NIH: Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research

Sponsor: The National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The NIH hereby notifies all Principal Investigators holding any of the NIH research grants (listed below) that funds are available for administrative supplements to support and recruit students, postdoctorates, and eligible investigators. Administrative supplements must support work within the scope of the original project.

The NIH recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity 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;
- an improvement in the quality of the educational and training environment;
- a balanced perspective in the determination of research priorities;
- an improved capacity to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols;
- an improved capacity to address and eliminate health disparities.

Although the NIH currently provides multiple opportunities to develop research careers and improve participation for individuals from groups with low representation in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, reports from the National Science Foundation (NSF), (see http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/women/start.htm) and others provide strong evidence that diversity remains an important problem that the entire research enterprise must actively address.

There is abundant evidence that the biomedical and educational enterprise will directly benefit from broader inclusion. Recent studies have supported the argument that diversity enhances the quality of education in multiple settings. Studies have suggested that racially and culturally concordant scientific staff may be more successful in recruiting individuals from minority groups into clinical trials. Racially similar physician-patient dyads also may be related to greater patient satisfaction in ways that could enhance communication and participation in clinical research settings. There is limited evidence that individuals who have participated in the NIH administrative supplement program preferentially conduct research in areas related to health disparities or minority health. There is no question that the need for a diverse workforce permeates all aspects of the nation's health-related research effort.

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. This announcement describes programs designed to stimulate the participation of individuals from the following groups:

A. individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups;
B. individuals with disabilities; and
C. individuals from socially, culturally, economically, or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds that have inhibited their ability to pursue a career in health-related research.

Although the administrative supplements supported under this program provide funding for less than one percent of all individuals involved in NIH supported research, the NIH has found these programs to be an effective means of encouraging institutions to recruit from currently underrepresented groups. Data on prior NIH administrative supplement programs are available at http://grants.nih.gov/training/outcomes.htm. All NIH awarding components participate in this program. This program is designed to provide support for research experiences for individuals from the identified groups throughout the continuum from high school to the faculty level. Continuation of this program in the future will be dependent on frequent evaluation of the career outcomes of the individuals who receive support as well as continuing assessments of the diversity of the scientific workforce as reported by the NSF and others.

Amount: Principal Investigators at domestic institutions who hold an active R01, R10, R18, R22, R24, R35, R37, R43, R44, R41, R42, P01, P20, P30, P40, P41, P50, P51, P60, U01, U10, U19, U41, U42, U54, or S06 grant may be eligible to submit a request for an administrative supplement to the awarding component of the parent grant. Because policies may vary among awarding components regarding eligibility of Small Grant Awards (R03), Academic Research Enhancement Awards (R15), or Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21) for supplements under this program, grantees holding those awards must check with the appropriate awarding component before submitting an application for a supplement . Supplements to the R15, R03 and the R21 may provide support above the established dollar limits for the parent grant award. The P20, P30, and P60 award mechanisms are eligible for supplements only if they contain research components. The S06 award mechanism is only eligible for supplements to support postdoctoral fellows and faculty. In all cases, the mechanism of support under this program is the supplemental award.

Deadline:

Release Date: November 19, 2004
Application Receipt Dates(s): Applications can be received at any time
Peer Review Date(s): Applications can be reviewed at any time
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: Within six months of the receipt of the application
Additional Information To Be Available Date: Notification approximately 10 weeks after receipt
Expiration Date: September 30, 2007

For further information, please visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-05-015.html