Part 1. Overview Information

Key Dates

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 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 NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research educational activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH Institutes and Centers. 

The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research.

Need for the Program

Research shows that diverse teams working together and capitalizing on innovative ideas and distinct perspectives outperform homogeneous teams. Scientists and trainees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity, and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems. There are many benefits that flow from a diverse NIH-supported scientific workforce, including: fostering scientific innovation; enhancing global competitiveness; contributing to robust learning environments; improving the quality of the researchers; advancing the likelihood that under-served or health disparity populations participate in, and benefit from, health research; and enhancing public trust. 
NIH's ability to help ensure that the nation remains a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation is dependent upon a pool of highly talented scientists from diverse backgrounds who will help to further NIH's mission. Promoting diversity in the extramural scientific workforce is critical to the success of the NIH mission and is consistent with the mandates of the 21st Century Cures Act. However, despite advancements in scientific research, some populations have not had access to cutting-edge research and scientific skill preparation, and do not participate fully in the biomedical sciences research workforce. These underrepresented groups include but are not limited to individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. For further information, see NOT-OD-20-031.

In addition, individuals currently underrepresented in neuroscience research on a national basis (for example see surveys conducted by the Society for Neuroscience)  include  individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and   individuals with disabilities (see also http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/). Evidence from several reports demonstrates that an intervention designed to facilitate successful transitions along the pathway from undergraduate to graduate school would benefit the research community (Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads, From College to Careers: Fostering Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in STEM, 2014, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine 2011 and Advancing the Nation’s Health Needs: NIH Research Training Programs).

NIH encourages institutions to recruit a diverse pool of undergraduates, including those from underrepresented groups, for potential participation in this program, which aims to help prepare undergraduates to successfully enter and complete Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences and become available to participate in NIH-supported neuroscience research. 

Programmatic Approach
The overarching objective of this funding opportunity is to prepare individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce, to pursue further studies or careers in neuroscience research. To achieve this goal, the initiative will support two-year neuroscience research education experiences comprised of year-round authentic neuroscience research projects, research and career development, and establishment of professional networks, implemented through collaborative partnerships integrated across different educational institution types. Proposed program interventions in response to this NOFO should focus on asset models and leadership opportunities, rather than solely deficit models and remediation (recommendations from 2022 NINDS Transforming Mentorship, 2019 NINDS Pathways for Institutional Change Regarding Diversity and Inclusion, and 2017 NINDS Admission Strategies to Increase Diverse Neuroscience Trainees Workshops).

Participating components of the collaborative research education partnerships must include:

• One or more institutions that either: 1) have a historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research as defined by the National Science Foundation (NSF), see http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/) (i.e., African Americans or Blacks, Hispanic or Latino Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, U.S. Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities) or 2) have a documented track record of recruiting, training and/or educating, and graduating underrepresented students as defined by NSF (see above), which has resulted in a  historically documented contribution by the institution to the national pool of graduates from underrepresented backgrounds who pursue biomedical research careers;
• A research-intensive institution, defined as having an existing neuroscience or neuroscience-related program and a significant number of potential mentors with NIH R01 or equivalent extramural research support;
• Formal alliances with one or more institutions with neuroscience-focused graduate research training programs that can provide summer research experiences for participating ENDURE students. Such institutions should hold NIH T32 research training grants, including T32 programs supported by the NIH Jointly Sponsored Institutional Predoctoral Training Programs in the Neurosciences (https://researchtraining.nih.gov/JSPTPN) or other competitively funded Ph.D. degree granting programs. Additional relevant neuroscience programs can be found by using the NIH RePORTER tool (https://reporter.nih.gov/). These alliances are expected to actively facilitate early communication and interaction among participating students and NIH neuroscience predoctoral program training directors. This establishment of neuroscience related “networks” is intended to actively facilitate participant's transition from the undergraduate to the graduate school level.

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this NOFO will support creative educational activities with a primary focus on three areas:

• Research Experiences: The two-year program must include part-time authentic neuroscience research experiences in extramurally-funded laboratories during the academic year at the home institution or one of the partnering institutions.There must also be full-time summer neuroscience research experiences in laboratories that are part of a neuroscience-focused graduate research training program, such as an NIH Institutional Research Training predoctoral program (T32), and which may be located on or off-site of the partnering institutions. The academic year and summer research    experiences across applicant institutions must be carefully monitored. Regularly-scheduled internal review and assessment should be made regarding the progressive scientific skill sets being developed through the research education experiences, the type of mentoring and supervision students are receiving, and the monitoring and evaluation plans for both the students and research mentors. Specific measurable research education   objectives are to be determined by the applicant institutions. Examples of measurable objectives include: number of students matriculating through the research education programs and admitted to graduate programs in the neurosciences; improvement in students’ quantitative skills and academic achievement; and improvement in scientific writing and presentation skills.
• Mentoring Activities: Programs must provide students with outstanding mentoring and education in other critical skills such as leadership, grant and manuscript writing, and time management (Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM). There should be dedicated efforts at providing not only technical expertise, but advice, insight, and professional career skills to students in the program.

NIH realizes that quality mentorship is critical to the recruitment and retention of scientists, including those from underrepresented backgrounds, and encourages program activities to improve the caliber of mentorship. As recommended in the 2018 NASEM report on graduate education, "modules for faculty to learn how to advise and mentor students from different backgrounds and to raise awareness and accountability about their role in changing the training and mentoring environment" should be a component of a well-designed program. For example, case-based scenarios may be used to educate mentors on various relevant ethical, professional and cultural issues facing students today, effective communication and mentoring compacts, and effective tools for mentors to address cultural awareness.The National Research Mentoring Network provides Mentor Training for Mentoring Undergraduate Students.

