, drives the development of recommendations, and monitors progress on AD/ADRD, with the ambitious goal of developing a treatment for AD by 2025.

The Alzheimer's Disease Research Summits made several recommendations to enhance research infrastructure and interdisciplinary collaboration and facilitate the creation of multidisciplinary teams. One of the overarching themes identified by the working group was to "invest in the development of a new translational and data science workforce".

The objectives of this NOFO are:

• To bridge the existing expertise gaps in AD ttranslational research by building a diverse and interdisciplinary scientific workforce that can effectively participate in and/or lead a team-science, precision medicine approach to AD/ADRD treatment, prevention, early detection, disease management, and care.
• To support interdisciplinary exchange and encourage collaborative research across disciplines that will provide trainees with the knowledge and skills in data science, disease biology, behavioral research, and traditional and emerging drug discovery necessary to conduct rigorous and cutting-edge translational and clinical research for AD/ADRD.
• To promote institutional training programs to participate in large-scale, team-science efforts needed to solve data-intensive biomedical problems in basic and translational research  for AD/ADRD, while nurturing the skills necessary to be an independent investigator leading team-science research.
• To encourage academic institutions to leverage NIA's investment in research on AD and aging to advance cross-disciplinary training in new approaches to AD/ADRD treatment and prevention, including research on health disparities in AD/ADRD.
• To support outstanding research training programs that will promote diversity and inclusionat all levels of the research training environment. 
• To encourage collaborations between a variety of institutions, including, for example, minority serving institutions (MSIs).  

The interdisciplinary training programs should involve multiple departments at the institution. Trainees with backgrounds in clinical and behavioral research (e.g., epidemiology, psychology, geriatrics, health disparities), mathematics/computational biology/engineering, or biology/neuroscience with a strong interest in research on AD/ADRD would be considered among the eligible pool of applicants for the training program. Training programs may include partnerships among institutions and between academic institutions and industry/organizations including patient and advocacy groups.

A component of the program must provide trainees an opportunity to undertake a research project in one of the academic institutions affiliated with, or in the laboratories of industry partners participating in, NIA's large-scale open science consortia. These consortia include, but are not limited to, the following:

• AD Knowledge Portal
• Accelerating Medicines Partnership - Alzheimer's Disease (AMP-AD)
• Model Organism Development and Evaluation for Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (MODEL-AD)
• Target Enablement to Accelerate Therapy Development for AD (TREAT-AD)
• Molecular Mechanisms of the Vascular Etiology of Alzheimer's Disease (M2OVE-AD)
• Cognitive Resilience to Alzheimer’s Disease (Resilience-AD)
• Centrally-linked Longitudinal Peripheral Biomarkers of AD in Multi-Ethnic Populations (CLEAR-AD)
• Alzheimer’s Gut Microbiome Project (AGMP)
• Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC)
• National Institute on Aging Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS)
• Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)

Trainees in these programs should be mentored by two or more faculty mentors to develop an individualized training plan that will provide:

• A strong foundation in research design, methods, and analytic techniques appropriate for the proposed research area;
• The enhancement of the trainee's ability to conceptualize and think through research problems with increasing independence;
• Experience conducting research using state-of-the-art methods as well as presenting and publishing their research findings;
• The opportunity to interact with members of the scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops; and
• The enhancement of the trainee's understanding of the health-related sciences, health disparities, and the relationship of their research training to health and disease in heterogenous populations. 

The proposed institutional research training program may complement other ongoing research training and career development programs at the applicant institution, but the proposed program must be clearly distinct from related programs currently receiving Federal support. All studies within the program should be conducted and reported in compliance with NIH guidance on rigor and reproducibility.  

See Section VIII. Other Information for award authorities and regulations.

Section II. Award Information

Other Award Budget Information

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

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

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
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

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)

Local 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

Federal Governments

• Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
• U.S. Territory or Possession

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.

The applicant institution must have a strong and high-quality research program in the area(s) proposed under this NOFO and must have the requisite faculty, staff, potential trainees, and facilities on site to conduct the proposed institutional program. In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed program will complement other ongoing research training programs occurring at the applicant institution and that a substantial number of program faculty will have active research projects in which participating trainees may gain relevant experiences consistent with their research interests and goals. 

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

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

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.

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

Applicant Organizations

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the How to Apply Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission, please reference NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications for additional information.

• System for Award Management (SAM) – Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.

• NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code – Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.
• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)- A UEI is issued as part of the SAM.gov registration process. The same UEI must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.

• eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants.gov registration; all registrations must be in place by time of submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
• Grants.gov – Applicants must have an active SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration.

Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s))

All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Obtaining an eRA Commons account can take up to 2 weeks.

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research training program as the Training Program Director/Principal Investigator (Training PD/PI) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. See, Reminder: Notice of NIH's Encouragement of Applications Supporting Individuals from Underrepresented Ethnic and Racial Groups as well as Individuals with Disabilities, NOT-OD-22-019.

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 responsible for the selection and appointment of trainees to the approved research training program, and for the overall direction, management, administration, and evaluation of the program. The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required. The PD/PI has responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the program and is responsible for appointing members of the Advisory Committee (when applicable), using their recommendations to determine the appropriate allotment of funds.

2. Cost Sharing

This NOFO does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 1.2 Definition of Terms.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

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

NIH will not accept duplicate or highly overlapping applications under review at the same time per NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.7.4 Submission of Resubmission Application. This means that the NIH will not accept:

• A new (A0) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of an overlapping new (A0) or resubmission (A1) application.
• A resubmission (A1) application that is submitted before issuance of the summary statement from the review of the previous new (A0) application.
• An application that has substantial overlap with another application pending appeal of initial peer review (see NIH Grants Policy Statement 2.3.9.4 Similar, Essentially Identical, or Identical Applications)

Programs are encouraged to build a broadly diverse team of preceptors/mentors that includes, for example, faculty at different career stages (i.e., junior as well as senior faculty). Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and women are always encouraged to participate as program faculty.

Trainees

The individual to be trained must be a citizen or a noncitizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time of appointment. Additional details on citizenship, training period, and aggregate duration of support are available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

All trainees are required to pursue their research training full time, normally defined as 40 hours per week, or as specified by the sponsoring institution in accordance with its own policies. Appointments are normally made in 12-month increments, and no trainee may be appointed for less than 9 months during the initial period of appointment, except with prior approval of the awarding unit, or when trainees are appointed to approved, short-term training positions.

Trainees may be predoctoral students and/or postdoctoral fellows.

Predoctoral trainees must be enrolled in a program leading to a Ph.D. or in an equivalent research doctoral degree program. Health-professional students who wish to interrupt their studies for a year or more to engage in full-time research training before completing their formal training programs, are also eligible.

Postdoctoral trainees must have received, as of the beginning date of the NRSA appointment, a Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., or comparable doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution. Comparable doctoral degrees include, but are not limited to, the following: D.M.D., DC, DO, DVM., OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, DPT, PharmD, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), DSW, PsyD, as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research. Documentation by an authorized official of the degree-granting institution certifying all degree requirements have been met prior to the beginning date of the training appointment is acceptable. Individuals in postgraduate clinical training, who wish to interrupt their studies for a year or more to engage in full-time research training before completing their formal training programs, are also eligible.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

The application forms package specific to this opportunity must be accessed through ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace or an institutional system-to-system solution. Links to apply using ASSIST or Grants.gov Workspace are available in Part 1 of this NOFO. See your administrative office for instructions if you plan to use an institutional system-to-system solution.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the Training (T) Instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed in this Notice of Funding Opportunity 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.

Letter of Intent

Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NIA staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.

By the date listed in Part 1. Overview Information, prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:

• Descriptive title of proposed activity
• Name(s), address(es), and telephone number(s) of the PD(s)/PI(s)
• Names of other key personnel
• Participating institution(s)
• Number and title of this funding opportunity

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Laura Major, DrPH 
Division of Extramural Activities 
National Institute on Aging (NIA) 
Email: [email protected] 

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

Instructions for Application Submission

The following section supplements the instructions found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.

SF424(R&R) Cover

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

Project Summary/Abstract. Provide an abstract of the entire application. Include the objectives, rationale and design of the research training program, as well as key activities in the training plan. Indicate the planned duration of appointments, the projected number of trainees including their levels (i.e., predoctoral, postdoctoral), and intended trainee outcomes.

Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity. The applicant must provide a Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity. Include outreach strategies and activities designed to recruit prospective participants from diverse backgrounds,including those from underrepresented groups as described in the Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity. Describe the specific efforts to be undertaken by the training program and how these might coordinate with recruitment efforts of the institution and reflect past experiences in recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups. Centralized organizational efforts alone will not satisfy the requirement to recruit prospective trainees from diverse groups. Participating faculty are expected to be actively involved in recruitment efforts. Please name the file “Recruitment_Plan.pdf”. If this attachment is not included, the application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

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

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile Expanded

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application.

