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 instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide, except where instructed to do otherwise (in this NOFO or in a Notice from NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts).

Conformance to all requirements (both in the How to Apply - Application Guide and the NOFO) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the How to Apply - 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. Notice of 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

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Notice of Funding Opportunity Description

There is a pressing need to enhance biomedical research capacity and opportunities for research at resource-limited institutions, which disproportionately serve regions of the U.S. that have not historically participated in substantial NIH research, including rural areas. Support for these institutions will allow different research questions and ideas to be studied and ensure that students from all communities and regions of the country have the opportunity to participate in high quality scientific inquiries and explore careers in biomedical research. The Support for Research Excellence (SuRE) program aims to develop and sustain research excellence at such institutions by supporting investigator-initiated research with strong student participation and providing resources to establish and enhance Offices of Sponsored Programs.

Program Objectives

The SuRE program supports research capacity building at institutions that award baccalaureate and/or graduate degrees in biomedical sciences, and receive limited NIH Research Project Grant funding. It seeks to develop and sustain research excellence of faculty investigators and provide students with research opportunities while enhancing the institutional research culture and enriching the research environment. The SuRE program will support investigator-initiated research in the basic, social, clinical, behavioral and translational sciences (collectively termed "biomedical" sciences) that falls in the mission areas of NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. Research activities funded by the SuRE program require participation by students. Two distinct Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) support research projects led by faculty investigators at different career stages. This NOFO is for the SuRE-First Award that supports faculty investigators who have not had prior independent external research grants. The SuRE-First Award allows these investigators to develop their independent research programs. A SuRE-First applicant must identify a scientist based in the U.S. with expertise and an extramural funding record in the proposed field of research to serve as a mentor. Its companion NOFO, PAR-24-144, supports faculty investigators who are not funded by an NIH Research Project Grant   with the exception of SuRE or SuRE-First awards. A SuRE Resource Center was funded to enhance the administrative research infrastructure of SuRE-eligible institutions and to provide services to advise faculty investigators who are interested in applying for a SuRE award.

 SuRE-First-supported projects must have student participation in the execution, analysis, and reporting of the research. An applicant institution must demonstrate a commitment to build its research capacity and support for the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) of the award.

NIH recognizes that diverse teams working together and capitalizing on innovative ideas and distinct perspectives outperform homogeneous teams. There are many benefits that flow from a diverse scientific workforce, including: fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, contributing to robust learning environments, improving the quality of the research, advancing the likelihood that underserved populations participate in, and benefit from research, and enhancing public trust.

To support the best science, NIH encourages inclusivity in research. Examples of structures that promote diverse perspectives include but are not limited to:

• Trans-disciplinary research projects and collaborations among investigators conducting biomedical research.
• Engagement from different types of institutions and organizations (e.g., research-intensive, undergraduate-focused, minority-serving, community-based).
• Individual applications and partnerships that enhance geographic and regional heterogeneity.
• Investigators and teams composed of researchers at different career stages.
• Participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including groups historically underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce (see NOT-OD-20-031), such as underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, those with disabilities, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and women.
• Project-based opportunities to enhance the research environment to benefit early- and mid-career investigators.

Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP)

• This NOFO requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) as described in NOT-MH-21-310, submitted as Other Project Information as an attachment (see Section IV).
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the NOFO instructions carefully and view the available PEDP guidance material. The PEDP will be assessed as part of the scientific and technical peer review evaluation.

Program Considerations

SuRE-First investigator-initiated research projects must fall within the scope of the NIH mission or they will be withdrawn prior to review. More complete information about the mission of each NIH Institute/Center (IC) can be found at http://www.nih.gov/icd. Applicants are encouraged to contact the NIH IC Scientific/Research contact listed in Section VII. Agency Contacts that best aligns with their proposed research. For ICs not listed and for all general programmatic questions, inquiries should be directed to the NIGMS Scientific/Research contact.