• Courses for Skills Development: Courses should be integrated across the partnering institutions and uniquely designed to increase undergraduate students’ interest in and preparation to enter Ph.D. degree programs in the neurosciences. Depending on the strength of the applicant institution, it is expected that academic and curriculum enhancement activities may vary in how they are formalized and integrated; various strategies, rooted in education research, may be utilized. These approaches may include, but are not limited to: core neuroscience coursework tailored to students’ backgrounds and needs; development of interdisciplinary or advanced courses with focus on inquiry-based learning or critical thinking and development of experimental rigor and quantitative skills to address neuroscience problems (as recommended in Developing a 21st Century Neuroscience Workforce); curriculum for specialized research techniques; collaborative learning experiences and group activities to convey the excitement and relevance of neuroscience to students; advisement regarding the number, level, and sequence of math and science courses that students should take to be competitive for graduate school programs in the neurosciences; seminars emphasizing scientific reading comprehension, writing, and oral presentation skills; and research career seminars to help prepare students for the transition from undergraduate to graduate school.

The proposed program needs to align with the neuroscience mission of the NIH Blueprint and/or BRAIN Initiative research areas and cannot have a general STEM focus. The NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative will not support projects, regardless of the results of merit review, if they do not fulfill current programmatic priorities.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is a collaborative and coordinated effort across 14 institutes and centers that support research, research education, and research training with the goal of accelerating the pace of discovery in neuroscience research. By pooling resources and expertise, the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research can take advantage of economies of scale, confront challenges too large for any specific institute or center, and develop research tools and infrastructure that will serve the entire neuroscience community.

The NIH Blueprint seeks to provide educational opportunities and authentic neuroscience research experiences during the undergraduate stage to a diverse pool of individuals, including those from underrepresented groups, at varied institutions and educational settings across the country. By doing this, the NIH Blueprint strives to ensure that the future generation of neuroscience researchers draws from the entire pool of talented individuals, bringing different aptitudes, perspectives, creativity, and experiences to address complex scientific problems.

The NIH BRAIN Initiative is aimed at revolutionizing our understanding of the human brain. By accelerating the development and application of innovative technologies, researchers will be able to produce a new dynamic picture of the brain that, for the first time, will show how individual cells and complex neural circuits interact in both time and space. It is expected that the application of these new tools and technologies will ultimately lead to new ways to treat and prevent brain disorders.

Education to Advance the BRAIN Initiative

• According to the long-term scientific plan of the BRAIN Initiative, "training mechanisms will be required to successfully deploy the tools, technologies, and methods developed under the BRAIN Initiative to the neuroscience community?"  (BRAIN 2025, p. 48). Thus, targeted research education programs can be invaluable to assuring wide dissemination of the skills and knowledge associated with developing and using tools and methods relevant to the research goals of the BRAIN Initiative.
• A major goal of the BRAIN Initiative is to attract new investigators to neuroscience from quantitative disciplines such as computer science, mathematics, physics, statistics, materials science, and engineering. Not only do educational short courses provide an effective approach to bring the scientific community up to a high level of understanding and productivity in a short period of time, but they also provide an excellent opportunity for cross-training of participants and facilitating potential collaborations among individuals from diverse scientific backgrounds. As such, plans to recruit participants with a broad array of   scientific backgrounds to the proposed short courses are strongly encouraged.
• The BRAIN Initiative seeks to promote diversity in all supported programs and to enhance the participation of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups, in BRAIN Initiative-funded awards.  

Funded programs are expected to promote inclusive research environments (i.e., institutional and departmental environments where researchers from all backgrounds are and feel integrated into and supported by the biomedical research community). Research education programs may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, but the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those training and education programs currently receiving Federal support. R25 programs may augment institutional research training programs (e.g., T32, T90) but cannot be used to replace or circumvent Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) programs.

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)

For-Profit Organizations

• Small Businesses
• For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)

Governments

• Local Governments
• State Governments
• County Governments
• City or Township Governments
• Special District Governments
• Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
• Indian/Native American Tribal
• Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)

Federal Governments

• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Independent School Districts
• Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
• Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
• Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
• Regional Organizations

Participating components of the collaborative research education partnerships should include:

• One or more institutions that either: 1) have a historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research as defined by the National Science Foundation (NSF), see http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/) (i.e., African Americans or Blacks, Hispanic or Latino Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, U.S. Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities) or 2) have a documented track record of recruiting, training and/or educating, and graduating underrepresented students as defined by NSF (see above), which has resulted in a historically documented contribution by the institution to the national pool of graduates from underrepresented backgrounds who pursue biomedical research careers;
• A research-intensive institution, defined as having an existing neuroscience or neuroscience-related program and a significant number of potential mentors with NIH R01 or equivalent extramural research support;
• Formal alliances with one or more institutions with neuroscience-focused graduate research training programs that can provide summer research training experiences for participating ENDURE students. Such institutions may hold NIH T32 research training grants, including T32 programs supported by the NIH Jointly Sponsored Institutional Predoctoral Training Programs in the Neurosciences (https://researchtraining.nih.gov/JSPTPN) or other competitively funded Ph.D. degree granting programs. Additional relevant neuroscience programs can be found by using the NIH RePORTER tool (https://reporter.nih.gov/ . These alliances are expected to actively facilitate early communication and interaction among participating students and NIH neuroscience predoctoral program training directors.

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.