PHS 398 Training Subaward Budget Attachment(s)

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Training Budget

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

• Include all personnel other than the Training PD(s)/PI(s) in the Other Personnel section, including clerical and administrative staff.

PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan

The PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan Form is comprised of the following sections:

• Training Program
• Faculty, Trainees, and Training Record
• Other Training Program Sections
• Appendix - Note that the Appendix should only be used in circumstances covered in the NIH policy on appendix materials or if the NOFO specifically instructs applicants to do so.

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Particular attention must be given to the required Training Data Tables. Applicants should summarize, in the body of the application, key data from the tables that highlight the characteristics of the applicant pool, faculty mentors, the educational and career outcomes of past participants, and other factors that contribute to the overall environment of the program.Please note that the race, ethnicity, or sex of trainee applicants, trainees, or faculty mentors will not be considered in the application review process or when making funding decisions.

Training Program

Program Plan

Proposed Training.

The PD/PI should describe program activities intended to develop the working knowledge needed for trainees to select among and prepare for the next step in varied research career options available in the biomedical workforce. For example, programs should provide all trainees with instruction and training in oral and written presentation and in skills needed to apply for individual fellowship or grant support. All postdoctoral trainees should also be provided with instruction in laboratory and project management.

For programs that propose short-term training, any didactic training must be well structured and appropriately justified for the duration of the training experience. Short-term trainees must have the opportunity to carry out supervised biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research with the primary objective of developing or enhancing their research skills and knowledge in preparation for a health-related research career.

For renewal applications, highlight how the training program has evolved in response to changes in relevant scientific and technical knowledge, educational practices, and to evaluation of the training program.

​​​​​Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Program Administration

The application should describe how the Training Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PDs/PIs) will promote the productivity of the trainees and success of the training program. Multiple PDs/PIs are particularly encouraged, especially when each brings a unique perspective and skill set that will enhance training, as described in the Eligible Individuals section. The application should expand on the information in the biosketch(es) to address how the PD/PI or PD/PI team has:

• The scientific expertise, including a record of rigorous funded research, as well as the administrative and training experience to provide strong leadership, direction, management, and administration of the proposed research training program.
• The time to commit sufficient effort to ensure the program's success, given other professional obligations (applicants should indicate the program director's percent effort in the proposed program).
• The planned strategy and administrative structure to oversee and monitor the program and ensure appropriate and timely trainee progress.
• A demonstrated commitment to recruit prospective program staff from diverse backgrounds, including those underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences (see NOT-OD-20-031). 

Program Faculty

In addition to the information specified in the Application Guide, describe:

• How the program faculty are, or will be, trained to ensure the use of training and mentoring practices that promote the development of trainees from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences (see NOT-OD-20-031). 
• How the program has  faculty at a range of career stages and from a variety of scientific backgrounds.
• How the program faculty will provide supportive mentoring.
• In programs where trainees will have multiple mentors, how the faculty will effectively coordinate training and mentorship responsibilities.
• The training faculty's expertise in research in one or more dimensions of i) the biology of aging, AD, and neurodegeneration, ii) data sciences, computational biology, statistics/mathematics/engineering, and biophysics, and iii) traditional and emerging drug discovery/drug development disciplines (e.g. medicinal chemistry, high-throughput screening, quantitative pharmacology, toxicology, pharmacometrics, trial design, etc.)
• The preceptors'/mentors' history of active collaborations across departments and disciplines that will facilitate program goals.
• The efforts made to recruit prospective preceptors/mentors from diverse backgrounds, including those underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences (see NOT-OD-20-031).

Proposed Training

In addition to the information specified in the Application Guide, describe:

• How trainees will be instructed on data science principles that are relevant to their areas of research. Examples include statistics; computational science; bioinformatics; data sharing and access; data management, data security, and data privacy in human subjects research; research ethics; integrity; responsible conduct of research; and rigorous and reproducible research.
• Program activities intended to develop the working knowledge needed for trainees to select and prepare for the next step in the varied research career options available in the biomedical workforce. For example, programs should provide instruction and training in oral and written presentations and in skills needed to apply for individual fellowship or other grant support. All postdoctoral trainees should also be provided with instruction in laboratory and project management.
• How the program will provide trainees an opportunity to undertake a research project that will provide exposure to AD and AD-related dementias as related to one or more dimensions of translational research.

