We’d like to make you aware that NIGMS is expanding eligibility within the diversity supplement program (PA-23-189) to include applications from principal investigators (PIs) of parent awards from the following programs:
- Support for Research Excellence (SuRE, R16)
- Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE Phases 1 and 2, P20)
- Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks for Clinical and Translational Research (IDeA-CTR, U54)
- IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE, P20)
- Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH, S06)
This opportunity is part of our Diversity Supplement Program, which facilitates the recruitment and research training of promising scientists from diverse backgrounds—for example, individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce.
As noted in the diversity supplement funding announcement, eligible candidates must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. NIGMS funding priorities include applications that make a strong case that the supplement will benefit the candidate and not simply serve to free up funds from research grants. Thus, candidates shouldn’t have support from the parent award at the time of the application. The focus of the application should be on developing credentials for advancing the candidate’s research career. In all cases, the proposed research experience must be within the scope of the active parent grant.
For multicomponent awards (IDeA and NARCH), PIs of parent awards can request diversity supplements on behalf of the following investigators who will serve as the candidates’ mentors: research project leaders (COBRE, NARCH), developmental research project leaders (INBRE), and project leaders of multiyear projects (IDeA-CTR). Co-mentors are highly encouraged. We’ll consider supplemental support of applicants at the high school/undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels.
Additional points of note:
- NIGMS allows only one application per parent award at the postbaccalaureate level and above, and up to three applications at the high school/undergraduate level.
- Project leaders at the postdoctoral level (without faculty appointment) can’t mentor postdoctoral candidates.
- NIGMS won’t accept applications to support candidates at an early career faculty level, or applications from parent awards that carry an unobligated balance greater than 25% of the current year’s total approved budget.
Additional information about application and submission procedures, as well as eligibility and funding priorities, can be found on the diversity supplements webpage. PIs of eligible individuals are strongly encouraged to discuss potential diversity supplement requests, proposed training and career development plans, and the application process with their program officer before applying.