Institutions with existing Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) institutional training grants (e.g., T32) or other Federally funded training programs may apply for a research education grant provided that the proposed educational experiences are distinct from those training programs receiving federal support. In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed research education program will complement ongoing research training occurring at the applicant institution.

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.

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 SF424 (R&R) 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. The NIH Grants Policy Statement Section 2.3.9.2 Electronically Submitted Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

• 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 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 SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

This NOFO encourages multiple PD(s)/PI(s), particularly when each brings an Institutional type perspective and skill set that will enhance the research education program. The PD(s)/PI(s) must be able to provide both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program. At least one of the PD(s)/PI(s) should be an investigator with an active research program in the biomedical sciences (e.g., as demonstrated by recent publications and current research support). Additional PD(s)/PI(s), including individuals with experience in the science of education, relevant social science disciplines, program evaluation, mentoring, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives , or university administration may be included to achieve the program goals.  Early stage investigators are eligible to serve as PD/PIs, as long as doing so will not detract from their research program and career advancement. Any of the PD(s)/PI(s) may serve as the contact PD/PI. The contact PD/PI is expected to have a full-time appointment at the applicant institution unless extremely well-justified. If the full-time status of the contact PD/PI changes after the award, the institution must obtain prior program approval to appoint a new PD/PI or request a deviation from the full-time rule. The PD(s)/PI(s) will be responsible for the selection and appointment of participants to the approved research education program, and for the overall direction, management, administration, and evaluation of the program. The PD(s)/PI(s) will be expected to monitor and assess the program and submit all documents and reports as required. The PD(s)/PI(s) have responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the program and are responsible for appointing members of the Advisory Committee (when applicable) and 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.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a Unique Entity Identifier or NIH IPF number) is allowed.

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).

Program Faculty

The selected faculty should be trained researchers in the biomedical sciences as demonstrated by recent publications and research support. When building a team of mentors, programs should include faculty who are committed to training, mentoring, fostering diversity, and providing supportive and inclusive research environments. Programs are encouraged to build a   diverse team of preceptors/mentors that includes, for example,   faculty at different career stages (i.e., early stage as well as senior faculty). Where feasible, the recruitment of women, individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and individuals with disabilities as potential mentors is encouraged, given their ability to serve as role models. Faculty should come from a wide variety of neuroscience areas relevant to the NIH Blueprint and NIH BRAIN Initiative missions. Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the mentee's participation in this award.

Participants

The applicant institution will select the ENDURE participants who will receive salary support. It is the responsibility of the institution to establish the qualifications of the participants before they are supported by the program. Applications must describe the intended participants, and the eligibility and/or specific educational background characteristics that are essential for participation in the proposed research education program. It is the responsibility of the institutions to establish the selection criteria for the students before they are allowed to participate in the program, and to establish selection criteria that will ensure an applicant pool with high research interest and motivated  and engaged potential to enter graduate school. Selection of program-supported participants is expected to take into consideration whether the participation would help achieve the overall goals/objectives of the NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative ENDURE Program, consistent with applicable law.  NIH encourages institutions to recruit prospective participants  from groups identified as underrepresented in the biomedical sciences (e.g., see the Notice of NIH's of Interest in Diversity).  undergraduate students from engineering, mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, nursing and other relevant science programs who have an interest in the neurosciences should be encouraged to participate in the program.

To receive salary/wages from this initiative, individuals must be (a) U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents, and (b) must be full-time matriculated and be sophomores, juniors  or seniors in a baccalaureate degree program at one of the partnering institutions.

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 Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions will not be reviewed.

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 IC 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:

Michelle D. Jones-London, Ph.D.
Chief, Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH
Telephone: 301-451-7966
Email: jonesmiche@ninds.nih.gov

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

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.

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

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

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

Facilities & Other Resources. Describe the educational environment, including the facilities, laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any other resources to be used in the development and implementation of the proposed program. List all thematically related sources of support for research training and education following the format for Current and Pending Support. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program.

Other Attachments.

Advisory Committee: Provide a plan for the appointment of an Advisory Committee to monitor progress of the research education program. The composition, roles, responsibilities, and desired expertise of committee members, frequency of committee meetings, and other relevant information should be included. Describe how the Advisory Committee will evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. The following are some typical functions of an advisory committee: advise and assist in the development, standardization, and implementation of integrated program procedures and practices; assist in establishing criteria and procedures for the admittance/retention of students and faculty mentors across the partnering institutions; monitor progress of program activities and student participants; help expand the present effort by identifying internal and external funding sources; monitor compliance with NIH policies and regulations; and assist in addressing faculty and student grievances related the BP BRAIN-ENDURE program. Proposed Advisory Committee members should be named in the application if they have been invited to participate at the time the application is submitted. Renewal applications with Advisory Committees should include the names of all committee members during the past project period. Please name your file “Advisory_Committee.pdf”.

Institutional Information: The application must include a single attachment titled "Institutional Information" that provides a description and evidence of the institution's explicit accomplishments in the education of students from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research.

For institutions whose historical mission explicitly states that it was founded to educate students from nationally underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical research (i.e., underrepresented racial and ethnic groups [African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, U.S. Pacific Islanders], and individuals with disabilities and/or students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds, as defined in NOT-OD-20-031, provide the institution's original mission statement and any other information that justified the institution's creation and describes its main functions and services provided.

For institutions whose mission statement does not explicitly state that they were founded to educate any of the underrepresented groups mentioned above but have a demonstrable historical track record of recruiting, retaining, training, and graduating underrepresented students, the institution must provide information and current figures compared to baseline data from ten years ago that show how the institution's historical track record of training and graduating underrepresented students in biomedical and behavioral-related sciences has improved or maintained a high level of success over the past decade and how much it has contributed to an increase in the national pool of undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds who have pursued or are pursuing biomedical research careers.