Training Program Evaluation

In addition to the information specified in the Application Guide, describe:

• How the proposed evaluation will assess the extent to which trainees find the training program to be inclusive and supportive of trainee development.
• The program’s procedures for responding to program evaluation findings. 
• How the proposed evaluation will assess program outcomes such as completion rates and scholarly productivity for the trainees (or training grant eligible pool), including breakdowns showing how outcomes for trainees from underrepresented groups compare to outcomes for trainees from well-represented groups.  

Trainee Candidates

Through the narrative and summaries of the information presented in the Training Data Tables and the attachments, the application should:

• Provide a strong justification for the number of requested trainee positions.
• Expand upon the Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity and explain how it will identify and recruit a diverse pool of prospective trainee applicants, including those under underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, as described in NIH's Notice of Interest in Diversity.
• Describe how it will identify and recruit candidates from a variety of institution types.
• Describe any plans to engage trainees in their research career development, mentoring, and skills development.
• Describe any transition plans to ensure trainees are supported in their various career options and that feedback will be gathered about their experiences in the training program.

Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training

The application should describe how the level of institutional and departmental commitment to research and training excellence will promote the productivity and progress of the trainees and the success of the training program. This includes providing an inclusive, safe, and supportive environment with procedures to ensure accountability and reporting of concerns. For institutions that have multiple NIH-funded training grants, the letter should also explain what distinguishes the proposed program from existing ones at the same training level, how the programs will synergize and share resources when appropriate, and how the training faculty, pool of potential trainees, and resources are sufficiently robust to support the proposed program in addition to existing ones. A letter providing assurances of the institutional commitment should be provided in the Letters of Support section of the application. Detailed instructions on the types of support are found below in the Letters of Support section of the NOFO. 

Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, which include a description of how the program will provide training in scientific reasoning, rigorous research design, relevant experimental methods, consideration of relevant biological variables such as sex, authentication of key biological and/or chemical resources, quantitative approaches, and data analysis and interpretation, as appropriate to the field of study and the level and prior preparation of the trainees.

Progress Report for Renewal Applications

For renewal applications, highlight how the training program has evolved in response to changes in relevant scientific and technical knowledge, educational practices, and evaluation of the training program, taking into account feedback from trainees.

Faculty, Trainees, And Training Record Section

Participating Faculty Biosketches

        Program faculty are encouraged to provide a personal statement that describes their prior experience with:

• Training, mentoring, and promoting an inclusive and supportive scientific environment.
• Providing training in rigorous and unbiased experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results.
• Aiding and supporting trainees in identifying and transitioning into careers in the biomedical research workforce that are consistent with trainees' skills, interests, and values.

Institutional Support Letter

The application must include a signed letter on institutional letterhead from a President, Provost, Dean, or key institutional leader that describes the activities and resources provided by the institution that will ensure the success of the planned training program and its trainees (not to exceed 5 pages). Institutional commitment to the following areas should be described in the letter:

1. Developing and promoting a culture in which the highest standards of scientific rigor, reproducibility, and responsible conduct are advanced.

2. Ensuring sufficient resources and support will be available to the training faculty and trainees, for example, to permit early-stage faculty to participate in training and trainees to continue in training if their mentors experience a hiatus in research funding.

3. Supporting core facilities and technology resources and describing how they can be used to enhance training.

4. Supporting the PDs/PIs and other key staff associated with the planned training program; ensuring faculty have protected time available to devote to mentoring, training, and research; considering activities integral to excellent training (such as teaching and mentorship) in tenure and promotion decisions.

5. Promoting diversity and inclusion (defined as the recognition, appreciation, and use of the talents and skills of employees of all backgrounds) at all levels of the research training environment (trainees, staff, faculty, and leadership); ensuring the research facilities and laboratory practices promote the safety of trainees; ensuring the research facilities, information and communication technology, programs, and services  are accessible to all trainees; ensuring a positive, supportive, and inclusive research and training environment for individuals from all backgrounds.

6. Supporting interdisciplinary training programs that will provide trainees with the knowledge and skills in data science, disease biology, and emerging drug discovery necessary to conduct rigorous and cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical research for AD and AD-related dementias.

7. Ensuring that proper policies, procedures, and oversight are in place to prevent discriminatory harassment and other discriminatory practices and to appropriately respond to allegations of such discriminatory practices, including providing any required notifications to NIH (see NOT-OD-20-124).

