Department
of Health and Human Services
Participating Organizations
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of
Participating Organizations
National Institute of General
Medical Sciences (NIGMS), (http://www.nigms.nih.gov)
Title:
NIGMS’
Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) [R25]
Announcement Type
This
is a reissue of PAR-03-140, which was
previously released on June 17, 2003.
NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT.
This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).
A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.
Program Announcement (PA) Number: PAR-07-432
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s)
Key Dates
Release/Posted Date: August 16,
2007
Opening Date: December 22, 2007 (Earliest date an application may be
submitted to Grants.gov)
Letters
of Intent Receipt Date(s): Not Required
NOTE: On time submission
requires that applications be successfully submitted to Grants.gov no later
than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant institution/organization).
Application Submission/Receipt
Date(s): January
22, 2008, 2009, and 2010
Peer Review Date(s): June-July, 2008, 2009 and 2010
Council Review Date(s): October, 2008, 2009, 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): December 2008, 2009, and 2010
Additional Information To
Be Available Date (Activation Date): Not Applicable
Expiration Date: January 23, 2010
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not
Applicable
Additional
Overview Content
Executive Summary
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) provides updated guidelines for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP). The PREP will support the research training and education of recent baccalaureate graduates from groups underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research areas, who plan to pursue Ph.D. degrees. This research apprenticeship serves as an educational transition for recent baccalaureate graduates who will acquire essential academic credentials and research skills to make them more competitive for Ph.D. programs at highly selective institutions.
Table of Contents
Part I Overview Information
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity
Description
1. Research Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility
Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and
Submission Information
1. Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Submission, Review, and
Anticipated Start Dates
1. Letter of Intent
B. Submitting an Application Electronically
to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
Section V. Application Review
Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Sharing Research Data
D. Sharing Research Resources
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section VI. Award Administration
Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
3. Reporting
Section VII. Agency Contact(s)
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other Information
- Required Federal Citations
Part II
- Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
In order to effectively promote a strong and diverse 21st century scientific workforce, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) actively supports programs that would increase the number of scientists who are members of groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, hereafter referred to as “targeted groups.” The Division of Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) oversees several programs that promote the educational transition of these targeted groups from one level to the next. In 2006, a Working Group of the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council urged the MORE Division to find ways to increase the number of researchers from the targeted groups who attain the Ph.D. degree by 10% per year. In response to this call, the MORE Division has revised the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP), to provide institutions with demonstrated experience in training Ph.D. candidates in the biomedical sciences an opportunity to target talented and promising underrepresented baccalaureate graduates who did not enter Ph.D. programs but plan to pursue this degree.
The objective of the PREP is to encourage individuals from underrepresented groups, who have recently obtained their baccalaureate degrees, to complete Ph.D. degrees in biomedically relevant sciences through extensive academic enhancements and research experience. For the purposes of this program announcement, recent baccalaureate graduates are those who have graduated from an accredited U.S. college or university no more than 36 months prior to applying to a PREP and are not currently enrolled in a degree program. It is anticipated that this program would lead to a steady supply of exceptional Ph.D.-bound students from underrepresented groups. An added benefit of the PREP is that some of the participants might eventually become the scientists who conduct research on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, respiratory diseases, HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, substance abuse, and other areas that address reducing health disparities. In order to increase their acceptance into highly selective graduate programs, PREP participants will receive extensive research training and academic preparation through a one-year apprenticeship, to further develop their scholarly potential and improve their research skills.
Institutional PREPs must generate carefully designed, individualized student development plans (IDP) that are compatible with the students’ curricular needs and experience, combined with research projects mentored by faculty preceptors who have active and well-funded research programs. The development plans must be designed within the context of a one-year apprenticeship to provide the necessary skills to prepare the students for beginning a Ph.D. program. If more than one year of apprenticeship will be provided to a participant, a discussion of the specific skills that will be further enhanced by a second year in the program must be provided. Moreover, the need for a second year term must be justified, activities different from those carried out during the first year must be implemented, and the expected accomplishments should be defined. Support for the second-year apprenticeship is allowable but will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Eligible institutions may request from five to ten postbaccalaureate positions with a maximum of no more than 10 per year for each year of the grant (i.e., 40 participants for a four-year grant period), for individuals to engage in student development activities and mentored research studies.
