Department of Health and Human Services
Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

Fogarty International Center (FIC)
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)

Funding Opportunity Title

Limited Competition: Global Health Program for Fellows and Scholars (Global Health Fellows) (R25)

Activity Code

R25 Education Projects

Announcement Type

New

Related Notices
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

RFA-TW-11-001

Companion FOA

None

Number of Applications

Only one application per institution is allowed, as defined in Section III.3. Additional Information on Eligibility. Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)

93.989, 93.398, 93.838, 93.847

FOA Purpose

FIC plans to provide opportunities for up to four support centers to develop and support global health research education/research experience programs that meet the following objectives:

  • Provide focused mentoring for participants (post-doctorates and doctoral students) from the U.S. and low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) in global health research in established research sites in LMICs.
  • Provide educational opportunities in diverse areas of research for participants at those research sites.
  • Enhance the global health research career trajectory potential of the participants.
  • Strengthen global health programs at U.S. academic institutions and help to sustain global health research at institutions in LMICs.
  • Strengthen global health research networks among the alumni and mentors across institutions in the U.S. and LMICs.

Key Dates
Posted Date

August 16, 2011

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

September 14, 2011

Letter of Intent Due Date

September 14, 2011

Application Due Date(s)

October 14 , 2011

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Scientific Merit Review

February/March 2012

Advisory Council Review

May 2012

Earliest Start Date(s)

July 2012

Expiration Date

October 15, 2011

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

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

Table of Contents

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

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

This FOA encourages applications from applicant organizations that propose creative and innovative research education programs in the mission area(s) of the NIH. The NIH Research Education (R25) grant mechanism is designed to support the development of creative and innovative research education programs for the development of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical researchers, or for public education and outreach on health-related research to a variety of audiences. Although research education grants are not typical research instruments, they do involve experiments in education and/or dissemination of research knowledge that require an evaluation plan in order to determine their effectiveness. A plan must be provided for program evaluation and/or dissemination.

The proposed research education program may complement ongoing research training and education occurring at the applicant institution, but the proposed educational experiences must be distinct from those research training and research education programs currently receiving federal support. The R25 is not a substitute for an institutional research training program (T32) and can not be used to circumvent or supplement Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) mechanisms.


Research Objectives

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) outlines an opportunity for eligible institutions to apply to become a Fogarty Global Health Program Support Center under the Global Health Program for Fellows and Scholars (Global Health Fellows) Program.

Background information: Established in 2004, the Fogarty Scholars (for doctoral students) Program has provided early training and career opportunities for doctoral students in the health professions from the U.S. and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to participate in one-year mentored clinical research training programs in LMICs. An expansion of the Program added opportunities for post-doctorates from the U.S. and LMICs (Fellows Program) in 2008, and the whole program was renamed the Fogarty International Clinical Research Training Scholars and Fellows (FICRSF) Program. The general purpose of this program is to develop the next generation of clinical investigators, especially with an eye toward international health research capacity building and collaborations. The program provides mentored hands-on experience for these potential new U.S. and LMIC investigators in LMICs, and strengthens relationships and collaborations between U.S. and LMIC institutions, researchers, and trainees in these countries. In addition, the program builds research capacity in the LMICs by providing financial and technical training support for students and newly graduated researchers in those countries. The research training sites in LMICs have existing capacity to provide an outstanding mentored clinical research training experience to Scholars and Fellows in the FICRSF Program. Each site is involved in both an FIC international research training grant and on-going NIH-funded clinical research, has capacity for strong ethical review and oversight of clinical research, committed interest and expertise in mentoring students, appropriate research facilities, and suitable infrastructure arrangements for housing, food, and transportation. The Fogarty International Center managed the Program from the beginning until 2007 when the administration and logistics management of the Program were transferred to a grantee as a support center of the program. The current support center award (2007-2012) will expire in June 2012.

The current Scholars Program: The program focuses on doctoral level U.S. students in the health professions (e.g., medical students after 3rd year, doctoral students who have not completed their dissertation). Twenty-five selected sites with established NIH-funded research projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America have participated in the program as training sites. Each site has a US-based lead mentor and LMIC-based lead mentor. Each training site pairs the U.S. scholar with an international scholar from that site. All scholars stay and receive mentored clinical research training at the assigned LMIC site.