8. Supporting evaluation of the training program and tracking success of the trainees.

Appendix:

Limited items are allowed in the Appendix. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide; any instructions provided here are in addition to the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide instructions.

PHS Assignment Request Form

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

See Part 2. Section III.1 for information regarding the requirement for obtaining a unique entity identifier and for completing and maintaining active registrations in System for Award Management (SAM), NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (if applicable), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov

4. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. contains information about Key Dates and times. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the due date to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission. When a submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

Organizations must submit applications to 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. NIH and Grants.gov systems check the application against many of the application instructions upon submission. Errors must be corrected and a changed/corrected application must be submitted to Grants.gov on or before the application due date and time. If a Changed/Corrected application is submitted after the deadline, the application will be considered late. Applications that miss the due date and time are subjected to theNIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications. 

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the due date 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.

5. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

6. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The National Research Service Award (NRSA) policies apply to this program. An NRSA appointment may not be held concurrently with another Federally sponsored fellowship, traineeship, or similar Federal award that provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of the NRSA.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Note, however, that pre-award costs are not allowable charges for stipends or tuition/fees on institutional training grants because these costs may not be charged to the grant until a trainee has actually been appointed and the appropriate paperwork submitted to the NIH awarding component. Any additional costs associated with the decision to allow research elective credit for short-term research training are not allowable charges on an institutional training grant.

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (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 How to Apply – Application Guide. If you encounter a system issue beyond your control that threatens your ability to complete the submission process on-time, you must follow the Dealing with System Issues guidance. For assistance with application submission, contact the Application Submission Contacts in Section VII.

Important reminders:

All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential fieldof the Senior/Key Person Profile form.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 unique entity identifier provided on the application is the same identifier used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management. 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 and compliance with application instructions by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete or non-compliant will not be reviewed.

Requests of $500,000 or more for direct costs in any year

Applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs in any year (excluding consortium F&A) must contact a Scientific/ Research Contact 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 SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Applicants are advised to refer to the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts for exceptions.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in the policy.

Section V. Application Review Information

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process.

Applications submitted to the NIH in support of the NIH mission are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood that the proposed training program will prepare individuals for successful, productive scientific research careers and thereby exert a sustained 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 the merit of the training program and give a separate score for each. When applicable, the reviewers will consider relevant questions in the context of proposed short-term training. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.

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 score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

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 score.

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s), convened by the National Institute on Aging in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications will receive a written critique.

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 score.

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. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate national Advisory Council or Board.

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 their Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons. Refer to Part 1 for dates for peer review, advisory council review, and earliest start date.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.4.4 Disposition of Applications.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

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. This request is not a Notice of Award nor should it be construed to be an indicator of possible funding. 

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 recipient’s business official.

Recipients 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 NOFO will be subject to terms and conditions found on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website. This includes any recent legislation and policy applicable to awards that is highlighted on this 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, Recipients, and Activities, including of note, but not limited to:

• Federal-wide Standard Terms and Conditions for Research Grants
• Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment
• Acknowledgment of Federal Funding

If a recipient is successful and receives a Notice of Award, in accepting the award, the recipient agrees that any activities under the award are subject to all provisions currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions.

If a recipient receives an award, the recipient must follow all applicable nondiscrimination laws. The recipient agrees to this when registering in SAM.gov. The recipient must also submit an Assurance of Compliance (HHS-690). To learn more, see the HHS Office for Civil Rights website.

HHS recognizes that NIH research projects are often limited in scope for many reasons that are nondiscriminatory, such as the principal investigator’s scientific interest, funding limitations, recruitment requirements, and other considerations. Thus, criteria in research protocols that target or exclude certain populations are warranted where nondiscriminatory justifications establish that such criteria are appropriate with respect to the health or safety of the subjects, the scientific study design, or the purpose of the research. For additional guidance regarding how the provisions apply to NIH grant programs, please contact the Scientific/Research Contact that is identified in Section VII under Agency Contacts of this NOFO.

In accordance with the statutory provisions contained in Section 872 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417), NIH awards will be subject to the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) requirements. FAPIIS requires Federal award making officials to review and consider information about an applicant in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS) prior to making an award. An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through FAPIIS and comment on any information about itself that a Federal agency previously entered and is currently in FAPIIS. The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to other information in FAPIIS, in making a judgement about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 CFR Part 200.206 “Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.” This provision will apply to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements except fellowships.

