More Mentees Per Grant

The Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research Program is designed to increase the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting individuals from groups that have been historically underrepresented in biomedical research. Supplements may be used to provide support for research experiences for individuals at all career stages from high school to the faculty level. Previously, NINDS grantees were provided with a maximum of one diversity supplement per grant, with the exception of support for high school students, undergraduate students, and postbaccalaureate trainees.

The purpose of this addendum is to inform NINDS-supported investigators that NINDS will consider the support of more than one mentored trainee on an active grant when requests are made in response to the NIH Program Announcement Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research.

This policy will facilitate the ability of highly effective mentors to support more than one trainee concurrently, and is intended to benefit the sense of community in the laboratory, contribute to peer role modeling and contribute to the impact of overall institutional commitment to mentorship and diversity. NINDS diversity supplemental support should be used to help trainees transition to the next career stage and/or obtain individual funding, such as NIH National Research Service Awards or Career Development Awards.

Applicants are reminded that this program is designed to attract and retain individuals from underrepresented groups into research careers and is not intended to provide an alternative or additional means of funding individuals who already receive support from an NIH research grant, have previously received diversity supplement at the same career stage, or have had an NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA) or any other PHS funding mechanism. Graduate students or individuals in postdoctoral training who are supported by an Institutional NRSA may not be transferred to supplemental support prior to the completion of their appointed period of training.

Applicants should be advised that a separate supplement request for each candidate is required, and that the merit of each application will be reviewed independently. Each request must be strongly justified and include assurances that each candidate will receive appropriate mentoring. Each training and mentoring plan should specifically address the needs, strengths and weaknesses of the individual applicant. Applicants will be expected to provide a description of the progress of all previously mentored underrepresented students and postdoctoral fellows in achieving their career goals.

Inquiries

Prior to submission of an application, the Principal Investigator (applicant) should carefully review the diversity supplement webpage, and if any further questions remain should contact Dr. Marguerite Matthews, the diversity supplement point of contact, to discuss the proposed supplement. Critical issues to be discussed may include, but are not limited to, the career development and mentoring plan activities.