The current Fellows Program: The program focuses on post-doctorates (those in either post-residency clinical fellowships or in other health-related post-doctoral programs from the US and LMICs) as a one-year mentored clinical research training program. All fellows stay and receive mentored clinical research training at an established NIH-funded research site in LMICs. There are currently 37 pre-approved LMIC sites for fellows in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The program builds on international research and research training grants supported by FIC and collaborating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), which have been critically important to training scientists and health professionals from LMICs in research and in helping them to establish careers in their home country.

Objectives of this FOA: Based on the success and experience from the current FICRSF program, this FOA provides opportunities for up to four support centers to develop and support global health research education/experience programs that meet the following objectives:

For the operational purposes of this FOA, the following working definition is used for "global health": Global health is an area for study, research and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide. Global health emphasizes transnational health issues, determinants, and solutions; involves many disciplines within and beyond the health sciences and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration; and is a synthesis of population-based prevention with individual-level clinical care. (Koplan JP, Bond TC, Merson MH, Reddy KS, Rodriguez MH, Sewankambo NK, Wasserheit JN; Consortium of Universities for Global Health Executive Board. Towards a common definition of global health. Lancet. 2009 Jun 6;373(9679):1993-5.)

Support Centers for this Global Health Program for Fellows and Scholars (Global Health Fellows) are required to provide supportive mentorship, research opportunities and a collaborative research environment for early stage investigators from the U.S. and LMICs to enhance their global health research expertise and their careers. Building on the momentum of the FICRSF Program, the Global Health Fellows awards will provide opportunities to continue to support research capacity building and research education/experience in priority health areas in LMICs such as communicable diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and vaccine-preventable diseases; chronic non-communicable diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, blood diseases, metabolic diseases and mental health; maternal and child health; women’s health; arthritis and rheumatic, musculoskeletal and skin diseases; environmental and occupational health; trauma and burn injury, anesthesiology, and clinical pharmacology; genetics; behavioral and social aspects of health and illness; and cross-cutting global health research areas.

These awards may be used to strengthen existing (and in some cases develop new) partnerships between U.S. and LMIC research institutions that will contribute to global health research capacity building and the use of research to improve treatment, identify preventive measures, and groom future generations of health scientists who can ultimately improve the health outcomes related to these areas in the applicant’s community and country (both U.S. and LMIC).

Although not required, applicants are encouraged to form a consortium that may include up to 4 complementary US academic/training institutions. Benefits of consortia include a wider range of opportunities for fellows and scholars in different research areas (e.g., non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases, translation and implementation science, maternal and child health, women’s health) to reflect FIC’s strategic plan (http://www.fic.nih.gov/About/Pages/Strategic-Plan.aspx). In addition, consortia are likely to provide a wider pool of post-doctoral candidates than just one institution and a wider pool of faculty/mentors.

Applicants are also encouraged to recruit graduates from NIH-funded T32 post-doctoral research training grants awarded to applicant institutions as the primary but not the exclusive pipeline from which U.S post-doctorates will be selected for the Global Health Fellows program. Benefits of utilizing T32 programs for potential participants include the fact that T32 graduates have advanced scientific skills that could be applied to global health research, they would benefit and learn from experience in an LMIC, and would contribute research expertise to the research sites. T32 graduates also usually pursue academic research careers which would increase the pool of U.S. faculty with global health expertise and experience in LMICs. If it would strengthen the pool of potential participants, the applicants may include plans to recruit post-doctorates funded by other mechanisms in the consortium. Applicants are encouraged to include advanced doctoral students with focus on health sciences (e.g., medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, nursing, public health, etc.) in their consortium as potential doctoral student participants (scholars) for Global Health Fellows.

Please see Section III (Eligibility Information) for detailed information.

Specifically, applicants are encouraged to:

The applicants are also encouraged to:

Several entities within NIH have expressed their interests to support relevant fellows and scholars selected for the Global Health Fellows Program through FIC. These include the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) of the NIH Office of the Director, and several NIH Institutes and Centers including, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR),National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).