The academic preparations should enrich the computational and analytical skills of the participants and should not replicate classes that have already been taken at the undergraduate level. The courses to be taken must be appropriate to the requirements for highly selective Ph.D. programs.
As apprentice scientists, the participants must have independent research projects that will allow them to experience the fulfillment of discovery as scientists. They must be able to develop their own hypotheses and design experiments to test these hypotheses. The research environment should be supportive and favorable to learning and include opportunities for the participants to interact with their peers, postdoctoral researchers, and other investigators who could contribute to their growth and will allow them to thrive in a highly rigorous Ph.D. program.
In addition to the IDP, group activities that will complement or augment the individualized plans and allow for interactions among the PREP participants should be included. The group activities should be appropriate to the resources of the institution and integrated well with the overall program plan. These activities should enrich the participants’ verbal skills, analytical and critical thinking abilities, and build their academic credentials to support their completion of a Ph.D. degree. While constructed and conducted with PREP support, these activities may include non-PREP participants and thereby convey benefit more broadly throughout the institution (examples are provided in section IV.6.5 “Proposed Research Education Program”). Existing activities within the institution should not be duplicated. Rather, efforts should be made to integrate the PREP participants into the institutional activities. Plans to connect the PREP with other institutional student training programs, such as NIH-funded training grants, must be provided.
It is expected that upon completion of apprenticeship, PREP participants will enroll directly in high-caliber Ph.D. programs. It is anticipated that a PREP will assist an institution in achieving greater diversity in its Ph.D. programs.
Since PREP students should have the interest in obtaining a Ph.D. degree as a condition of enrollment in the program, the MORE Division expects that a successful PREP will provide the skills such that at least 75% of its participants go onto highly selective Ph.D. programs. Furthermore, with this expertise and experience, the MORE Division expects that at least 80% of the students who enter Ph.D. programs will obtain the degree. Thus, eligible applicant institutions must design the strategies and interventions, as well as set the goals and measurable objectives for their PREPs, within the context of the MORE Division’s expectations and in line with their institutional settings and missions.
Applicant institutions can utilize various strategies to attain the objective of increasing the number of individuals from targeted groups who complete competitive Ph.D. degrees. Whatever the strategies employed, each program must be able to assess their effectiveness. It is important to determine the efficacy of a given intervention by assessing program (1) implementation, (2) impact, and (3) outcomes. The impact of the program may be measured or described as benefits to the institution, faculty members in both participating and non-participating departments, non-PREP students, and PREP participants, as well as the rest of the community. Program outcomes are based on the specific measurable objectives set by the program. In order to assess the value of this program, an assessment component that includes specific goals and measurable objectives, indicators to measure successes, and measurement of the short- and long-term benefits and/or impacts of the PREP to the participants, faculty mentors, students within the institution, and the institution as a whole. In order to be maximally informative, an assessment plan must include baseline data and post-PREP follow up of participants.
The main purpose of the assessment of the program is to provide useful information to the institutional program directors and the institutions for improving their PREPs. The resulting assessment should help inform the institutional leadership in deciding which elements of the PREP could be institutionalized.
The proposed research education program may complement other, 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 cannot be used to circumvent or supplement Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) mechanisms.
See
Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies related to this announcement.
Section
II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
This FOA will use the NIH Research Education Grant (R25) award mechanism. As an applicant, you will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This FOA uses just-in-time concepts. It also uses the non-modular budget format. Applicants must complete and submit budget requests using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) Budget Component found in the application package for this FOA.
Research education grant support is renewable. It is recommended that applicants contact the scientific/research contact listed in Section VII concerning the submission of a competing renewal (formerly “competing continuation”) application. Up to two resubmissions (formerly “revisions/amendments”) of a previously reviewed research education grant application may be submitted. See NOT-OD-03-041, May 7, 2003.
2. Funds Available
Because the nature and scope of the proposed research
education program will vary from application to application, it is anticipated
that the size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial
plans of the NIGMS provide
support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding opportunity are
contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient
number of meritorious applications.
The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed four years. Although the size of award may vary with the scope of the research education program proposed, the total direct costs are limited to $350,000 annually.
The total amount of funding that NIGMS expects to award through this announcement is approximately $2.0 million (total costs) per year for new and renewal applications.
NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this funding opportunity announcement.
Section III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible Institutions
You may submit an application(s) if your organization
has any of the following characteristics:
Applicants' failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline will result in the return of the application without review, or even though the application may be reviewed, will preclude the agency from making an award.
Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply in response to this FOA.
Applications for renewal compete with applications for new awards.
In many cases, it is anticipated that the proposed research education program will complement other ongoing research training occurring at the applicant institution and that a substantial number of program faculty will have active research projects in which participants may gain relevant experiences consistent with their research interests and goals. 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. Moreover, the R25 mechanism is not intended to support long-term training by NRSA-eligible individuals and may not be used to circumvent or supplement Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA research training mechanisms.
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research education program as the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. The PD/PI will be expected to monitor and assess the program, submitting annual reports as required. (See Section VI.3., “Reporting.”)
The PD/PI should have the research and teaching experiences as well as leadership and administrative skills required to develop and implement the proposed research education program. The PD/PI will be responsible for overseeing the selection and appointment of eligible participants to the PREP grant, for the overall direction, management, and administration of the research training program, program assessment, and the submission of all required forms in a timely manner.
More than one PD/PI, or multiple PDs/PIs, may be designated on the application for projects that require a “team science” approach that clearly does not fit the single-PD/PI model. Additional information on the implementation plans and policies and procedures to formally allow more than one PD/PI on individual research projects is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi.
2. Cost
Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing as defined
in the current NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
3. Other-Special
Eligibility Criteria
Sponsoring
Institution:
The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed research
education project. Appropriate institutional commitment to the project includes
the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can
contribute to the planned research education project. The applicant institution must be a research institution
that has a significant number of faculty mentors with
NIH or other extramural research support in the biomedical and behavioral
science fields. It must be an institution with strong Ph.D. programs and
demonstrated experience of training Ph.D. candidates.
Supporting information about the institution’s research program, training experience, and funding of the faculty mentors must be provided at the time of application.
Participants: The applicant institution will select the PREP participants and it is the responsibility of the institution to establish the qualifications of the students before they are allowed to participate in the program. Eligible individuals are those who are considered underrepresented in the fields of biomedical or behavioral research and have graduated with a baccalaureate degree in a biomedically relevant science, from an accredited U.S. college or university, no more than 36 months prior to applying to a PREP, and are not currently enrolled in a degree program. Such candidates include individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (socially, culturally, economically, or educationally; for additional information see Section IV.6. Other Submission Requirements section on “Diversity Recruitment and Retention Plan”). Nationally, racial and ethnic groups who have been found to be underrepresented in biomedical/behavioral research include, but are not limited to, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives/Native Hawaiians, and citizens of the U.S. Pacific Islands. PREP participants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.
Institutions are required to develop selection plans and criteria to identify eligible students who are interested in pursuing a career in biomedical or behavioral research. All individuals selected as participants must intend to apply for a Ph.D. program in the biomedical or behavioral sciences, immediately following completion of apprenticeship.
Applicants are required to include a plan for Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (see Section IV.6).
Applications must contain an evaluation or assessment plan. Applications submitted without these sections may be delayed in the review process or not reviewed. In addition, a mechanism to continue following the progress of the past participants (e.g., application to Ph.D. or enrollment/expected date to receive Ph.D.) should be described. Applications submitted without these sections will be considered noncompliant and will not be reviewed.
Applicants may not submit, or have pending, more than one PREP grant application. Eligible institutions may hold only one PREP award.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
To download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and
SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for
this FOA, link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow the directions provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:
PD/PIs should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the eRA Commons.
Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant institution/organization can submit an electronic application, as follows:
1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Started
2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons
3) Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.
Note that if a PD/PI is also an NIH peer-reviewer with an Individual DUNS and CCR registration, that particular DUNS number and CCR registration are for the individual reviewer only. These are different than any DUNS number and CCR registration used by an applicant organization. Individual DUNS and CCR registration should be used only for the purposes of personal reimbursement and should not be used on any grant applications submitted to the Federal Government.
Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.
1. Request Application Information
Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R)
application forms and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.
Note: Only the forms package
directly attached to a specific FOA can be used. You will not be able to use
any other SF424 (R&R) forms (e.g., sample forms, forms from another FOA),
although some of the "Attachment" files may be useable for more than
one FOA.
For further assistance, contact GrantsInfo: Telephone
301-435-0714, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY
301-451-0088.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R&R) application forms and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (MS Word or PDF).
The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. There are fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components that, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the “Credential” log-in field of the “Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile” component must contain the PD/PI’s assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see “Tips and Tools for Navigating Electronic Submission” on the front page of “Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.”
