Purpose
Administrative supplements to currently active NIH research grants to support individuals with high potential to re-enter or re-integrate into an active research career after an interruption.
Program Announcement
NOT-OD-23-170
Appointee Eligibility
Predoctoral students (re-integration program only); Postdoctorate/residency; early career investigators; U.S. citizens or permanent residents
Institution Eligibility
U.S. domestic institutions
Overview
The Re-entry Supplements program is intended to provide mentored research training opportunities for a minimum of 1 year to re-enter biomedical research to individuals with doctoral degrees, who have interrupted their research careers for family responsibilities or other qualifying circumstances.
The Re-integration Program addresses the critical need to provide individuals, including predoctoral students, who are adversely affected by unsafe or discriminatory environments resulting from intimidation or bullying, to rapidly transition into new safer, and more supportive research environments. The goal is to provide these individuals with a timely and seamless continuation of their research training program and to safely reintegrate into the biomedical workforce.
The supplementary information on this page applies to applications requesting selected research supplements to active National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) grants. Its purpose is to clarify the application process for NINDS grantees and is not intended to replace the detailed information in the Notice. The supplement must be applied to an existing NIH research grant with a minimum of 1 year of funding remaining.
Prior to submission of an application, the Principal Investigator (applicant) should contact Anahid Ebrahimi, PhD, Health Program Specialist in the Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity (anahid.ebrahimi@nih.gov), to discuss the proposed supplement. Critical issues to be discussed with the program specialist may include, but are not limited to, the research development and mentoring plan activities.
Eligibility
Candidates with a doctoral degree seeking re-entry: In general, the duration of the career interruption should be for at least six months and no more than eight years. Examples of qualifying interruptions would include child-rearing; an incapacitating illness or injury of the candidate, spouse, partner, or a member of the immediate family; and military service. The program is not intended to support additional graduate training and is not intended to support career changes from non-research to research careers for individuals without prior research training. It is anticipated that at the completion of the supplement, the re-entry scientist will be in a position to apply for a career development (K) award, a research award, or some other form of independent research support. The candidate should not be engaged in full-time paid research activities at the time of re-entry (temporary part-time is acceptable).
Re-integration: Candidates with doctoral degrees and graduate students seeking to transition out of unsafe research environments because of discriminatory and unlawful harassment are eligible to apply for re-integration supplements as soon as supplement support to continue research training in a new and safe research environment has been identified. Unsafe environments may consist of threatening behavior such as sexual and gender harassment; harassment based on being a member of a racial, ethnic, sexual, or gender minority group; disability-based aggression; aggressions associated with religion; and other similar circumstances.
Supplement Format
The program is designed to bring the scientist’s existing research skills and knowledge up-to-date, so that, during or at the completion of the supplement, the scientist will be in a position to apply for a fellowship, career development, or research award.
Application instructions are available in NOT-OD-23-170 under "Application and Submission Information."
Competitive applications will have the following:
Research Plan
- Research Strategy
- Summary of the Funded Grant or Project: A brief description of the Parent Grant specific aims must be provided.
- Description of the Candidate’s Proposed Research Activities: Defined research objectives that serve as a basis for the supplementee’s autonomy as a research investigator and transition from the supplementee phase to independence. The application should include plans for a project that both fits the scope of the parent grant and ultimately evolves into a future project clear of competition and demonstrates ownership/ non-dependence on mentor. A brief description of the Parent Grant specific aims must be provided.
- Career Development and Mentorship Plan
- A carefully planned mentoring program developed by the mentor and the supplementee. The research and training timeline should include both scientific and administrative milestones that will be needed to secure independence.
- The plan should show the strength of the mentor’s commitment to the applicant's continued research career development and independence.
Mentoring Experience of the PI
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This is a required component for NINDS applications. This section is a separate document and should be submitted under “Other Attachments.” The PI should describe their experience and track record as a mentor and provide evidence of mentoring experience and success, e.g., a list of past trainees and their current positions.
Candidate Biosketch
- The personal statement of the candidate's biosketch should address: research objectives and career goals, research experience prior to onset of hiatus, length of and reason for career hiatus, a description of how the candidate has kept current or attempted to keep current in their field, and identification of any steps already taken toward re-entry (if applicable, such as attending scientific meetings).
- Evidence of a publication record in respected peer-review journals within the field.
Reference Letters/Letters of Support
- Reference letter(s) from either past mentors or advisors that address the trajectory of the candidate prior to the hiatus. The supporting letters should provide positive evidence of the productivity level and likelihood of the candidate transitioning to independence prior to the hiatus.
Institutional Commitment
- Especially for the re-integration program, applications should show the strength of institutional commitment to immediately address unlawful harassment and fully support and protect the candidate’s pursuit of continued research training in a safe and supportive environment.
Allowable Costs and Other Provisions
A maximum of 3 years of support can be awarded. During the first budget period, funds will be provided as an administrative supplement to the parent grant. In subsequent years, continued funding for the supplement is contingent on funding of the parent grant and the re-entry/re-integration candidate's progress, and cannot extend beyond the current competitive segment of the parent grant.
Budget information should be entered for the grantee institution in the fields provided. There is no template or form available for subaward information; instead, all subaward information should be included as a separate attachment showing the funds requested (by budget period) using the same categories provided for the grantee institution. Also include a budget justification for the subawardee institution in the same file.
|
|
Graduate (Predoctoral) And Health Professional Students* |
Individuals in Postdoctoral Training |
Investigators Developing Independent Research Careers |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Salary & Fringe Benefits |
Consistent with applicant institutional salary policies, total compensation (salary, fringe benefits, and tuition remission) cannot exceed zero level NSRA postdoc stipend |
Must be in accordance with the salary structure of the grantee institution, consistent with the level of effort, and may not exceed the maximum allowable NRSA stipend level for postdoctoral fellows in effect at the time of appointment. |
Consistent with applicant Institutional salary policies, but cannot exceed $85,000 total for both salary and fringe benefits. |
|
Supplies & Travel |
$4,000 per year |
$6,000 per year |
$10,000 per year |
|
Tuition |
Allowable |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Equipment |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Period of Support |
Coincident with research doctoral and health professional degree program, typically up to three years |
Typically two years |
Typically two years |
Submission and Receipt of Applications
Prior to submission of an application, the Principal Investigator (applicant) should contact Anahid Ebrahimi, PhD, Health Program Specialist in the Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity (anahid.ebrahimi@nih.gov).
For more guidance on submission, please see the eRA Commons user guide.
We accept applications on a rolling basis. Allow for 1-2 months after the time of submission for a final funding decision.
Review and Award of Applications
Administrative review criteria are available in NOT-OD-23-170 under "Application Review Information."
Funding decisions are generally dependent on:
- The merit of the application and the proposed project activities (i.e., the career development/mentorship plan)
- The potential for continued research progress of the candidate
- The availability of funds
Contact
Michelle Jones-London, Ph.D. | Chief, Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity
NINDSDiversityTraining@mail.nih.gov
Anahid Ebrahimi, Ph.D. | Health Program Specialist, Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity
anahid.ebrahimi@nih.gov
Resources
Anti-Sexual Harassment Resources
NIH Director's Statement on Harassment