NIGMS will accept applications within its mission as well as those within the mission of all other NIH ICs with the exception of NIAID, which directly accepts applications within its mission. The NIGMS website provides information about the NIGMS mission and areas of research interest. For additional scientific program information and for pre-application guidance, a potential applicant is encouraged to contact the NIGMS Scientific/Research contact. 

NCI supports research projects in areas within the Institute's mission to advance scientific knowledge and help people live longer, healthier lives. The NCI website and the National Cancer Plan provide additional information about the Institute’s mission and areas of research interest. For specific programmatic questions, please contact the NCI Scientific/Research contact.

The mission of the National Eye Institute (NEI) is to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research. To achieve this mission, NEI supports innovative basic and clinical research on vision and disorders of the visual system; inspires a talented and diverse next generation of researchers; and translates progress into practice. Applications considered for funding should align with the NEI Strategic Plan. Before submitting, investigators are encouraged to get in touch with the NEI Scientific/Research contact  for questions about SuRE awards or the NEI Program Director whose portfolio covers the scientific topic of interest.

NHGRI supports the development of resources, approaches, and technologies that will accelerate genomic research on the structure of genomes, the biology of genomes, and the biology of disease; that will use genomics to advance the science of medicine; and that will incorporate genomics to improve the effectiveness of healthcare. NHGRI also supports genomic research in several cross-cutting areas, including the ethical, legal and societal implications of genomics and genetics research, bioinformatics, technology development, and research training and career development. In general, NHGRI supports studies that provide generalizable methods and knowledge. Applications for studies relevant only to a particular disease or organ system should be directed to the appropriate Institute or Center. NHGRI strongly encourages potential applicants to reach out to the listed scientific contact in the early stages of developing an application.

NIA supports research projects in areas within the Institute's mission that includes genetic, biological, behavior, social, and economic research on aging. In addition, NIA encourages applications on Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and AD Related Dementias (ADRD). The NIA website provides additional information about the Institute's mission and areas of research interest. For additional scientific program information and for pre-application guidance, a potential applicant is encouraged to contact the NIA Program Director whose portfolio covers the scientific topic of interest.

NIAAA supports basic, translational, and clinical research on the causes, consequences, prevention, diagnosis, progression, and treatment of alcohol-related problems across the lifespan. NIAAA encourages meritorious alcohol research projects in the broad areas of neuroscience and behavior, organ damage and other health effects, epidemiology and prevention, and treatment and recovery. NIAAA also encourages meritorious research projects on alcohol-related topics of relevance to understanding and addressing minority health and health disparities and that focus on the training of a diverse research workforce. More information about NIAAA’s mission and research priorities is available in the NIAAA Strategic Plan at https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/strategic-plan. For specific programmatic questions, please contact the NIAAA Scientific/Research contact.

NIAID will accept applications within its mission areas. NIAID conducts and supports basic and applied research to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases, with the goal of developing new therapies, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and other technologies. Research areas include microbiology and infectious diseases, AIDS and AIDS-related research, immunology, allergy, transplantation, and biodefense. 

NIBIB interests include the development and integration of advanced bioengineering, sensing, imaging, and computational technologies for the improvement of human health and medical care. An application is not within the NIBIB mission if its principal focus is the development of a technology with the goal of understanding basic biological function or pathological mechanisms. Additionally, NIBIB only supports projects developing platform technologies that are applicable to a broad spectrum of disorders and diseases. However, applicants may propose research that utilizes only a single tissue, organ, or physiological condition as a model system to facilitate the development of what is expected to be a more broadly applicable enabling technology. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the NIBIB Scientific/Research contact.

NIDCD is interested in supporting applications that propose research projects in the normal and disordered processes of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Applicants are strongly encouraged to learn more about NIDCD research areas at https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/research/extramural.

NIDDK conducts and supports medical research and research training and disseminates science-based information on diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases, nutritional disorders, and obesity; and kidney, urologic, and hematologic diseases, to improve people’s health and quality of life. More information about NIDDK’s mission and research priorities is available in the NIDDK Strategic Plan at https://www.niddk.nih.gov/about-niddk/strategic-plans-reports/niddk-strategic-plan-for-research.