The SF424 (R&R) application is comprised of data arranged in separate components. Some components are required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/APPLY will include all applicable components, required and optional. A completed application in response to this FOA will include the following components:
Required
Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover component)
Research & Related Project/Performance Site
Locations
Research & Related Other Project Information
Research & Related Senior/Key Person
Research & Related Budget
PHS398 Cover Page Supplement
PHS398 Research Plan
PHS398 Checklist
Research Education Program
While the proposed research education program may complement other, 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.
If multiple sites are involved in the research education program, the applicant institution must be the primary site for the program. The need for and use of multiple sites must be justified.
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 the degree of success or failure. 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 outcome measures that would determine the success of the research education program in achieving its objectives.
Assessment may be done through the institution’s evaluation office or an external evaluator may be included as a consultant. There should be an assessment of program implementation, impacts, and outcomes. The result of the assessment must be used as advisory to the PD/PI to determine where the program is successful and where changes are needed. It should inform the PD/PI what the challenges are and what actions could be taken to overcome these challenges. It should not strictly focus on success or failure of students, but rather on the proposed activities to show whether these are producing the results needed. In addition to assessing the program implementation, outcomes, and impacts, information about the past participants and their career trajectory to Ph.D. degrees should be provided. Programs that have gone through two funding cycles should provide information on the Ph.D. retention and graduation rates of past participants. Applications lacking this information will not be reviewed.
Allowable Costs
Allowable costs must be consistent with NIH policy and be reasonable, allocable, well documented and fully justified for the research education program proposed in the application. Grant funds may not be used to supplant funds otherwise available at the applicant institution.
Personnel: Individuals participating in the design and implementation of the research education program may request salary and fringe benefits appropriate for the person months devoted to the program. These expenses must be itemized in Sections A and B, as appropriate, of the Research & Related Budget. Salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions and may not exceed the congressionally mandated cap. Mentoring interactions are considered a regular part of a faculty member's academic duties and will not be supported by grant funds. Limited administrative and clerical salary costs associated distinctly with the program that are not normally provided by the applicant organization may be direct charges to the grant only when specifically identified and justified.
Salary support for the PD/PI is up to 1.35 person months (i.e., 15% effort of a 9-month academic year) during the academic year and 0.45 person months (i.e., 15% of a 3-month summer term) in the summer. Salary for a program coordinator may be requested to assist the PD/PI in the day-to-day administration of the program. The salary of the coordinator is limited to 50% time.
Other Program-Related Expenses: Consultant costs, equipment, supplies, travel for key persons, and other program-related expenses must be justified as specifically required by the proposed research education program and must not duplicate items generally available for educational programs at the applicant institution. These expenses must be itemized, as appropriate, in Sections C. (Equipment), D. (Travel), and F. (Other Direct Costs) of the Research & Related Budget.
Cost of consultants for program assessment is allowed; however, if the evaluator is an employee of the applicant institution, the cost must be included in the category of key personnel salary and listed as person months.
Participant Costs: Participants are those individuals who benefit from the proposed research education program. Participant costs must be justified as specifically required for the proposed research education program. Participant costs must be itemized in Section B. (Participant/Trainee Support Costs) of the Research & Related Budget, since the participants are considered employees.
Remuneration for PREP participants is through salary and wages, but salaries requested may not exceed the levels commensurate with the institution's policy for similar positions. PREP participants will be paid a salary of $21,000/year. The total compensation package, which includes fringe benefits and tuition and fees (if applicable) a PREP participant may be paid must not exceed $30,000/year. PREP participants will be required to work as research apprentices at 75% of time, and the other 25% will be for further academic development. n order for the participant to receive this compensation, the following conditions must be met:
TUITION REMISSION: The applicant institution may request tuition remission for a course it deems necessary to enhance the preparedness of a PREP scholar for graduate studies; tuition remission must be specifically justified. However, tuition remission may not exceed the in-state tuition cost at institutions that also have out-of-state tuition charges.
TRAVEL: Applicants may request support for travel of PREP scholars to attend or present scientific papers at domestic scientific conferences. Requests for PREP scholars travel to scientific meetings or workshops must be justified carefully and specifically.