Program Faculty Biosketches: Biosketches of Program Faculty must be included. The personal statement should describe a commitment to scientific rigor, training, mentoring, as well as promoting diverse, inclusive, safe, and supportive scientific environments. Please upload all of the biosketches as a single pdf and name your file “Program Faculty Biosketches.pdf”. 

Applications lacking a "Program Faculty Biosketches" attachment 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.

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

Biographical Sketch: The personal statement should describe a commitment to diversity, scientific rigor, training, mentoring, as well as to promoting inclusive, safe, and supportive scientific environments. 

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

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

• Use the section on Participant/Trainee Support Costs to include all allowable categories of funds requested to support participants in the program.
• BP BRAIN-ENDURE applications must present an integrated set of development activities and therefore a single consolidated budget is required.
• Each item in the budget must be clearly justified. BP BRAIN-ENDURE grant awards include some restrictions as to how the funds may be used.

The following account summarizes some of the non-allowable costs under the BP BRAIN-ENDURE Program:

• Undergraduate student tuition, housing, or food, during the academic year.
• Foreign travel and recruitment expenses.
• Support for students not matriculated at one of the partnering institutions.
• Costs for textbooks, incentives (including laptop computers), memberships, or subscriptions to Internet services or journals.
• Support for faculty research or purchase of research equipment.
• A summer “stand-alone” program for students not matriculated as full-time students at one of the applicant institutions

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

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

Research Strategy

Research Strategy section must be used to upload the Research Education Program Plan, which must include the following components described below:

• Proposed Research Education Program
• Program Director (s)/Principal Investigator(s)
• Program Faculty
• Program Participants
• Institutional Environment and Commitment
• Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity  
• Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research
• Evaluation Plan
• Dissemination Plan

Research Education Program Plan

Proposed Research Education Program. While the proposed research education program may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those research training and research education programs currently receiving federal support. When research training programs are on-going in the same department, the applicant organization should clearly distinguish between the activities in the proposed research education program and the research training supported by the training program. As a reminder, applicants may choose to address one or more of the activities listed in Section I. Funding Opportunity Description.

 Applications must:

• Address the overall goals and specific measurable objectives (including anticipated milestones defined as anticipated intermediate steps toward the objectives) that the institution expects to accomplish in preparing students to pursue and complete Ph.D. degrees in neuroscience research and in striving to achieve the goals and expectations of the BP BRAIN-ENDURE program.
• Provide programmatic detail and rationale on the proposed research experiences and courses for skills development and describe how these activities address the needs of the diverse program participants. Describe how each proposed activity will contribute toward realization of the specific aims and support their competitiveness for completion of a Ph.D. degree in neuroscience. Describe how the plan will be integrated across the partnering institutions. 
• Describe the milestones and benchmarks (i.e., anticipated intermediate steps toward the objectives). Discuss any perceived impediments to implementing the proposed activities and alternative strategies to achieve the measurable objectives.
• Provide concise information on the selection and retention process for the participants in the BP BRAIN-ENDURE program, including the criteria related to the students’ academic status, participants’ research education and training progress, and role of the faculty/personnel involved.
• Describe the activities that will build a strong cohort of research-oriented participants while enhancing the science identity, self-efficacy, and a sense of belonging among the cohort members.
• Describe the strategy that will be used to develop the appropriate IDP for each participant in order to leverage their unique assets and address their specific points of development to enhance their ability to transition into and successfully complete a research-focused neuroscience doctoral degree program.
• Describe a mechanism to monitor mentoring, including oversight of the effectiveness of the trainee/participating faculty match, and a plan for removing faculty displaying unacceptable mentorship qualities from the research education  program (applicants may use the Appendix labeled “Conflict Resolution Protocols” to provide details of the plan);
• Describe how experiences during the academic year will contribute toward measurable objectives and student development. Demonstrate that participants will have authentic, meaningful research experiences in the laboratories or research groups of extramurally-funded investigators who are actively engaged in neuroscience-related research. This hands-on exposure to research should occur part-time during the academic year at the home institution or one of the partnering institutions and full-time during summer in laboratories that are neuroscience-focused.
• Describe how the program and faculty will provide training in rigorous research design and relevant data science and quantitative approaches.
• Describe alliances for participant summer research experiences with on- and/or off-site predoctoral neuroscience research training programs and provide the formal letters of commitment to the BP BRAIN-ENDURE program and its goals (provided in the Institutional Environment and Commitment section), as applicable. Discuss activities that are designed to actively facilitate early communication and interaction between undergraduate participants and appropriate personnel at Ph.D. degree-granting programs in the neurosciences; this should include those directly involved with graduate admissions.

 Progress Report: For renewal applications, state the original specific measurable objectives, anticipated milestones, and outcomes. Provide a summary of the accomplishments of the ENDURE during the previous project period, with reference to participant research and/or other ENDURE-supported development activities, e.g., workshops, scientific meetings, or lectures. Summarize program outcomes (e.g., number of participants who matriculated into and completed ENDURE, number who matriculated into a biomedical research-oriented doctoral degree program and the number of these students who progress in good standing in their degree programs). Applications must provide ENDURE participant outcomes for all previous funding cycles . Describe what has been learned through program assessment and any changes made in the program because of the assessment. Indicate the institutional impact of the program (e.g., on the curriculum, training environment, or institutional practices). Describe any dissemination of findings or materials developed under the auspices of the program to the broader training community.