The NHLBI will support only fellows, not scholars, with proposed research projects in cardiovascular, chronic lung disorders, or blood diseases. The NHLBI-supported research projects conducted by the fellows could be in clinical research, population research, health services research, health policy research and health economics. Basic science research applications will not be supported by NHLBI.

The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) joins this FOA as part of its effort to promote research on the behavioral and social aspects of health and illness.

See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies related to this announcement.

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

Grant

Application Types Allowed

New

The OER Glossary and the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The FIC and Issuing IC partner components intend to commit annually up to an estimated total of $4 million for up to 4 awards.

Award Budget

Up to $1 million per year (direct costs) per award is available for this program, depending upon availability of funds.

Award Project Period

The total project period for an application submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement may not exceed 5 years.

Other Award Budget Information
Personnel Costs

Individuals designing, directing, and implementing the research education program may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate for the person months devoted to the program. Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions and may not exceed the congressionally mandated cap. (If mentoring interactions and other activities with students/participants are considered a regular part of an individual's academic duties, then any costs associated with the mentoring and other interactions with students/participants are not allowable costs from grant funds).

Participant Costs

Participants may be paid if specifically required for the proposed research education program and sufficiently justified. Participant costs must be itemized in the proposed budget.

Allowable participant costs depend on the educational level/career status of the individuals to be selected to participate in the program.

While generally not allowable costs, with strong justification, participants in the research education program may receive partial costs of meals unless such costs are furnished as part of the registration fee. Participants may also receive funds to defray partial tuition, and other education-related expenses.

Additional guidance on participant costs:

  • Amount of compensation should be based on 11 months duration at 36 hours per week for all US post-doctoral participants and should not exceed NRSA equivalent amounts based on the education, training and experience of the participant.
  • Amount of compensation for US doctoral participants should be equivalent to the amount offered by the Fulbright US student program.
  • Amount of compensation for LMIC participants should be based on local site equivalent amount based on the education, training and experience of the participant, and should be decided with concurrence of lead mentors at the sites.
  • Applicants should plan for a general orientation program that spans a maximum of five days for new participants at the NIH campus in Bethesda.
  • Describe any other education-related costs allowed for this research education program, such as supplies, travel to scientific meetings and/or to and from the grantee institution, and temporary housing when applicable.

Individuals currently supported by NIH training and career development mechanisms (K, T, or F awards) may receive, and indeed are encouraged to receive, educational experiences supported by the R25 mechanism, as participants, but may not receive salary or stipend supplementation from a research education program.

Because the R25 mechanism is not intended as a substitute for an NRSA institutional training program (T32), costs to support full-time participants (supported for 40 hours/week for a continuous, 12-month period) are not allowable.

Other Program-Related Expenses

Consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel for key persons, and other program-related expenses may be included in the proposed budget. These expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed program and must not duplicate items generally available at the applicant institution.

Applicants are encouraged to leverage existing administrative supports of global health programs and T32 awards to reduce the administrative costs of this R25 grant to 20% or less of the total grant budget.

Applicants are also encouraged to leverage research and research training resources from collaborating partners at LMIC sites in the proposed Global Health Fellows.

Indirect Costs

Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs (exclusive of tuition and fees and expenditures for equipment), rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement.

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

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

EligibleOrganizations

Higher Education Institutions

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

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

All registrations must be completed by the application due date.

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

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 NIH support. In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed research education program will complement ongoing research training occurring at the applicant institution.

Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are noteligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are noteligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Required Registrations

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

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

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

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her 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.

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

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

Applicants must document the attributes and capability of the support center consortium using the following criteria:

Based on the experience from the current research training program, we encourage applicants to include at least 6 research sites in each consortium to provide diverse research education experiences (e.g., malignancy, cardiovascular diseases, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, metabolic diseases, women’s health, child health, vaccine-preventable diseases, mental health, etc.) for the participants;

Applicants are required to have written agreements from participating LMIC site mentors/leaders for a partnership if the grant is awarded. Research education/experience sites in LMICs can participate in more than one consortium if they have established collaborations with the applicant or at least one member of the applicant consortia. Based on the need to strengthen the Global Health Fellows Program, additional research education/experience sites in LMICs that meet the eligibility requirements for the Program can be included in the consortia even after the awards are made with prior approval from FIC. Please see the sites supported under the current program (2007-12) http://www.fogartyscholars.org/fellows/sites

A leadership plan for each applicant or consortium is required. Potential applicants who believe they are eligible to apply under this FOA are advised to consult with FIC staff (as listed under INQUIRIES) to verify their eligibility before submitting an application.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA 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 or consortia (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed.

NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial peer review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed.

Preceptors/Mentors

Researchers from diverse backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and women are encouraged to participate as preceptors/mentors. Mentors should have research expertise and experience relevant to the proposed program. Mentors must be committed to continue their involvement throughout the total period of the mentee s participation in this award.

Participants

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. Identify the career levels essential for participation in the planned program.

Unless strongly justified on the basis of exceptional relevance to NIH, research education programs should be used primarily for the education of U.S. citizens.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

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

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

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

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

Letter of Intent

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:

The letter of intent should be sent to:

Myat Htoo Razak, MBBS, MPH, PhD
Program Director
Division of International Training and Research
Fogarty International Center
Bldg 31, Room B2C39
31 Center Drive, MSC 2220
Bethesda, MD 20892-2220
Telephone: 301-496-1653
Email: MyatHtoo.Razak@nih.gov

Required and Optional Components

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

Page Limitations

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

SF424 (R&R) Other Project Information Component

Follow all instructions provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with the following 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 education/experience following the format for Current and Pending Support.

Advisory Committee (Uploaded via the Other Attachments section)

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

The Advisory Committee, made up of at least six members, shall be comprised of representatives from institutions that are awardees of FIC or other compatible U.S. Government (USG) research training and research education grants. The Advisory Committee will have virtual meetings as needed and one face-to-face meeting per year as needed.

Creation of an advisory panel of participants to provide perspective from their experiences for future program development is required.

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

R&R Budget Component

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

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

PHS 398 Research Plan Component

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

The 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, Institutional Environment and Commitment, Program Director/Principal Investigator, Program Faculty/Staff, Program Participants, Diversity Recruitment and Retention Plan, Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, Evaluation Plan..

Proposed Research Education Program (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

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 education programs are on-going in the same department, the applicant organization should clearly describe the distinction between the intended participants in the proposed research education program and the existing research education supported by the other programs. The information should include a description of the education and/or career levels of the planned participants. In addition, the following plans and activities are required to be included in the application:

Institutional Environment and Commitment (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Describe the institutional environment, reiterating the availability of facilities and educational resources (described separately under Facilities & Other Resources ), that can contribute to the planned Research Education Program. Evidence of institutional commitment to the research educational program is required. A letter of institutional commitment must be attached as part of Letters of Support. Appropriate institutional commitment should include the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned research education program.

Program Director/Principal Investigator (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Describe arrangements for administration of the program, provide evidence that the Program Director is actively engaged in research and/or teaching in an area related to the mission of NIH, and can organize, administer, monitor, and evaluate the research education program, as well as evidence of institutional and community commitment and support for the proposed program.

Program Faculty/Staff (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Describe the characteristics and responsibilities of the participating faculty; provide evidence that the participating faculty and preceptors are actively engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to the mission of NIH.

Program Participants (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Where the proposed program involves participants, provide details about the pool of expected participants, their qualifications, recruitment strategies and sources of applicant pool, etc.

Diversity Recruitment and Retention Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

The NIH recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity among U.S. citizens and permanent residents in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research workforce. The NIH expects efforts to diversify the workforce to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups; to improve the quality of the educational and training environment; to balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities; to improve the ability to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols; and to improve the Nation's capacity to address and eliminate health disparities.

Accordingly, the NIH continues to encourage institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations and thus to increase the participation of individuals currently underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences such as: individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups; individuals with disabilities; and individuals from socially, culturally, economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in health-related research. Institutions are encouraged to identify candidates who will increase diversity on a national or institutional basis.

The NIH is particularly interested in encouraging the recruitment and retention of the following classes of participants:

A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis (see the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2007, p. 262). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: African Americans, Hispanic Americas, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Hawaiian Natives, and natives of the US Pacific Islands. In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be convincingly demonstrated to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program.