NIEHS supports a variety of scientific disciplines, including basic, mechanistic, clinical, epidemiological, computational, engineering, and/or health risk communication approaches to advance the NIEHS Strategic Plan. Applications submitted to this NOFO must have a research focus on exposure-health related responses from environmental agents within the mission interest of the NIEHS (e.g., industrial chemicals or manufacturing byproducts, metals, pesticides, herbicides, air pollutants and other inhaled toxicants, particulates or fibers, fungal, and bacterial or biologically derived toxins). Agents that are considered within the primary mission responsibility of other NIH Institutes and Centers include, but are not limited to: alcohol; chemotherapeutic agents; radiation that is not a result of an ambient environmental exposure; smoking, except when considered as a secondary smoke exposure that is a component in the indoor environment (particularly in children); drugs of abuse; pharmaceuticals; dietary nutrients; and infectious or parasitic agents. Applications that focus entirely, or primarily, on these exposure factors will not be considered for support by NIEHS.

NINDS will support applications that address or seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system by supporting and conducting research on the healthy and diseased brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS also encourages activities focused on understanding and addressing disparities in neurologic health, healthcare, and health outcomes in disparate populations, including racial and ethnic minorities, the geographically disadvantaged, sex and gender minorities, and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent inequality and socioeconomic disadvantage. NINDS supports basic, translational, and clinical research: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Current-Research/Research-Funded-NINDS.

NINR supports research that builds the scientific foundation for nursing practice and policy across clinical and community settings, and advances the prevention, detection, and management of disease and disability. Drawing on nursing’s holistic perspective, NINR funds basic, clinical, population, and translational research that integrates factors at multiple levels to identify their role in health, health improvement and health inequities. NINR promotes research that improves the health of individuals, families, and populations in a variety of settings, translating science in order to maximize the impact of findings on practice and policy.

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

Section II. Award 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)

This funding opportunity announcement is open to all institutions of higher education that:

1) award undergraduate (B.S. or B.A.) and/or graduate degrees in biomedical sciences; and 

2) at the time of the application, have received no more than $6 million dollars per year (total costs) from NIH Research Project Grants (RPGs) in each of the preceding two fiscal years, calculated using NIH RePORTER; and

3) enroll at least 25% of undergraduate students supported by Pell grants based on the most recent two years of data available from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) database maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics,  or belong to one of the following categories:

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), (see 20 U.S.C. 1061(2))
• Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), (i.e., institutions described in section 5(e) of Executive Order 14049)

IPEDS reports the percentage of students supported by Pell grants in two ways: (1) the percentage of all undergraduates enrolled and (2) the percentage of full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. Institutions may use either option for determining their eligibility. No matter which category of IPEDS data is used, the institution’s Pell enrollment in that category must be at least 25% for the two most recent years of reported data.

The application must be submitted by an eligible organization with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a unique NIH eRA Institutional Profile File (IPF) number. For institutions with multiple campuses, eligibility can be considered for an individual campus (e.g., main, satellite, etc.) as the applicant organization only if a UEI and a unique NIH eRA IPF number are established for the individual campus. For institutions that use one UEI or NIH IPF number for multiple campuses, eligibility as the applicant organization is determined for the campuses together.

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.

Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. 

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 registrations; 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 as the Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) is invited to work with their organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including 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 How to Apply - Application Guide.

Since the SuRE-First award is structured to best support a single PD/PI, multiple PD(s)/PI(s) are not allowed. PDs/PIs with similar or complementary research interests may apply separately.

A PD/PI must have a full-time tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty appointment at the applicant institution and be eligible to apply for NIH research project grants. Postdoctoral fellows, part-time or adjunct faculty, and individuals on appointments contingent on securing their entire salary from grants are not eligible to apply.