• Describe arrangements for administration of the program, provide evidence that the Program Director(s) is actively engaged in research and/or teaching in an area related to the mission of the NIH Blueprint and NIH BRAIN Initiative  Institutes and Centers, and can organize, administer, monitor, and evaluate the research education program; and provide evidence of institutional and community commitment and support for the proposed program . For programs proposing multiple PDs/PIs, describe the complementary and integrated expertise of the PDs/PIs; their leadership approach, and governance appropriate for the planned project. For early stage investigators, there should be a statement of assurance that their research program and career advancement will not be impacted by duties as PD/PI.
• The PD(s)/PI(s) assumes responsibility for the overall execution of the BP BRAIN-ENDURE Program and is typically responsible for placement of students in research laboratories and coordination and implementation of developmental education and mentoring activities across the different participating institutions. Describe how the PD(s)/PI(s) will work with the program evaluator (see below) to monitor and evaluate the progress of the individual program elements and the overall functioning of the integrated program.

Program Faculty. Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic  groups, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as program faculty. Faculty should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program and demonstrate a history of, or the potential for, their intended roles. Biosketches of program faculty that have a substantial role in the program should be included in application (include in "Other Attachments").

Program Participants. Applications must describe the intended participants, and the selection  criteria and/or specific educational background characteristics that are essential for participation in the proposed research education program. Applications must include a description (including number and percent) of the potential applicant pool from the partnering institutions based on the selection criteria established for the proposed BP BRAIN-ENDURE program. Describe the process for selection of the program-supported participants. Examples of accepted indicators include, but are not limited to, previous academic success, practical research experience, written statements that express interest and commitment and letters of recommendations from faculty, research supervisors and/or other community leaders that speak to the applicant’s merit and interest in neuroscience research. Include the program selection criteria, candidate qualification process, and final selection process. Describe the retention strategies and follow-up activities across the participating institutions that would ensure students remain engaged and are receiving high quality mentorship and guidance within the program.

Institutional Environment and Commitment. Describe any additional aspects of the Institutional Environment and Commitment not addressed under “Facilities & Other Resources” or the required “Institutional Commitment Letter of Support,” described below. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program. This section should not duplicate information provided elsewhere.

Give a brief account of the equipment, space, and other resources available to implement the activities. The applicant institution must document the requisite administrative/technical capacity and support for the management of a collaborative multisite research education and research experience project. All collaborative arrangements must be clearly described and agreements must be included in the application. Each of the collaborative sites must include:

• Letter of institutional commitment,
• Description of their research education experience and resources,
• Research funding of participating faculty, and
• Plan for how the research education and research experience activities will be integrated across the different sites.

The application must also document the feasibility of the proposed program by describing the direct lines of communication and site-specific administrative, research education, and research experience responsibilities across the partnering institutions. Plans must be included for how early communication and interaction between the undergraduate participants and the graduate neuroscience program will enhance graduate school acceptance.  The  applicant should also include information describing other current federally-funded undergraduate research education and research training programs across the collaborating sites. The application must include a description of specific support (financial, in-kind, or otherwise) to be provided to the program. This could include support of course implementation, support for additional participants in the program, release time for the Program Director(s) and participating faculty, or any other creative ways to improve and enhance the research education program. 

Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031):

Applicants are required to provide a Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity. The application should include outreach strategies and activities designed to recruit potential research education program participants who are from diverse backgrounds, e.g., undergraduate participants from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, from disadvantaged backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities (see Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity). Describe the specific efforts to be undertaken by the research education program and how these might coordinate with recruitment efforts of the institution. Centralized institutional efforts alone will not satisfy the requirement to recruit individuals from underrepresented groups. Participating faculty are expected to be actively involved in recruitment efforts.

New applications must include a description of plans to enhance recruitment, including the strategies that will be used to enhance the recruitment of participants from underrepresented backgrounds and may wish to include data in support of past accomplishments. Renewal applications must include a detailed account of experiences in recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups during the previous funding period, including successful and unsuccessful recruitment strategies. Information should be included on how the proposed plan reflects the program’s past experiences in recruiting individuals from underrepresented groups.

Applications lacking a R ecruitment P lan to E nhance D iversity will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research: All applications must include a plan to fulfill NIH requirements for instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). The plan must address the five, required instructional components outlined in the NIH policy (NOT-OD-10-19 and NOT-OD-22-055):

1. Format - The required format of instruction, i.e., face-to-face lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups (a plan with only video conferencing is not acceptable);
2. Subject Matter - The breadth of subject matter, e.g., conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics, societal impacts of scientific research;
3. Faculty Participation - The role of the program faculty in the instruction;
4. Duration of Instruction - The number of contact hours of instruction, taking into consideration the duration of the program; and
5. Frequency of Instruction – Instruction must occur during each career stage and at least once every four years. See also NOT-OD-10-019. The plan should be appropriate and reasonable for the nature and duration of the proposed program. Renewal (Type 2) applications must, in addition, describe any changes in formal instruction over the past project period and plans to address any weaknesses in the current instruction plan. All participating faculty who served as course directors, speakers, lecturers, and/or discussion leaders during the past project period must be named in the application.