B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are defined as:

1. Individuals who come from a family with an annual income below established low-income thresholds. These thresholds are based on family size; published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census; adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index; and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels at http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/index.shtml. For individuals from low income backgrounds, the institution must be able to demonstrate that such participants have qualified for Federal disadvantaged assistance or they have received any of the following student loans: Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL), Loans for Disadvantaged Student Program, or they have received scholarships from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the Scholarship for Individuals with Exceptional Financial Need.

2. Individuals who come from a social, cultural, or educational environment such as that found in certain rural or inner-city environments that have demonstrably and recently directly inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in a research career.

Recruitment and retention plans related to a disadvantaged background (C1 and C2) are most applicable to high school and perhaps to undergraduate candidates, but would be more difficult to justify for individuals beyond that level of academic achievement. Under extraordinary circumstances the PHS may, at its discretion, consider an individual beyond the undergraduate level to be from a disadvantaged background. Such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis, based on appropriate documentation.

New applications must include a description of plans to enhance recruitment of a diverse participant pool and may wish to include data in support of past accomplishments.

Applications lacking a diversity recruitment and retention plan may be delayed or not accepted for review. An award cannot be made if an application lacks this component.

Plan for Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

Every participant supported by this Research Education grant must receive instruction in the responsible conduct of research. All applications must include a plan to provide such instruction. The plan must address five components (format; subject matter; faculty participation; duration of instruction; and frequency of instruction) as detailed in NOT-OD-10-019.

Applications lacking a plan for instruction in responsible conduct of research may be delayed or not accepted for review. An award cannot be made if an application lacks this component. The background, rationale and more detail about instruction in the responsible conduct of research can be found in NOT-OD-10-019. If such instruction is not appropriate for the proposed research education program, then the PD/PI must provide a strong justification for its exclusion.

Evaluation Plan (Component of Research Education Program Plan)

A plan must be provided for program evaluation. 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. Where appropriate, applicants are encouraged to include plans to obtain feedback from participants to help identify weaknesses and to provide suggestions for program improvements.

Resource Sharing Plans

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies; GWAS) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modifications:

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:

Appendix

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

3. Submission Dates and Times

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

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

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

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

4. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. 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.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

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

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

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

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

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

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review and responsiveness by components of participating organizations, NIH. Applications that are incomplete and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.

Post Submission Materials

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

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

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

Overall Impact

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

Scored Review Criteria

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 research education program address an important problem or critical question in research education or other critical issues? How will implementation of the proposed program advance the objectives of the Global Health Fellows program? Does the Global Health Fellows application address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the Global Health Fellows application lare achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? What is the likelihood of the overall project to adhere to the goals of this funding opportunity announcement? Does the proposed five-year strategic plan of the support center applicant meet the objectives of the Global Health Fellows? Will the mentoring plan improve the research education/experience as well as career trajectory aspect of the participants and alumni (both U.S. and LMIC)? Is the proposed program of research education/experience likely to ensure that participants will be prepared for successful and productive global health research careers?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD/PIs, collaborators, and other researchers appropriately trained and well suited to the proposed research education program? Is the PD/PI an established investigator in the scientific area in which the application is targeted and capable of providing both administrative and scientific leadership to the development and implementation of the proposed research education program? If Early Stage Investigator or New Investigator, or in the early stages of an independent career, does the PD/PI have appropriate experience to lead the program? 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? Is there evidence that an appropriate level of effort will be devoted by the program leadership to ensure the program's objectives? Does the applicant (consortium) have a sufficient number of diverse T32 postdoctoral training programs as mentioned in the eligibility? Does the applicant have an appropriate mentoring plan for the participants? Does the applicant include diverse and strong mentors from U.S. and LMICs? Does the applicant include appropriate mentors from LMIC research education/experience sites who will provide mentorship for both U.S. and LMIC participants? Does the research education/experience plan address the collaborating roles of the U.S.-based and LMIC-based mentors? Would the proposed mentoring plan enhance global health research career trajectory potential of the participants? Does the PD/PI have the scientific background, expertise, and experience to provide strong leadership, direction, management, and administration to the proposed research education/experience program? Does the PD/PI plan to commit sufficient time to the program to ensure its success? Do the preceptors/mentors have strong records as researchers, including successful competition for research support in areas directly related to the proposed research education/experience program? Do the preceptors/mentors have strong records of educating pre- and/or post-doctorates?

