NEUROSCIENCE SCHOLARS PROGRAM
RELEASE DATE: July 19, 2002
RFA: NS-03-002 (Reissued as PAR-07-456)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
(http://www.ninds.nih.gov/)
LETTER OF INTENT RECEIPT DATE: October 21, 2002
APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE: November 21, 2002
THIS RFA CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION
o Purpose of this RFA
o Research Objectives
o Mechanism(s) of Support
o Funds Available
o Eligible Institutions
o Individuals Eligible to Become Principal Investigators
o Where to Send Inquiries
o Letter of Intent
o Submitting an Application
o Peer Review Process
o Review Criteria
o Receipt and Review Schedule
o Award Criteria
o Required Federal Citations
PURPOSE OF THIS RFA
Data from a survey from the Association of Neuroscience Departments and
Programs (2000) indicate that only 8% of tenure-track faculty are from
racial/ethnic minority populations. The NIH "Program of Action to
Address Health Disparities" recognizes that success in building an
effective biomedical research infrastructure, and our ability to
deliver research benefits to at-risk populations requires a commitment
to training and supporting scientists from diverse racial/ethnic
backgrounds.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
invites applications for Education Projects for Minority Neuroscience
Scholars Programs. The purpose of these Education Projects is to
enable the grantee organization to provide research and related
experiences for undergraduate, graduate and medical students,
postdoctoral fellows and other junior scientists from minority groups
to broaden their skills and enhance their career development
opportunities. Funding support for Neuroscience Scholars Programs
should lead to increased recruitment, mentoring, training and retention
of minorities in the scientific and technology workforce.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
This initiative seeks to support innovative education programs that
provide minority neuroscientists within scientific and/or professional
societies and organizations with enhanced research and training
activities to strengthen their career potential. Such programs may
include, but are not limited to:
o Travel awards to permit attendance at relevant national meetings
(e.g., Gordon conferences, FASEB meetings) and important seminars in
their research area,
o Travel awards for scholars to participate in brief research training
and career development opportunities in the extramural neuroscience
community,
o Tuition and travel awards to summer workshops such as Cold Spring
Harbor, Woods Hole, etc.
o Development/enhancement of opportunities for students and young
scientists to establish mentor relationships with prominent
neuroscience investigators,
o Visiting tours for graduate students from minority institutions to
meet faculty at various institutions,
o Leadership workshops,
o Scientific retreats organized by and for students,
o Rotations with journal publishers to gain insight into scientific
publication processes at the editorial/review level
The NIH realizes that quality mentorship is critical to the recruitment
and retention of minority scientists. Therefore, this initiative
welcomes programs aimed at improving the caliber of mentorship. For
example,
o Workshops to train mentors (e.g. summer training course or a workshop
accompanying a scientific meeting in which case-based scenarios may be
used to educate mentors on various relevant ethical, professional and
cultural issues facing students today).
o Cultural sensitivity training
o Development of web-based mentoring tools
In addition, applicants are encouraged to develop electronic
communication networks to allow participants to communicate easily with
each other and with relevant program staff at the NINDS. As a
component of the overall program, electronic networks also may be used
to provide information about NINDS programs of interest to the
participants, to identify research funding and training opportunities
for them, and to facilitate recruitment of scholars for educational and
employment positions.
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
This RFA will use the NIH Education Project (R25) funding mechanism.
The R25 mechanism is intended to develop and/or implement programs as
they relate to one or more of the areas of education, information,
training, technical assistance, coordination, or evaluation.
As an applicant you will be solely responsible for planning, directing,
and executing the proposed project. This RFA is a one-time
solicitation. The earliest anticipated award date is July 1, 2003.
The NINDS may re-issue this RFA in the future if there is continued
need to develop such educational programs.
FUNDS AVAILABLE
The NINDS intends to commit approximately $1.4M in FY 2003 to fund
approximately 5 new and/or competitive continuation grants in response
to this RFA. An applicant may request a project period of up to 5 years
and direct costs of up to $250,000 per year. Because the nature and
scope of the proposed educational activities will vary from application
to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each
award will also vary. Awards pursuant to this RFA are contingent upon
the availability of funds and the receipt of a sufficient number of
meritorious applications.
ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS
You may submit (an) application(s) if your institution has any of the following
characteristics:
o For-profit or non-profit organizations
o Scientific and/or Professional organizations that focus on basic, clinical or
translational science
o Domestic
The advisory board of the society or organization should identify a member to
serve as Principal Investigator and work with them to develop an application
for support. The advisory board is also charged with oversight responsibilities
during the award period.
INDIVIDUALS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to
carry out the proposed educational activity is invited to work with an
eligible organization to develop an application. The proposed
Principal Investigator must hold a basic or health professional degree
(e.g., Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent), and have clearly demonstrated
training/mentoring credentials. Individuals from underrepresented
racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are
encouraged to apply for NIH programs.
WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES
We encourage inquiries concerning this RFA and welcome the opportunity
to answer questions from potential applicants. Inquiries may fall into
three areas: scientific/programmatic, peer review, and financial or
grants management issues:
o Direct your questions about scientific/programmatic issues to:
Gayathri Jeyarasasingam, Ph.D.
Program Director
Office of Minority Health and Research
OD/NINDS/NIH
Neuroscience Center, Suite 2149
Bethesda, MD 20892-9535
Telephone: (301) 496-3102
Email: gaya@nih.gov
o Direct your questions about peer review issues to:
Chief, Scientific Review Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Boulevard, Suite 3208
Bethesda, MD 20892-9529
Rockville, MD 20852 (For Express/Courier Service)
Telephone: (301) 496-9223
Fax: (301) 402-0182
o Direct your questions about financial or grants management matters
to:
Ms. Dianna Jessee
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
The Neuroscience Center, Suite 3290
6001 Executive Boulevard
Bethesda, MD 20892-9537
Telephone: (301) 496-9231
Fax: (301) 402-0219
Email: jesseed@ninds.nih.gov
LETTER OF INTENT
Prospective applicants are requested to submit a letter of intent that
includes the following information:
o Descriptive title of the proposed education project
o Name, address, and telephone number of the Principal Investigator
o Names of other key personnel
o Number and title of this RFA
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 IC staff to plan for a technical assistance
workshop, estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed at the beginning
of this document, and should be sent to:
Gayathri Jeyarasasingam, Ph.D.
Program Director
Office of Minority Health and Research
OD/NINDS/NIH
Neuroscience Center, Suite 2149
Bethesda, MD 20892-9535
Telephone: (301) 496-3102
Email: gaya@nih.gov
SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION
Applications must be prepared using the PHS 398 research grant
application instructions and forms (rev. 5/2001). The PHS 398 is
available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in
an interactive format. For further assistance contact GrantsInfo,
Telephone (301) 710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
It is strongly recommended that prospective applicants contact the
NINDS staff person listed under INQUIRIES early in the planning phase
of application preparation to discuss areas of interest and award
provisions. Such contact will help ensure that applications are
responsive to the aims expressed in this announcement.
The instructions below illustrate how the sections of the application
should be completed for those parts of the research plan that differ in
content from a traditional research grant application.
Current Programs (Replaces Preliminary Studies) -
o Describe any enrichment activities already initiated at the
organization relevant to promoting diversity in the neuroscience
research workforce.
o Describe any evaluation of the success of current programs in meeting
the specified goals.
Education Program Design (Replaces Research Design and Methods) -
o Describe the overall goals and objectives of the program and the
number of participants to be supported.
o Provide programmatic detail on the specific activities proposed to
assist participants in developing their research careers. Applicants
should justify their choice of activities by showing how they will
assist in the career development of selected scholars.
o Describe the relationship and responsibilities of the program to the
overall mission of the sponsoring organization.
o Provide evidence that the Principal Investigator is actively engaged
in research, can organize and administer the enrichment program by
describing the qualifications, capabilities and experiences of the
Principal Investigator.
o Elucidate the role of the Advisory committee to the Principal
Investigator in selecting and supervising scholars, and in evaluating
the enrichment program.
o Provide information on the potential participant pool including GPAs,
GRE scores, scientific research areas and ethnic composition, include a
description of plans for recruiting as participants individuals from
underrepresented racial/ethnic groups.
o Provide the selection criteria for participants in the program.
o Describe selection process (e.g., who will be on the selection
committee, their experience evaluating such applications)
o Describe the overall performance evaluation plan, including baseline
data and milestones for accomplishments as well as plans for tracking
and monitoring participants" progress. Describe the specific short-
term and long-term outcome measures to be evaluated such as increasing
the number of students participating in the program, increasing the
number of scientific presentations made by trainees, increasing
publishing rate, increasing the number of applications and awards from
NIH and other agencies, evaluating success in the next career stage,
etc.
USING THE RFA LABEL: The RFA label available in the PHS 398 (rev.
5/2001) application form must be affixed to the bottom of the face page
of the application. Type the RFA number on the label. Failure to use
this label could result in delayed processing of the application such
that it may not reach the review committee in time for review. In
addition, the RFA title and number must be typed on line 2 of the face
page of the application form and the YES box must be marked. The RFA
label is also available at:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/label-bk.pdf.
SENDING AN APPLICATION TO THE NIH: Submit a signed, typewritten
original of the application, including the Checklist, and three signed,
photocopies, in one package to:
Center For Scientific Review
National Institutes Of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040, MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710
Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service)
At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application
must be sent to:
Gayathri Jeyarasasingam, Ph.D.