Eligibility is limited to applicants who, at the time of submission, have not been or are not the PD/PI of any NIH SCORE grant or any peer-reviewed, externally funded federal or non-federal research award. NIH RPGs or other grants that name the SuRE-First applicant as a co-investigator, project leader, collaborator, consultant, or to a position other than PD/PI do not disqualify an applicant from applying for SuRE-First support. An applicant who is the PD/PI of a career development grant is eligible to apply, if allowable by the terms and conditions of the award.

The applicant must commit a minimum 6 person-months per year to conduct the proposed research. The SuRE-First award is not renewable. The SuRE-First award cannot be transferred from one institution to another. Transfer of the award to another PD/PI in the same institution is allowable under extremely unusual circumstances and requires prior NIH approval. A PD/PI may hold only one SuRE, SuRE-First, or SCORE award at any time. Concurrent or duplicate applications to the SuRE-First and SuRE awards are not allowed.

2. Cost Sharing

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

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

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

The 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).

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 instructions in the Research (R) Instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide except where instructed in this notice of funding opportunity to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the How to Apply - Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the How to Apply – Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

The following section supplements the instructions found in the How to Apply – Application Guide and should be used for preparing an application to this NOFO.

SF424(R&R) Cover

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Other Project Information

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

Other Attachments: The application must include five attachments titled A) "Institutional Letter – Strategic Plan for Building Research Capacity and Research Excellence”, B) "Institutional Letter – Support for the PD/PI’s Research Career Development", C) "PD/PI's Research Enhancement Plan", D) “Prior, Current and Pending Support” and E) “Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP)". Applications missing any of the five attachments will be considered incomplete and be withdrawn without review. 

A) Institutional Letter – Strategic Plan for Building Research Capacity and Research Excellence:

A letter from the Provost, the President, the Vice-President for Research or equivalent senior institutional official that describes the institution’s strategic plan for the development of research capacity and research excellence is required. The letter should address the institution’s vision and commitment to develop and sustain an environment that enables and rewards research and how this supports the educational mission of the institution.

B) Institutional Letter - Support for the PD/PI’s Research Career Development:

A letter from the Department Chair or Dean confirming that the time and effort requested by the applicant (a minimum of 6 person-months per year) for the proposed project will be provided. Additional institutional support to the PD/PI, including mentoring, should also be described.

C) PD/PI's Research Enhancement Plan:

The Plan must describe in detail the PD/PI's objectives for career enhancement and explain how SuRE-First support will allow the PD/PI to improve research productivity and establish an independent research program. The Plan should explain how the proposed project, the PD/PI's time devoted to it (i.e., 6 person-months per year), and the participation of the mentor(s) and any collaborators/consultants (if applicable) will help the PD/PI to gather preliminary data, increase research productivity, and compete for future research grants. The Plan should describe the mentor’s research qualifications and track record of mentoring experience, the mentor's role in the proposed project and the areas in which the mentor will assist with the PD/PI's scientific and career development. The Plan should include specific milestones and a detailed timeline for research progress, publications and grant submissions that will lead to research excellence.

D) Prior, Current and Pending Support:

The application must include the following information about the applicant’s prior, current and pending support for both research and non-research grants including: fellowship, career development, institutional support, and research grants and contracts for which the applicant made significant contributions but was not the PD/PI.

• Title
• Major Goals
• Status of Support
• Project Number
• Name of PD/PI
• Source of Support
• Primary Place of Performance
• Project/Proposal Start and End Date: (MM/YYYY) (if available)
• Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs)
• Person Months (Calendar/Academic/Summer) per budget period

E) Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) (1-page maximum): All applications must include a summary of strategies to advance the scientific and technical merit of the proposed project through expanded inclusivity. The PEDP should provide a holistic and integrated view of how enhancing diverse perspectives is viewed and supported throughout the application and can incorporate elements with relevance to any review criteria (significance, investigator(s), innovation, approach, and environment) as appropriate. Where possible, applicants should align their description with these required elements within the research strategy section. The PEDP will vary depending on the scientific aims, expertise required, the environment and performance site(s), as well as how the project aims are structured. The PEDP should include a timeline and milestones for relevant components that will be considered as part of the review. Examples of items that advance inclusivity in research and may be part of the PEDP can include, but are not limited to:

• Discussion of engagement with different types of institutions and organizations (e.g., research-intensive, undergraduate-focused, minority-serving, community-based).
• Description of any planned partnerships that may enhance geographic and regional diversity.
• Plan to enhance recruiting of women and individuals from groups historically underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce.
• Proposed monitoring activities to identify and measure PEDP progress benchmarks.
• Plan to utilize the project infrastructure (i.e., research and structure) to support career-enhancing research opportunities for diverse junior, early- and mid-career researchers.
• Description of any training and/or mentoring opportunities available to encourage participation of students, postdoctoral researchers and co-investigators from diverse backgrounds.
• Plan to develop transdisciplinary collaboration(s) that require unique expertise and/or solicit diverse perspectives to address research question(s).
• Publication plan that enumerates planned manuscripts and proposed lead authorship.
• Outreach and planned engagement activities to enhance recruitment of individuals from diverse groups as research participants including those from underrepresented backgrounds.

For further information on the PEDP, please see https://braininitiative.nih.gov/vision/plan-enhancing-diverse-perspectives/pedp-key-elements-and-examples?search-term=pedp.

This attachment should be titled “Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives".

Facilities & Other Resources: All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

It is expected that the research will be directed by the PD/PI and the majority of experiments will be conducted at the applicant institution. Limited use of special facilities or equipment at another institution is permitted but should be well-justified. For any proposed research facilities or equipment at a site(s) other than the applicant institution, provide a description of the resource(s) and describe the PD/PI’s access to these resources.

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

The mentor must be identified as senior/key personnel even if they are not committing any specified measurable effort to the proposed project. Enter “Other Professional” for the “Project Role” field and enter “Mentor” in the “Other Project Role Category” field.

Biographical Sketch: Biosketches for the PD/PI and the mentor are required. The Personal Statement of the PD/PI’s biosketch should include a summary of prior and current experience supervising students in research. Publications should indicate with an asterisk the names of any student authors who were directly supervised by the PD/PI.

R&R Budget

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

The Budget Justification must state that the PD/PI will devote at least 6 person-months effort per year (typically 4.5 person-months during the academic year and 1.5 person-months during the summer) to the SuRE-First research project.

PEDP implementation costs: Budget request may include allowable costs associated with PEDP implementation (as outlined in the Grants Policy Statement section 7).

R&R Subaward Budget

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Research Plan

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Research Strategy: The application should include a detailed strategy that describes experimental approach(es) and expected/alternative outcomes for the proposed studies. Preliminary data are not required; rather, the approach should be made compelling primarily by the logic of the arguments presented and reference to the published literature. The Research Strategy must include a separate section entitled "Student Involvement Plan" that describes how students will be involved and supervised in conducting hands-on, rigorous research, including their participation in the execution, analysis, and reporting of the research. 

Formal training plans (e.g., non-research activities, didactic training, seminars) should not be provided although programs available at the institution can be described in the Facilities and Other Resources section. 

Letters of Support: A signed letter from the mentor is required. The letter should include a detailed plan that describes the nature and frequency of interactions with the SuRE-First PD/PI and how progress toward specified milestones will be evaluated, especially the transition to other sources of research funding.

Resource Sharing Plan: Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

Other Plan(s): Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, the Data Management and Sharing Plan will be attached in the Other Plan(s) attachment in FORMS-H application forms packages.

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

• All applicants planning research (funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH) that results in the generation of scientific data are required to comply with the instructions for the Data Management and Sharing Plan. All applications, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested for any one year, must address a Data Management and Sharing Plan.

Appendix: Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the How to Apply - Application Guide.

• No publications or other material, with the exception of blank questionnaires or blank surveys, may be included in the Appendix.

PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

When involving human subjects research, clinical research, and/or NIH-defined clinical trials (and when applicable, clinical trials research experience) follow all instructions for the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form in the How to Apply - Application Guide, with the following additional instructions:

If you answered “Yes” to the question “Are Human Subjects Involved?” on the R&R Other Project Information form, you must include at least one human subjects study record using the Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form or Delayed Onset Study record.

Study Record: PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information

All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

Delayed Onset Study

Note: Delayed onset does NOT apply to a study that can be described but will not start immediately (i.e., delayed start). All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.

PHS Assignment Request Form

All instructions in the How to Apply - 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 the NIH 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 How to Apply – 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.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 7.9.1 Selected Items of Cost.

7. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the How to Apply - 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 field of 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. See Section III of this NOFO for information on registration requirements.

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 How to Apply - 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 and NIGMS. Applications that are incomplete and/or non-compliant will not be reviewed.

Applications must include the following information as Other Attachments on the SF424(R&R) Other Project Information form: 

• Institutional Letter – Strategic Plan for Building Research Capacity and Research Excellence
• Institutional Letter – Support for the PD/PI’s Research Career Development
• PD/PI's Research Enhancement Plan
• Prior, Current and Pending Support
• Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives . 

Applications that fail to include all of these attachments will be considered incomplete and will be withdrawn without review. 

Post Submission Materials

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

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

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.

For this particular announcement, note the following:

The SuRE-First Award provides support for meritorious research conducted by faculty investigators who have not been the PD/PI of any external research grants and who are at institutions with limited NIH Research Project Grant funding. Additional objectives are to provide students opportunities to participate in high-quality biomedical research and to strengthen the research capacity of these institutions.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to address an area of scientific importance while providing research opportunities to students, 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. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

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.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by NIGMS or NIAID, 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 submitted in response to this NOFO. 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
• Geographic, institutional, and scientific portfolio balance  

Upon receipt, applications that fall in the mission areas of all NIH ICs except NIAID will be assigned to NIGMS. All applications in the mission of NIAID, including AIDS and AIDS-related applications, will be assigned to NIAID.

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

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. 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

1. Award Notices

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.6. 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.

Institutional Review Board or Independent Ethics Committee Approval: Recipient institutions must ensure that protocols are reviewed by their IRB or IEC. To help ensure the safety of participants enrolled in NIH-funded studies, the recipient must provide NIH copies of documents related to all major changes in the status of ongoing protocols.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

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: Generaland 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:

• Federalwide 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 Laws and Regulations Enforced by 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 System for Award Management (SAM.gov) requirements. SAM.gov requires Federal agencies to review and consider information about an applicant in the designated integrity and performance system (currently SAM.gov) prior to making an award. An applicant can review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov. NIH will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov, 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.

Not Applicable

3. Data Management and Sharing

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.

4. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, recipients will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

The PD/PI is required to report information on students participating in the project in RPPR Section D. Participants, to identify publications co-authored by students and to report students’ educational and career outcomes (e.g., degree completion, subsequent employment or degrees sought).

Awardees will provide updates at least annually on implementation of the PEDP. 

A final RPPR, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report 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.

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 agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over the threshold.  See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

In accordance with the regulatory requirements provided at 2 CFR Part 200.113 and Appendix XII to 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 (Responsibility/Qualification in SAM.gov, formerly 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 stewardship of grant programs, NIGMS will periodically evaluate the SuRE program, employing the representative measures identified below, among others. In assessing the effectiveness of research capacity building investments, NIGMS may use information from progress reports and public databases, PD/PIs, and from participants themselves. Where necessary, PD/PIs and participants may be appropriately contacted after the completion of the grant period for updates on participants’ subsequent outcomes. Outcomes measures that will be used for program evaluation will include, but not be limited to:

• Number of R16 PDs/PIs who secure subsequent R16 SuRE, NIH or other external research funding
• Number of publications
• Number of students engaged in R16-funded research
• Publications co-authored by students
• Students’ educational and career outcomes (e.g., degree completion, subsequent employment or degrees sought)
• Breadth of institutions supported through SuRE grants