Innovation

Is the proposed research education program characterized by innovation and scholarship? Does the proposed program challenge and seek to shift current research education paradigms or clinical practice; address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Are the proposed concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies novel for this area? Does this proposed program duplicate, or overlap with, existing research education, training and/or career development activities currently supported at the applicant institution or available elsewhere? Adaptations of existing research education programs may be considered innovative under special circumstances, e.g., the addition of unique components and/or an application to determine portability of an existing program? Does the application address the recruitment, selection and education/experience plans in innovative ways to maximize diversity of areas of research education as well as among U.S. citizen and permanent resident participants? Does the application address collaboration with research education/experience sites in LMICs? Does it do so using innovative approaches to meet the objectives of Global Health Fellows? Do the courses, where relevant, and research education experiences of the support center applicant address state-of-the-art science relevant to the aims of the program? Does the program provide education in inter- or multi-disciplinary research and/or in state-of-the-art or novel methodologies and techniques?

Approach

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the proposed research education program? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the program is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed? If called for, is the proposed plan for evaluation and/or dissemination of the education program sound and likely to provide data on the effectiveness of the education program? Is there evidence that the program is based on sound research concepts and educational principles? Is the approach feasible and appropriate to achieve the stated research education goals? If the proposed program will recruit participants, are the recruitment, retention, and follow-up activities adequate to ensure a highly qualified and diverse participant pool? Is the institutional research support development plan, including plans for enhancing institutional capacity to support global health and individual participants, and career development plans sufficient to enhance one another in achieving overall objectives? Does the applicant include a plan for participant selection and, if so, are the function and membership of a participant advisory selection committee appropriate to support the identification of training needs, programs, and appropriate participants? Are sufficient numbers of experienced preceptors/mentors with appropriate expertise and funding available to support the number and level of participants proposed in the application? Is a recruitment plan proposed with strategies to attract high quality participants? Are there well-defined and justified selection criteria and strategies? Is a competitive applicant pool in sufficient numbers to warrant the proposed size and levels (doctoral and post-doctoral) of the training program in evidence? Will the participants be provided sufficient opportunities for global health research experiences during the training? Will the core competencies for the participants in the research education plan reflect the objectives of the Global Health Fellows? Will the PDs/PIs provide leadership in this training program? Will the training program leadership communicate with the FIC/NIH to reflect the objectives of the Global Health Fellows? Does the program have a rigorous evaluation plan to assess the quality and effectiveness of the training? Is the proposed monitoring and evaluation plan appropriate and timely for the program? Are effective mechanisms in place for obtaining feedback from current and former participants and monitoring participants subsequent career development? Does the applicant include the detailed plan of recruitment, selection and training for Year 1? Is the recruitment and selection strategy for Year 1 appropriate to start the Year 1 training class by September 2012?

If the program involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

Environment

Will the scientific/educational environment in which the proposed research education program will be conducted contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional commitment and support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the program proposed? Will the program benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of appropriate collaboration among participating programs, departments, and institutions? If multiple sites are participating, is this adequately justified in terms of the research education experiences provided? Are adequate plans provided for coordination and communication between multiple sites (if appropriate)? Is a significant level of institutional commitment to the program evident? Is sufficient administrative and research education/experience support provided for the program? Are the research facilities and research environment conducive to preparing participants for successful careers in global health research? Do the objectives, design and direction of the proposed research education/experience program ensure effective training? Is the proposed consortium constructed to complement the institutions /partners strengths? Is the proposed partnership between the applicant and selected partner(s) appropriate for the objectives of the Global Health Fellows program? Does the applicant identify and plan to take advantage of other resources at their institution or in proposed LMIC research sites/countries? Does the application take advantage of experience and inputs from the alumni and mentors of the current Fogarty International Clinical Research Education/Experience for Scholars and Fellows Program in the U.S. and LMICs? [NOTE: Contact information and background of the alumni and the mentors of the current Fogarty International Clinical Research Training for Scholars and Fellows Program is available on www.fogartyscholars.org website]