Institutional Commitment: Evidence of institutional commitment to the research educational program is strongly encouraged. This may include but is not limited to increasing efforts to have a more diverse faculty members and student body, which may help in providing role models to the PREP participants. Methods such as workshops or retreats for faculty mentors, to increase their awareness and commitment to increasing diversity in the science workforce, and rewarding faculty members who have been involved in the training and mentoring of underrepresented groups to insure diversity in the workforce, could also be employed. Another example could be the participation of institutional officials in various activities that support increasing the number of underrepresented groups in the sciences.
Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs: F&A costs for the applicant organization will be reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs.
3. Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A for
details.
3.A.
Submission, Review, and Anticipated Start Dates
Opening
Date: December 22, 2007 (Earliest date an application may be submitted to
Grants.gov)
Letters
of Intent Receipt Date(s): Not Required
Application Submission/Receipt
Date(s): January 22, 2008, 2009, and 2010
Peer Review Date(s): June-July, 2008, 2009 and 2010
Council Review Date(s): October, 2008, 2009, 2010
Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): December 2008, 2009, and 2010
3.A.1. Letter of Intent
A letter of intent is not required for the funding opportunity.
3.B. Submitting an Application Electronically to the
NIH
To submit an application in response to this FOA, applicants should access this
FOA via http://www.grants.gov/Apply and follow steps 1-4. Note: Applications must only be submitted electronically.
PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
3.C. Application
Processing
Applications may be submitted on or after the
opening date and must be successfully received by Grants.gov no later
than 5:00 p.m.
local time (of the applicant institution/organization) on the application submission/receipt date(s). (See Section IV.3.A. for all dates.) If an application is
not submitted by the receipt date(s) and time, the application may be delayed
in the review process or not reviewed.
Upon receipt, applications will be transferred from Grants.gov to the NIH Electronic Research Administration process for validation.
Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two business days to view the application image.
Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
There will be an acknowledgement of receipt of applications from Grants.gov and the Commons. Information related to the assignment of an application to a Scientific Review Group is also in the Commons.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial merit review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. The NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. This does not preclude the submission of an application already reviewed with substantial changes, but such application must include an “Introduction” addressing the previous critique. Note such an application is considered a "resubmission" for the SF424 (R&R).
4. Intergovernmental Review
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.
A single consolidated budget for
PREP is required, with each item clearly justified. The following items are non-allowable costs for the PREP.
Pre-award costs are allowable. A
grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior approval, incur obligations
and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days before the beginning date of the
initial budget period of a new or renewal award if such costs: are necessary to conduct the project,
and would be allowable under the grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval.
If specific expenditures would otherwise require prior approval, the grantee
must obtain NIH approval before incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is
required for any costs to be incurred more than 90 days before the beginning
date of the initial budget period of a new or renewal award.
The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of a
competing or non-competing award imposes no obligation on NIH either to make
the award or to increase the amount of the approved budget if an award is made
for less than the amount anticipated and is inadequate to cover the pre-award
costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be fully aware that pre-award costs
result in borrowing against future support and that such borrowing must not
impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the project objectives in the
approved time frame or in any way adversely affect the conduct of the project.
See the NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
6. Other Submission
Requirements
The NIH requires the PD/PI to fill in his/her Commons User ID in the “PROFILE – Project Director/Principal Investigator” section, “Credential”
log-in field of the “Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile”
component. The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its
Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS
number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional
information, see “Tips and Tools for Navigating Electronic Submission” on the
front page of “Electronic
Submission of Grant Applications.”
All application instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (MS Word or PDF) are to be followed, with the following requirements for R25 applications:
Appendix Materials
NIH has published new limitations on grant application appendix materials to encourage applications to be as concise as possible while containing the information needed for expert scientific review. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-018.html.
Applicants must follow the specific instructions on Appendix materials as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm).
Do not use the Appendix to circumvent the page limitations of the Research Plan. An application that does not observe these limitations may be delayed in the review process.
Note: While each section of the Research Plan needs to be uploaded separately as a PDF attachment, applicants are encouraged to construct the Research Plan as a single document, separating sections into distinct PDF attachments just before uploading the files. This approach will enable applicants to better monitor formatting requirements such as page limits. All attachments must be provided to NIH in PDF format, filenames must be included with no spaces or special characters, and a .pdf extension must be used.
Supplementary Research Education Program Application Instructions
Applicants should use the following guidance, in addition to the instructions accompanying the SF 424 (R&R) form. Applications that do not conform to the specific instructions detailed below will be returned.