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 submission by the due date, 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 instructions, 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]

Brett Miller, PhD
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Email: [email protected]

Pauline Cupit, Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Email: [email protected]

Cheri Wiggs 
National Eye Institue (NEI)
E-mail: [email protected]

Toccara Chamberlain
NIEHS - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
Phone: none
E-mail: [email protected]

Aria Crump
NIDA - NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Phone: 301-443-6504
E-mail: [email protected]

David Joseph Gutekunst
NIBIB - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AND BIOENGINEERING
Phone: (301) 402-5069
E-mail: [email protected]

Sylvia E. Long, PhD, CPH
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Telephone: 240-276-6136
Email: [email protected];

Laritza M. Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-5969
Email: [email protected]

Cheri Wiggs
NEI - NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
Phone: (301) 402-0276
E-mail: [email protected]

Lauren Ullrich, PhD
National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Phone: 301-451-7964
Email: [email protected]

Li Lin, Ph.D.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Phone: 301-827-7749
E-mail: [email protected]

Qi-Ying Liu, M.D.
National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Phone: 301-443-2678
E-mail: [email protected]

Alberto L Riverarentas
NIDCD - NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
Phone: 301-496-1804
E-mail: [email protected]

Diane Adger-Johnson, MPH
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Telephone: 301-594-5945
Email: [email protected]

Katrina Jane Serrano, Ph.D.
NIDDK - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES
Phone: 301.480.7855
E-mail: [email protected]

Lisa Chadwick
NHGRI - NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Phone: 301-435-7275
E-mail: [email protected]

René Etcheberrigaray
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-451-9798
Email: [email protected]

Lillian Shum, PhD
NIDCR - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL & CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
Phone: (301) 594-0618
Email: [email protected]

Leonie Misquitta, PhD
NLM - National Library of Medicine
Phone: 301-827-3511
Email: [email protected]

Mary Garcia Cazarin, PhD
NIAMS - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES
Phone: (301) 402-2446
E-mail: [email protected]

Brittany Haynes, Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-496-2767
Email: [email protected]

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Email: [email protected]

Margaret Young
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Telephone: 301-642-4552
Email: [email protected]

Arina Kramer
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Email: [email protected]

Karen Robinson Smith
National Eye Institute (NEI) 
Phone: 301-435-8178
E-mail: [email protected]

Jenny L Greer
NIEHS - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
Phone: 984.287.3332
E-mail: [email protected]

Pamela G Fleming
NIDA - NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
Phone: 301-480-1159
E-mail: [email protected]

James E Huff
National Institute Of Biomedical Imaging And Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Phone: (301) 451-4786
Email: [email protected]

Randi Freundlich
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
Telephone: 301-594-5974
Email: [email protected]

Crystal Wolfrey
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Telephone: 240-276-6277
Email: [email protected]

Karen Robinson Smith
NEI - NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
Phone: 301-435-8178
E-mail: [email protected]

Chief Grants Management Officer
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email:[email protected]

Judy Fox
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-443-4704
Email: [email protected]

Andrea Culhane
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
Phone: 301-402-0069
E-mail: [email protected]

Ann W. Devine
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Phone: (240) 669-2988
Email: [email protected]

Tommy Gunter
NIDDK - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES
Phone: 301-451-3447
E-mail: [email protected]

Deanna L Ingersoll
NHGRI - NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Phone: 301-435-7858
E-mail: [email protected]

E. C. Melvin
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Phone: (301) 594-3912
E-mail: [email protected]

Gabriel Hidalgo, MBA
NIDCR - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL & CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH
Phone: 301-827-4630
E-mail: [email protected]

Samantha Tempchin
National Library of Medicine
Phone: 301-496-4222
>Email: [email protected]

Erik Edgerton
NIAMS - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES
Phone: 301-594-7760
E-mail: [email protected]

Tamara Kees
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH))
Telephone: 301-443-8811
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 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 2 CFR Part 200.