Additional Review Criteria

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

Protections for Human Subjects

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

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

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

Vertebrate Animals

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

Biohazards

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

Resubmissions

Not Applicable

Renewals

Not Applicable

Revisions

Not Applicable

Additional Review Considerations

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

Recruitment & Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity

Peer reviewers will separately evaluate the recruitment and retention plan to enhance diversity after the overall score has been determined. Reviewers will examine the strategies to be used in the recruitment and retention of individuals from underrepresented groups. The review panel’s evaluation will be included in an administrative note in the summary statement.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Taking into account the specific characteristics of the research education program, level of participant experience, and the particular circumstances of the participants, the reviewers will address the following questions. Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g. lectures and/or real-time discussion groups? Do plans include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety? Do the plans adequately describe how faculty will participate in the instruction? Do the plans ensure participants will receive instruction (or in the case of more senior level participants, provide instruction) for an appropriate amount of time given the length of the research education experience? Plans and past record 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

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

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan; 2) Sharing Model Organisms; and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS).

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) the Center for Scentific Review (CSR), in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Review assignments will be shown in the eRA Commons.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

Applications will be assigned to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the Fogarty International Center Advisory Board and by the Advisory Councils of co-funding NIH ICs. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

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.

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

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 General.

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

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

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

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, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Evaluation

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

3. Reporting

The Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) and financial statements as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are required annually. Continuation support will not be provided until the required forms are submitted and accepted.Programs that involve participants should report on education in the responsible conduct of research and complete a Training Diversity Report, in accordance with the PHS 2590 Additional Instructions for Preparing a Progress Report for an Institutional Research Training Grant, Including Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards.

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

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

Other Reporting Requirements

A final progress report, invention statement, and the expenditure data portion of the Federal Financial Report are required for closeout of an award as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

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

Application Submission Contacts

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

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

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

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

FIC:

Myat Htoo Razak, MBBS, MPH, PhD
Program Director
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Bldg 31, Room B2C39
31 Center Drive, MSC 2220
Bethesda, MD 20892-2220
Telephone: 301-496-1653
Email: MyatHtoo.Razak@nih.gov

NCI:

Ming Lei, Ph.D.
Chief, Cancer Training Branch
Center for Cancer Training
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 700
Rockville, MD 20852
Telephone: 301-496-8580
Fax: 301-402-4472
Email: leim@mail.nih.gov

NHLBI:

Cristina Rabad n-Diehl, PhD, MPH
Deputy Director
Office of Global Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Bldg 31, Room 5A06C
31 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: 301-496-3620
Email: rabadanc@nhlbi.nih.gov

ORWH:

Dr Lisa Begg, P.H., R.N.
Director of Research Programs
Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH)
Office of the NIH Director
National Institutes of Health/DHHS
Office: 301/496-7853
Fax: 301/402-1798
E-mail: beggl@od.nih.gov

NIMH:

Sarah Joestl
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-594-4398
Email: joestlss@mail.nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Hilary D. Sigmon, Ph.D., R.N.
CSR/FIC Review Coordinator
Scientific Review Officer
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health, DHHS
Room 3190; 6701 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7852
301-357-9236
301-480-2241 (Fax)
Email: hilary.sigmon@nih.gov

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

FIC:

Elizabeth Cleveland
Grants Management Specialist
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Building 31, Room B2C29
31 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892-2220
Telephone: 301-451-6830
Email: Elizabeth.Cleveland@nih.gov

NCI:

Carol A. Perry
Branch Chief, Branch C
Cancer Control and Population Sciences Branch
Office of Grants Administration
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Institutes of Health
6120 Executive Blvd., Suite 243
Bethesda, MD 20892 (for regular mail)
Rockville, MD 20852 (for hand delivered mail)
Telephone: 301-496-7205
FAX(s): 301-496-8601 or 301-480-3691
Email: perryc@mail.nih.gov

NHLBI:

Suzanne A. White
Chief, Grants Management
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
6701 Rockledge Drive, Suite 7160
Bethesda, MD 20892-7926
Telephone: 301-435-0166
Email: whitesa@mail.nih.gov

NIMH:

Joy R. Knippple
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-8811
Email: jk173@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.

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241, 284 and (287 (b)) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.


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