1. SF 424 Research & Related Project/Performance Site Location(s): Include collaborating sites, if appropriate.
2. SF 424 Research & Related Other Project Information, Item 9 (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.
3. SF 424 Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile: Key Personnel must include the PD/PI as well as any other key persons (such as those involved in the development, implementing, directing, monitoring, evaluating, etc., who are integral to the proposed research education program) participating in the research education program. The biographical sketch for each key personnel, including the consultant(s) and potential research mentors, should include information on his/her teaching and/or research achievements, current grant support, and the past student training record for the last five years. Provide only the number of students and their academic levels; do not include names of students.
4. Research & Related Budget: Complete for each budget period requested.
A. Senior/Key Person: complete for all senior/key persons associated with the research education program. The PD/PI must be included here.
B. Other Personnel: complete for all other personnel (including clerical and administrative staff) associated with the research education program.
C. Equipment: self-explanatory.
D. Travel: include here any travel funds requested for senior/key persons and other personnel (i.e., those persons identified in Sections A. and B.) associated with the research education program.
E. Participant/Trainee Support Costs: include here all allowable categories of funds requested to support participants in the research education program. If categories in addition to those listed in this section of the 424R&R form are needed, describe in Other. State the number of Participants/Trainees to be supported by the proposed research education program. The allowable categories of participant support costs are summarized in Section IV.2 for this FOA.
F. Other Direct Costs: itemize as appropriate and allowed for the research education program.
K. Budget Justification: provide a detailed justification for each category for which funds are requested. For Section E, itemize each category of support costs per participant and justify.
5. PHS 398 Research Plan Attachments:
There are five parts to the Research Plan. Part 1 refers to PHS 398 section on Introduction, and is required only for resubmissions (previously known as revisions). Parts 2-5 correspond to PHS 398 sections on Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary Studies/Progress Report, and Research Design and Methods.
It is anticipated that several departments, e.g., Biological Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Sciences, etc., will be involved in the institutional PREP. Hence, the Research Plan component of the PREP application should be organized to reflect the institutional scope of the proposed program. The Research Plan should describe an integrated set of activities that include individualized student development plans (IDP) and group activities that would enhance academic excellence and promote the timely progression of scholars to the next academic/career step. It should also describe how these activities could contribute to faculty awareness and commitment to a diverse workforce and student body within the institution. Any benefits to the community because of PREP activities should be addressed.
The page limit for the Research Plan (corresponding to PHS 398 sections on Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary Studies/Progress Report, and Research Design and Methods) is 25 pages, including tables, figures, diagrams, and charts.
Details of the information required to be included in a PREP grant application in each of these sections in the Research Plan are presented below.
Specific Aims (Part 2): In this section, the application must address the overall goals and specific measurable objectives (including anticipated milestones) that the institution expects to accomplish, and how these are relevant to the preparation of the PREP participants to complete a first-rate Ph.D. degree in biomedical and/or behavioral science research. The MORE Division expects that during the four-year funding cycle at least 75% of the PREP participants enroll in a Ph.D. program at highly competitive and research intensive institutions. It is also expected that at least 80% of the students pursuing Ph.D. will complete the degree. Thus, the objectives of the institutional PREP must be presented to reflect these expectations.
Background and Significance (Part 3): Include the following items in this section:
1) Institutional Setting and Current Status of the Graduate Biomedical Science-Related Academic Programs: Provide a brief description of the mission of the institution and its academic components. Provide evidence of the institution's commitment to diversity, particularly in the hiring of faculty from targeted groups, especially in the participating science departments. Describe the current academic programs and counseling/mentoring services, as well as the size of the graduate student body (Ph.D. level) in the biomedically relevant sciences. Discuss any perceived impediments at your institution to the success of students in biomedical and/or behavioral sciences in general, and of underrepresented groups in particular, with reference to completion of Ph.D. degrees. Provide institutional data, which shows the current numbers and graduation rate of Ph.D. students in the relevant biomedical and/or behavioral sciences, particularly those belonging to underrepresented groups. Cite literature on which you base your rationale for incorporating particular features into your program.
2) Student Enrollment, Graduation, and Career Paths: Provide the institutional data on the Ph.D. student enrollment from the last four years, and indicate the percentage of targeted groups. Provide the number of Ph.D. students in tabular form (overall and underrepresented groups) majoring in the participating departments, their graduation rates, and the subsequent career paths of the students for the last four years.