Program Director
Office of Minority Health and Research
OD/NINDS/NIH
Neuroscience Center, Suite 2149
Bethesda, MD 20892-9535
Telephone: (301) 496-3102
Email: gaya@nih.gov
APPLICATION PROCESSING: Applications must be received by the
application receipt date listed in the heading of this RFA. If an
application is received after that date, it will be returned to the
applicant without review.
The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) will not accept any application
in response to this RFA that is essentially the same as one currently
pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending
application. The CSR will not accept any application that is
essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude
the submission of substantial revisions of applications already
reviewed, but such applications must include an Introduction addressing
the previous critique.
PEER REVIEW PROCESS
Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the CSR
and responsiveness by the NINDS. Incomplete and/or non-responsive
applications will be returned to the applicant without further
consideration.
Applications that are complete and responsive to the RFA will be
evaluated for technical merit by an appropriate peer review group
convened by the NINDS in accordance with the review criteria stated
below. As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
o Receive a written critique
o Undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the
highest merit, generally the top half of the applications under review,
will be discussed and assigned a priority score
o Receive a second level review by the NINDS National Advisory Council
or Board.
REVIEW CRITERIA
The goal of these Education Projects is to provide research and related
experiences for minority students, fellows and other junior scientists
to broaden their skills and enhance their career development
opportunities. In the written comments, reviewers will be asked to
discuss the following aspects of your application in order to judge the
likelihood that the proposed program will have a substantial impact on
the pursuit of these goals:
o Will the proposed education program provide the opportunities
necessary to strengthen the career development opportunities of
minority scientists? What effect will the enrichment program have on
the research skills and competence of scholars engaged in research?
o Is the proposed specialized curriculum appropriate and adequate to
augment the education goals outlined?
o Is the Principal Investigator appropriately trained and well suited
to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the
experience level of the Principal Investigator, the mentors, and the
members of the Advisory Committee? Is the role of the Advisory
Committee clearly defined?
o Does the scientific/education environment in which the work will be
done contribute to the probability of success? Is there evidence of
institutional support? What is the relationship of the program to the
overall mission of the sponsoring organization?
o Are the requirements and timetable for completing the planned
activities, the plan for program advertisement, the size and caliber of
the applicant pool, the mentoring capability and quality of research
programs at mentor institutions, the selection criteria for trainees,
meetings and workshops, the mechanisms for getting feedback from
students, etc. clearly described and appropriate for ensuring that the
program meets its goals?
o Is there an adequate plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the
program in achieving its objectives and tracking the future course of
program participants?
The scientific review group will address and consider each of these
criteria in assigning your application"s overall score, weighting them
as appropriate for each application. Your application does not need to
be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have a major impact
and thus deserve a high priority score.
ADDITIONAL REVIEW CRITERIA: In addition to the above criteria, the
application will also be reviewed with respect to the following:
BUDGET: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the requested
period of support in relation to the proposed education project.
RECEIPT AND REVIEW SCHEDULE
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: October 21, 2002
Application Receipt Date: November 21, 2002
Peer Review Date: February/March 2003
Council Review: May 2003
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2003
AWARD CRITERIA
Award criteria that will be used to make award decisions include:
o Merit (as determined by peer review)
o Availability of funds
o Programmatic priorities.
REQUIRED FEDERAL CITATIONS
PUBLIC ACCESS TO RESEARCH DATA THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT:
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been
revised to provide public access to research data through the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) under some circumstances. Data that are (1)
first produced in a project that is supported in whole or in part with
Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and officially by a Federal agency
in support of an action that has the force and effect of law (i.e., a
regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for
applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has
provided guidance at
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this PA in a public
archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the
distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application
should include a description of the archiving plan in the study design
and include information about this in the budget justification section
of the application. In addition, applicants should think about how to
structure informed consent statements and other human subjects
procedures given the potential for wider use of data collected under
this award.
URLs IN NIH GRANT APPLICATIONS OR APPENDICES: All applications and
proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page
limitations. Unless otherwise specified in an NIH solicitation, Internet
addresses (URLs) should not be used to provide information necessary to
the review because reviewers are under no obligation to view the
Internet sites. Furthermore, we caution reviewers that their anonymity
may be compromised when they directly access an Internet site.
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2010: The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to
achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of
"Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority
areas. This RFA is related to one or more of the priority areas.
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at
http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS: This program is described in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.853, and is not subject to the
intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or
Health Systems Agency review. Awards are made under authorization of
Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42
USC 241 and 284) and administered under NIH grants policies described
at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/policy.htm and under Federal
Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.
The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-
free workplace and discourage the use of all tobacco products. In
addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits
smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a
facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care,
health care, or early childhood development services are provided to
children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and
advance the physical and mental health of the American people.