Institutional NRSA training grants must be administered in accordance with the current NRSA section of the NIH Grants Policy Statement - Institutional Research Training Grants.

The taxability of stipends is described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Policies regarding the Ruth L. Kirschstein-NRSA payback obligation are explained in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

As specified in the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, Kirschstein-NRSA recipients incur a service payback obligation for the first 12 months of postdoctoral support. Policies regarding the Ruth L. Kirschstein-NRSA payback obligation are explained in the NIH Grants Policy Statement; and more details are in the Frequently Asked Questions. Officials at the recipient institution have the responsibility of explaining the terms of the payback requirements to all prospective trainees before appointment to the training grant. Additionally, all trainees recruited into the training program should be provided with information related to the career options that might be available when they complete the program. The suitability of such career options as methods to satisfy the NRSA service payback obligation should be discussed.

Inventions and Copyrights

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. 

Not Applicable

Consistent with the 2023 NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, when data management and sharing is applicable to the award, recipients will be required to adhere to the Data Management and Sharing requirements as outlined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Upon the approval of a Data Management and Sharing Plan, it is required for recipients to implement the plan as described.

When multiple years are involved, recipients will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually. Continuation support will not be provided until the required forms are submitted and accepted.

Failure by the recipient 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 as amended (FFATA), includes a requirement for recipients of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All recipients of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreementsare 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.

The institution must submit a completed Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271) for each trainee appointed or reappointed to the training grant for 8 weeks or more. Recipients must submit the PHS 2271 data electronically using the xTrain system. More information on xTrain is available at xTrain (eRA Commons). An appointment or reappointment may begin any time during the budget period, but not before the budget period start date of the grant year.

• Additionally, a completed Payback Agreement Form (PHS Form 6031) must be submitted for each postdoctoral trainee in his or her first 12 months of support.

• A notarized statement verifying possession of permanent residency documentation must be submitted with the Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271). Individuals with a Conditional Permanent Resident status must first meet full (non-conditional) Permanent Residency requirements before receiving support.
• Termination Notice: Within 30 days of the end of the total support period, the institution must submit a Termination Notice (PHS Form 416-7) via xTrain for each trainee appointed for eight weeks or more. Trainees with service payback requirements must notify the NIH of any change in address and submit Annual Payback Activities Certification Forms (PHS Form 6031-1) until the payback service obligation is satisfied.

A final RPPR, the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report, and Termination Notices for all Trainees, are required for closeout of an award as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. NIH NOFOs outline intended research goals and objectives. Post award, NIH will review and measure performance based on the details and outcomes that are shared within the RPPR, as described at 2 CFR Part 200.301.

In accordance with the regulatory requirements provided at  2 CFR Part 200.113 and Appendix XII  and 2 CFR Part 200, recipients that have currently active Federal grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies with a cumulative total value greater than $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of a Federal award, must report and maintain the currency of information reported in the System for Award Management (SAM) about civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings in connection with the award or performance of a Federal award that reached final disposition within the most recent five-year period. The recipient must also make semiannual disclosures regarding such proceedings. Proceedings information will be made publicly available in the designated integrity and performance system (currently FAPIIS). This is a statutory requirement under section 872 of Public Law 110-417, as amended (41 U.S.C. 2313). As required by section 3010 of Public Law 111-212, all information posted in the designated integrity and performance system on or after April 15, 2011, except past performance reviews required for Federal procurement contracts, will be publicly available. Full reporting requirements and procedures are found in Appendix XII to 2 CFR Part 200 – Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program from databases and from participants themselves. Participants 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.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

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

eRA Service Desk (Questions regarding ASSIST, eRA Commons, application errors and warnings, documenting system problems that threaten on-time submission, and post-submission issues)

Finding Help Online: https://www.era.nih.gov/need-help (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)

General Grants Information (Questions regarding application processes and NIH grant resources)
Email: [email protected] (preferred method of contact)
Telephone: 301-480-7075

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and Workspace)
Contact Center Telephone: 800-518-4726
Email: [email protected]

Delany Torres, Ph.D. 
Division of Behavioral and Social Research
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Email: [email protected] 

Yuan Luo, Ph.D.
Division of Neuroscience
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Email: [email protected]

Shreaya Chakroborty, Ph.D.
Division of Neuroscience
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Email: [email protected]

Laura Major, DrPH
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Email: [email protected]

Ramesh Vemuri, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-7700
Email: [email protected]

Jessi Perez
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-7739
Email: [email protected] 

Section VIII. Other Information

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 .