Part 4 of this section (Preliminary Studies/Progress Report) should contain information on steps that have led to the proposed research education program. A Progress Report must be included in renewal applications.
For new applications, briefly describe and summarize any significant achievements within the last four years of any programs at the institution that have encouraged and helped retain underrepresented students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty in the PREP-participating departments.
For renewal applications, an explicitly identified, detailed progress report (in place of Preliminary Studies) must be included. State the original and specific measurable objectives, anticipated milestones, and outcomes. Provide participant information such as the: 1) number of participant slots awarded, 2) number of participants appointed, 3) number of students who applied to and obtained pre-doctoral training support, fellowships, and research supplements, and 4) number of those who went on to enroll or complete a Ph.D. degree (as applicable) during the last 4-year funding period. A suggested format can be found in the MARC U*STAR FOA sample table (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-337.html).
In another table, list the names of the participants during the last four-year funding period that applied to, enrolled in, or completed (as applicable) the Ph.D. degree in biomedical and/or behavioral research fields. An example of how the information can be organized is found in the following sample table.
Sample Table
PREP Cumulative Report |
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Student Participants and Outcomes During the 4-year Funding Period |
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Participants (Year of participation in the program) |
Current status (include contact information of graduate programs if applicable) |
Ph.D. programs applied to (include the names of the institutions) |
Ph.D. Programs accepted in (include the names of the institutions) |
Ph.D. Program enrolled in (include the name of the institution and expected date of graduation) |
1 Jane Doe (2006) |
Ph.D. student (Molecular Biology, Department of…, University of… biology@univ.edu) |
Molecular Biology University of… University of… University of... |
Molecular Biology, University of…, University of |
Molecular Biology, University of… Expected graduation date: Spring 2011 |
2 Joe Smith (2006) |
Research Scientist, Applied Sciences Inc. chem@asi.com |
Molecular Biology, University of… |
Molecular Biology, University of… |
Not Applicable |
3 Eve Adam (2006-2007) |
Ph. D. candidate (Dept. of Biology, University of.. biology@univ.edu) |
Developmental Biology University of… |
Developmental Biology University of |
Developmental Biology University of… Spring 2012 |
4 Another Name (2007) |
Applying to Ph.D. program |
Univ… |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
5 O. Person (2007) |
Did not finish apprenticeship |
unknown |
unknown |
unknown |
6. S. Student (2008-2009) |
PREP participant (second year apprenticeship) |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
List any grant applications or publications written or co-authored by the participants. Describe any significant honors and awards given to these students (provide specific dates) that were related to, or resulted from, involvement in activities supported by the PREP.
In addition, provide in narrative and/or tabular form, a summary of the accomplishments of the PREP program during the previous four-year project period, with reference to student participation in research and/or other PREP-supported development activities, e.g., workshops, scientific meetings, or lectures. Describe the effect of the PREP program activities on the enrollments, academic environment, and graduation rates of underrepresented students and other related aspects of the institution. Describe what has been learned through the program assessment and any changes made in the program because of the assessment.
Provide the results of monitoring of the past participants’ career path. In a tabular or narrative form, state the names of individuals supported by the PREP during the previous eight-year project period (as applicable). The information should also include the 1) current institution/department affiliation, 2) current status (i.e., predoctoral student, postdoctoral researcher, research scientist, faculty member, etc.), and 3) type and year of degree earned (e.g., Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., professional degree/Ph.D., etc., as applicable).
Part 5 of this section (Research Design and Methods) should be retitled "Research Education Program Plan" and should contain material organized under the following subheadings in a single attachment and as appropriate to the specific program.
Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PDs/PIs): 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 the NIGMS, 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.
The PD/PI is the principal contact with MORE/NIGMS at the institution and is responsible for the administration and management of the institutional PREP. The PD/PI is responsible for insuring that the PREP participants are placed in highly productive laboratories with faculty mentors who will provide the proper guidance and instruction for the students. In consultation with the advisory committee (see below), the PD/PI must oversee the preparation and development of an IDP for each student participant, as well as design program activities that will further enhance the academic preparation and research skills of the participants. The PD/PI must insure that other institutional programs will complement the PREP activities, and allow sufficient occasion for the participants to interact with Ph.D. candidates as peers. The PD/PI is also responsible for the preparation and submission of required reports (e.g., annual progress reports, changes in the program, etc.) in a timely manner.