Applications lacking a plan for instruction in responsible conduct of research will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

Evaluation Plan. Applications must include a plan for evaluating the activities supported by the award. ?Benchmarks should be specified, and specific plans and procedures must be described to capture, analyze and report short or long-term outcome measures that would determine the success of the research education program in achieving its objectives, such as baseline data and milestones for accomplishments and plans for tracking and monitoring participants' progress. Wherever appropriate, applicants are encouraged to obtain feedback from participants to help identify weaknesses and to provide suggestions for improvements. For programs that aim to enhance institutional diversity, the emphasis of the evaluation activities in the plan should be on assessment of the overall impact of the program on the institution’s baseline numbers and efforts to accomplish the proposed goals of enhancing  the diversity of the workforce in the neurosciences and improvement of the overall program outcome. The evaluation strategy and plan must be based on appropriate literature and cited methodology, and should identify the selected evaluator and present their credentials. Applications that lack an evaluation plan will not be reviewed.

Dissemination Plan. A specific plan must be provided to disseminate nationally any findings resulting from or materials developed under the auspices of the research education program, e.g., sharing course curricula and related materials via web postings, presentations at scientific meetings, workshops. Publication of the program's findings and outcomes in peer-reviewed journals is highly encouraged.

Letters of Support

A letter of institutional commitment must be attached as part of Letters of Support (see section above:"Institutional Environment and Commitment.")

Letters of collaboration from partner sites must be provided by authorized officials from the partner institutions addressing their institutional commitment to the proposed project and BP BRAIN ENDURE program goals. As applicable, key faculty or senior investigators at partner organizations who will have substantial involvement in curriculum development, teaching, research training and mentoring, or other activities should submit letters.

Resource Sharing Plan
Note: Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023, a Data Management and Sharing Plan is not applicable for this NOFO.

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modification:

When relevant, applications are expected to include a software dissemination plan if support for development, maintenance, or enhancement of software is requested in the application. There is no prescribed single license for software produced. However, the software dissemination plan should address, as appropriate, the following goals:

• Software source code should be freely available to biomedical researchers and educators in the non-profit sector, such as institutions of education, research institutions, and government laboratories. Users should be permitted to modify the code and share their modifications with others.
• The terms of software availability should permit the commercialization of enhanced or customized versions of the software, or incorporation of the software or pieces of it into other software packages.
• To preserve utility to the community, the software should be transferable such that another individual or team can continue development in the event that the original investigators are unwilling or unable to do so.

Appendix

Only limited Appendix materials are allowed. Follow the instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

The following modifications also apply:  

 Instructions provided here are in addition to the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide instructions. The Appendix is meant to provide additional details to the following topics, but not meant to substitute for clear descriptions in the body of the application. Do not include items other than the allowable materials described below, as doing so will result in administrative withdrawal of the application for noncompliance. A summary sheet listing all the items included in the Appendix may be included in the first Appendix attachment.

The following are allowable Appendix materials :

• Evaluation and Assessment Instruments. Applicants may provide blank surveys, rubrics, and/or forms used to (a) document and monitor trainee progress and (b) determine whether the program and its environment are effective, inclusive, safe, and supportive.
• Research Education Outcomes (4 pages maximum).The application may provide information in table form on outcomes and subsequent educational/career progress as appropriate to career stage about recent (past 5 years) participants (including participants in a pilot program) and the pool of potential applicants, such as:
  • Aggregate number and demographic characteristics of participants
  • Educational level of participants
  • Successful completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree in neuroscience or neuroscience-related field
  • Subsequent enrollment in an advanced degree program in neuroscience or neuroscience-related program
  • Subsequent authorship of scientific publications or scientific presentations to outside conferences in a biomedical field
  • Subsequent participation in a formal research training or career development program in a neuroscience field
  • Subsequent participation in research in a neuroscience field
  • Subsequent employment or promotion in a research or research-related biomedical field
  • Subsequent independent research grant support from NIH or another source
• Participating Faculty (3 pages maximum).The application may provide the following information in table form about participating faculty:
  • Faculty information: name, degree(s), academic rank, primary department or program, research interest, and training role (i.e., PD/PI, preceptor, executive committee member, other committee member, other)
  • Mentoring record of undergraduates, predoctorates, and postdoctorates from the last 10 years: number currently in training, graduated/completed training, and continued in research or related careers
• Conflict Resolution Protocols (3-page maximum).  The application may include detailed protocols for addressing problems with trainee and faculty matches, removal of faculty from the training program with unacceptable training/mentoring skills and for conflict resolutions for multi PD(s)/PI(s) and mentor/mentee relationships.

Applications that exceed the number of allowed appendices or the page limitation of any of the allowed materials will be considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed.

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 SF424 (R&R) 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 SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed with the following additional instructions:

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 SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed.

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

See Part 1. 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. Overview Information 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 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.

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

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 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.

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 and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

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 goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that ?encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research workforce, to pursue further studies or careers in research.

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to strongly advance research education by fulfilling the goal of this research education program, 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.

Significance

Does the proposed program address a key audience and an important aspect or important need in research education? Is there convincing evidence in the application that the proposed program will significantly advance the stated goal of the program?

Will the proposed BP BRAIN -ENDURE program significantly improve the institutional baseline number of students from the partnering institutions that enter high-quality, competitive graduate programs in the neurosciences?

Investigator(s)

Is the PD/PI capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed program? Is there evidence that an appropriate level of effort will be devoted by the program leadership to ensure the program's intended goal is accomplished? If applicable, is there evidence that the participating faculty have experience in mentoring students and teaching science? If applicable, are the faculty good role models for the participants by nature of their scientific accomplishments? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance, and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

Do the participating faculty demonstrate a commitment to effective mentoring, and promoting inclusive, safe, and supportive scientific and training environments?

Innovation

Taking into consideration the nature of the proposed research education program, does the applicant make a strong case for this program effectively reaching an audience in need of the program’s offerings? Where appropriate, is the proposed program developing or utilizing innovative approaches and latest best practices to improve the knowledge and/or skills of the intended audience?

Approach

Does the proposed program clearly state its goals and objectives, including the educational level of the audience to be reached, the content to be conveyed, and the intended outcome?  Is there evidence that the program is based on a sound rationale, as well as sound educational concepts and principles? Is the plan for evaluation sound and likely to provide information on the effectiveness of the program?  If the proposed program will recruit participants, are the planned recruitment, retention, and follow-up (if applicable) activities adequate to ensure a highly qualified participant pool?

Do the proposed research experiences and courses for skills development meet the needs of participating students who are enrolled full-time at one of the applicant institutions, including those from diverse backgrounds, such as individuals from underrepresented groups, and are they designed to support their competitiveness for completion of a Ph.D. degree in neuroscience? Does the program demonstrate that participants will have authentic, rigorous, and meaningful research experiences in neuroscience-related laboratories?  Is there an effective mechanism to monitor mentoring, including oversight of the effectiveness of the trainee/participating faculty match, and a plan for removing participating faculty displaying unacceptable mentorship qualities from the research education  program?

Environment

Will the scientific and educational environment of the proposed program contribute to its intended goals? Is there a plan to take advantage of this environment to enhance the educational value of the program? Is there tangible evidence of institutional commitment? Is there evidence that the faculty have sufficient institutional support to create a sound educational environment for the participants? Where appropriate, is there evidence of collaboration and buy-in among participating programs, departments, and institutions?

Is there evidence of the institution’s explicit accomplishments in the education of students from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research? How well and in what ways does this program interact with on- and off-site neuroscience training programs (including NIH-supported T32 training programs)? Is there evidence of commitment and integration with the T32 program beyond summer research exposure (for example, graduate program faculty involved in teaching the undergraduate program during the academic year or research seminars)?  Are plans for an Advisory Committee presented and is the proposed expertise adequate?

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.

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Human Subjects.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan

When the proposed project involves human subjects and/or NIH-defined clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults) to determine if it is justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Guidelines for the Review of Inclusion in Clinical Research.

Vertebrate Animals

The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following criteria: (1) description of proposed procedures involving animals, including species, strains, ages, sex, and total number to be used; (2) justifications for the use of animals versus alternative models and for the appropriateness of the species proposed; (3) interventions to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury; and (4) justification for euthanasia method if NOT consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. Reviewers will assess the use of chimpanzees as they would any other application proposing the use of vertebrate animals. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animals Section.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Training in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility

Does the Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility plan describe how trainees will be instructed in principles important for enhancing research reproducibility including, at a minimum, evaluation of foundational research underlying a project (i.e., scientific premise), rigorous experimental design, consideration of relevant biological variables such as sex, authentication of key biological and/or chemical resources, data and material sharing, record keeping, and transparency in reporting? Are the rigor and transparency components sufficiently well integrated into the overall curriculum? Are they taught at multiple stages of trainee development and in a variety of formats and contexts? Does the teaching synergize with elements of the curriculum designed to enhance trainees' abilities to conduct responsible research? Is there evidence that all program faculty reiterate and augment key elements of methods for enhancing reproducibility when trainees are performing mentored research in their laboratories?

Resubmissions

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

Revisions 

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

Renewals 

For Renewals, the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period, and the success of the program in achieving its goals .

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.

Evaluation Plan

Are the evaluation plan and timeline adequate for assessing the effectiveness (process and outcome) of the program in achieving its goals and objectives? If applicable, are the plans for obtaining feedback from participants adequate to measure the quality and effectiveness of the research education programs? What is the overall performance evaluation plan (which may include baseline data and milestones for accomplishments as well as plans for tracking and monitoring participants' progress)?

Dissemination Plan

Is the dissemination plan strong and of high quality?

Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity 

Peer reviewers will separately evaluate the recruitment plan to enhance diversity after the overall score has been determined. Reviewers will examine the strategies to be used in the recruitment of individuals from underrepresented groups. The review panel’s evaluation will be included in the summary statement. Plans will be rated as acceptable or unacceptable, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Taking into account the specific characteristics of the proposed research education program  and the level of participant experience, the reviewers will evaluate the adequacy of the proposed RCR training in relation to the following five required components: 1) Format - the required format of instruction, i.e., face-to-face lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups (a plan with only on-line instruction is not acceptable); 2) Subject Matter - the breadth of subject matter, e.g., conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety, research misconduct, research ethics, societal impacts of scientific research; 3) Faculty Participation - the role of the program faculty in the instruction; 4) Duration of Instruction - the number of contact hours of instruction, taking into consideration the duration of the program; and 5) Frequency of Instruction –instruction must occur during each career stage and at least once every four years.  See also: NOT-OD-10-019 and NOT-OD-22-055. Plans will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable

Select Agent Research

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

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the Resource Sharing Plan(s) (e.g., Sharing Model Organisms) or the rationale for not sharing the resources, is reasonable. If support for development, maintenance, or enhancement of software is requested in the application, the reviewers will comment on the proposed software dissemination plan.

Budget and Period of Support

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

2. Review and Selection Process 

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) on behalf of the NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative, 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.

Additionally, 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.

Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this NOFO.

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.

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.

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: 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.