An Institutional Advisory Committee for the PREP is strongly recommended. This committee may provide counsel and assistance to the PD/PI and institutional officials in meeting the goals of the PREP. Representatives from various institutional offices, including those involved in graduate education, student advisement, business office, and central administration, may make up this committee. Student representatives among the PREP participants or graduate students as well as faculty members from one or two participating departments are also appropriate. Other committee members may include individuals or faculty members from other institutions who may be able to provide insights to further the goals and specific measurable objectives of the program. Provide a list of names and titles of the members of the Advisory Committee including their institutional affiliations.
The following are some typical functions of an advisory committee: (1) advise and assist the PD/PI in the development and implementation of program procedures and practices, (2) assist the PD/PI in establishing criteria and procedures for the admittance/retention of students and selection of faculty mentors, (3) help monitor progress of program activities and student participants, (4) assist the PD/PI in designing IDPs, (5) advise on rebudgeting of funds, (6) help expand the present effort by identifying internal and external funding sources, (7) assist in monitoring compliance with NIH policies and regulations, and, if necessary, (8) address faculty and student grievances related to the PREP, and assist in selecting a new PD/PI.
Program Faculty/Staff: 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 the NIGMS.
The PREP faculty mentors are expected to have strong research programs supported by NIH or other extramural funds. They are also expected to have previous experience in training students, and be committed to supporting a diverse scientific workforce. They should provide a positive learning and working environment, which will foster productive interactions between the PREP participants and excellent peer and mentoring groups.
Provide relevant information on the proposed faculty members who would be research mentors and, in addition, those faculty and/or staff who would conduct the student development activities. Provide their biographical sketches (see Section IV.6, SF424 Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile, above), emphasizing their teaching and/or research achievements, extramural research support, and their record in training and mentoring students.
Proposed Research Education Program: Provide programmatic detail on the special activities proposed (e.g., courses, curricula, seminars, workshops).
Describe the strategy that will be used to determine the appropriate IDP for each participant in order to meet his/her specific needs and improve his/her academic credentials for pursuing Ph.D. degrees. Describe the type of activities for the IDPs that the participants will be engaged in (e.g., enrollment in specific courses, research, and research-related activities), the rationale for these activities, and measurement of outcomes as a result of participating in these activities. This program should not be equated with or converted into a Master’s degree equivalent since students may have different academic backgrounds and their needs would not fit into a single course curriculum.
Describe how student progress will be monitored while they are in the PREP, after participating in the PREP, and while in Ph.D. programs. Provide information on the contribution of the faculty mentors or other personnel in the development of the students.
Describe the proposed research activities of the PREP participants, how the research results will be disseminated or presented.
Describe the proposed group activities (e.g., grant writing exercises, institutional visits, application to graduate schools, journal club, service learning, social activities, etc.) in which the PREP cohort will participate. If these differ from programs currently offered by the institution to their predoctoral students, describe how other institutional programs will be made available and utilized by the PREP participants. Describe what strategies will be employed to enhance the PREP participants’ verbal abilities, writing and communication skills, as well as critical and analytical thinking. Describe how these activities will further increase the PREP participants’ competitiveness in completing Ph.D. degrees. Describe how the PREP students will be integrated into the institution’s graduate programs. Describe how the proposed PREP will be associated with other institutional student training programs, such as the NIH training grants. Describe the expected outcomes.
Describe the type of peer group that the PREP participants will have in the institution and how this group will help prepare the PREP participants for the rigors of Ph.D. program requirements.
A plan for monitoring the previous PREP participants’ progress in predoctoral and postdoctoral programs as well as their subsequent employment should be included. This should also include descriptions on how the previous participants can continue to contribute to the PREP, how communications between the PREP and previous participants can be maintained, and how feedback can be obtained as they progress in their Ph.D. studies.
The selection strategy and criteria for appropriate faculty mentors should be explained. A general faculty-mentoring plan should be provided to insure that all PREP participants are given high-quality mentorship. The plan should include the mentors’ (1) research plan or outline for the PREP participants, (2) availability for consultation and discussion of research project results, (3) role in students’ application process to graduate schools, (4) plan to introduce the students to their professional networks, and (5) assistance in other non-academic issues. It is expected that the faculty mentors will serve as points of contact after the students leave the lab for graduate studies.