Should the applicant organization successfully compete for an award, recipients of federal financial assistance (FFA) from HHS will be required to complete an HHS Assurance of Compliance form (HHS Assurance of Compliance form (HHS 690)) in which the recipient agrees, as a condition of receiving the grant, to administer programs in compliance with federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex and disability, and agreeing to comply with federal conscience laws, where applicable. This includes ensuring that entities take meaningful steps to provide meaningful access to persons with limited English proficiency; and ensuring effective communication with persons with disabilities. Where applicable, Title XI and Section 1557 prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and gender identity, The HHS Office for Civil Rights provides guidance on complying with civil rights laws enforced by HHS. See https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/provider-obligations/index.html and https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/nondiscrimination/index.html.

HHS recognizes that 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.

• For guidance on meeting the legal obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to programs or activities by limited English proficient individuals see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/limited-english-proficiency/fact-sheet-guidance/index.html and https://www.lep.gov.

• For information on an institution’s specific legal obligations for serving qualified individuals with disabilities, including providing program access, reasonable modifications, and to provide effective communication, see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/index.html.

• HHS funded health and education programs must be administered in an environment free of sexual harassment, see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/sex-discrimination/index.html. For information about NIH's commitment to supporting a safe and respectful work environment, who to contact with questions or concerns, and what NIH's expectations are for institutions and the individuals supported on NIH-funded awards, please see https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/harassment.htm.

• For guidance on administering programs in compliance with applicable federal religious nondiscrimination laws and applicable federal conscience protection and associated anti-discrimination laws see https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/conscience-protections/index.html and https://www.hhs.gov/conscience/religious-freedom/index.html.

Please contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights for more information about obligations and prohibitions under federal civil rights laws at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/about-us/contact-us/index.html or call 1-800-368-1019 or TDD 1-800-537-7697.

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 45 CFR Part 75.205 and 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.”

3. Data Management and Sharing

Note: The NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing is effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2023.

Consistent with the 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. Continuation support will not be provided until the required forms are submitted and accepted.

When submitting RPPRs, funded programs are expected to provide evidence of accomplishing the research education objectives and results from the proposed evaluation plan. ?

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 45 CFR Part 75.301 and 2 CFR 200.301.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All 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.

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.

In accordance with the regulatory requirements 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200 and Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75.113 and 2 CFR Part 200.113, 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 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200 – Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters.

Other Reporting Requirements

• The institution must submit a completed Statement of Appointment (PHS Form 2271) for each participant appointed full time for eight weeks or more or the equivalent. Grantees 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.
• Participant Termination Notice: Within 30 days of the end of the total support period for each participant, the institution must submit a Termination Notice (PHS Form 416-7) via xTrain for each participant appointed full time for eight weeks or more, or the equivalent.

The Progress Report should provide information on the development and implementation of the proposed research education program (including education in the responsible conduct of research), modifications to the research education program as originally proposed, details about the applicant pool, updates on the evaluation of the research education program and dissemination activities (if applicable), and a list of any publications and/or other materials arising from the research education program. Each year, the progress report must include the number of appointed (program-supported) undergraduate participants current academic status, degree pursued and institution); the information and number of presentations, as well as information and the number of peer-reviewed publications including program-supported participants as co-authors; the number of former program-supported participants initiating and/or continuing Ph.D. degree training (including name, current academic status, degree pursued and institution), and the number of former program-supported participants engaged in research careers (including name, institution, and current academic status). Since the BP BRAIN-ENDURE program is an institutional program, the report must also provide the following information: the total (cumulative) number of undergraduates and graduates (M.S. and/or PhD., as applicable) completing degrees at the applicant institution; the total (cumulative) number of students that completed a degree in biomedical and/or behavioral sciences at the applicant institution and then completed a Ph.D. in Neuroscience fields at the applicant institution (if applicable) or elsewhere; and the total (cumulative) number of undergraduate students that enrolled in Ph.D. programs in Neuroscience at institutions with research-intensive environments.

A final RPPR 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.

5. Evaluation

In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, the NIH or its Institutes and Centers will periodically evaluate their R25 research education programs, employing the measures identified below. In assessing the effectiveness of its research education investments, NIH may request information from databases, PD/PIs, and from participants themselves. Where necessary, PD/PIs and participants may be contacted after the completion of a research education experience for periodic updates on participants’ subsequent educational or employment history and professional activities.

Upon the completion of a program evaluation, NIH and its ICs will determine whether to (a) continue a program as currently configured, (b) continue a program with modifications, or (c) discontinue a program.

In evaluating this research education program the NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative  expects to use the following evaluation measures:

  Characteristics of the applicant and awardee pool for the program, such as:

• Geographic distribution
• Investigator/participant demographics
• Institution types
• Indicators of scientific accomplishments / productivity, such as:
  • Peer-reviewed research publications, citations, and related bibliometrics
  • Presentations at scientific conferences (e.g., talks, posters)
  • Professional recognitions (e.g., poster or travel awards, invited talks)
• Measures of educational outcomes or career progression, such as:
  • Successful transitions to subsequent stages of training (e.g., a research-oriented biomedical doctoral degree program such as Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.)
  • Degree completions and time-to-degree in biomedical science fields
  • Subsequent research grant support from NIH or other sources
  • Participation in the biomedical research workforce

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: GrantsInfo@nih.gov (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: support@grants.gov

SBA Company Registry (Questions regarding required registration at the SBA Company Registry and for technical questions or issues)
Website to Email: http://sbir.gov/feedback?type=reg

Michelle D. Jones-London, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-451-7966
Email: jonesmiche@mail.nih.gov

Chief, Scientific Review Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-496-9223
Email: nindsreview.nih.gov@mail.nih.gov

Chief Grants Management Officer 
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Email: ChiefGrantsManagementOfficer@ninds.nih.gov 

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 45 CFR Part 75.