NIH Training & Career Development Awards - Fs & Ks

1. NIH Training & Career Development Awards - Fs & Ks May 9, 2012 GRAFTON CAMPUS Applicants & Administrators Preaward Luncheon Series

2. Overview of this Session • Part 1 – Training Awards (Fs) • provide an introduction to NIH-sponsored grant mechanisms for training • review eligibility requirements, policies, and application components • Part 2 – Career Development Awards (Ks) • provide an introduction to NIH-sponsored grant mechanisms for career development • review eligibility requirements, policies, and application components • Part 3 – Final Thoughts

3. Part 1 – Training Awards (Fs)

4. National Research Service Awards (NRSA) • named after Dr. Ruth L. Kirschstein, the first woman director of an NIH Institute, as well as a champion and strong advocate for research training • provide support for individual (Fs) and institutional (Ts) research training programs

5. Individual Fellowship Awards • purpose: • provide support for promising doctoral candidates who will perform dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields and postdoctoral associates • eligibility requirements: • U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident (at time of award) • designated mentor • underrepresented minority (for diversity fellowships only) • American Indians or Alaska Natives, Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders

6. Individual Fellowships Awards • application deadlines: • diversity fellowships • April 13th • August 13th • December 13th • all other fellowships • April 8th • August 8th • December 8th • defer to respective IC to determine if applications are accepted for all three dates

7. Grant Mechanisms

8. Grant Mechanisms, cont.

9. Things to Consider Before Applying • contact Program Officer to confirm: • IC is currently accepting applications • application deadline • eligibility given proposed research and IC’s program priorities • qualifications of mentor • identify mentor/co-mentors • track record of independent research funding • availability of funds to defray costs of proposed research • some ICs require mentor to have active funding from the respective IC • significant mentoring experience • NRSA Payback Agreement

10. NRSA Payback Agreement • for postdoctoral trainees only • incurred during first 12 months of NRSA support • acceptable payback service • an additional 12 months of NRSA support • health-related biomedical, behavioral, and/or clinical research • health-related teaching • administration or review of health-related research • must begin within two years of termination • Annual Payback Activities Certification (PHS Form 6031-1)

11. Budget • dependent on NRSA budget policy: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-033.html • budget categories: • stipend • pre-doc: $22,023 • post-doc: based on years of experience • tuition and fees • pre-doc: 60% up to $16,000 • post-doc: 60% up to $4,500 • request full tuition and budget is adjusted by NIH at time of award

12. Budget, cont. • Institutional Allowance • pre-doc: $4,200 • post-doc: $7,850 • used to defray costs of proposed research • mentor must demonstrate availability of funds to support additional research costs • Travel • IC dependent • F&A - 8% of MTDC • not including tuition

13. Budget, cont. • stipend supplementation • without additional effort or obligation to trainee • only with non-federal funds • compensation • for teaching or laboratory work • can not interfere with, detract from, or prolong NRSA-sponsored training

14. Application Components • completed using SF 424 (R&R) Electronic Application Package • divided into 5 categories: • standard • applicant • mentor/co-mentor (referred to as sponsor within application) • institution • external parties

15. Standard • Project Summary (30 lines of text) • Project Narrative (2-3 sentences) • Facilities and Other Resources • Equipment • Specific Aims (1 page) • Research Strategy (6 pages) • Bibliography and References Cited • Research Compliance (Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, Select Agents) • Cover Letter

16. Applicant • Biographical Sketch (4 pages) • course history and grades • Respective Contributions (1 page) • describe collaborative process between you and your mentor/co-mentors in development, review, and editing of research training plan • discuss respective roles in accomplishing proposed research • Selection of Sponsor and Institution (1 page) • explain why mentor/co-mentors and institution were selected to accomplish research training goals

17. Applicant • Goals for Fellowship Training and Career (1 page) • describe overall career goals, and explain how proposed research training will enable attainment of goals • identify skills, theories, conceptual approaches, etc. to be learned or enhanced • Activities Planned Under This Award (1 page) • describe by year the activities (research, coursework, etc) you will be involved in • emphasis should be placed on didactic training • estimate the percentage of time to be devoted to each activity • percentage should total 100 for each year

18. Applicant • Doctoral Dissertation and Other Research (2 pages) • summarize your research experience in chronological order and identify areas studied and conclusions drawn • Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page) • NIH-mandated requirement for training awards • format • subject matter • faculty participation • duration of instruction • frequency of instruction • template:http://grantwriting.tufts.edu/?pid=15&c=24

19. Mentor/Co-Mentors • Biographical Sketch (4 pages) • Sponsor Information (6 pages) • Research Support Available • active and pending • demonstrate availability of funds to support proposed research • Previous Fellows • identify number of past and current trainees • select 5 that are representative of training • Training Plan, Environment, and Research Facilities • Number of Trainees to be Supervised during Fellowship • Applicant’s Qualifications and Potential for a Research Career

20. Institution and External Parties • institution • Letter of Certification/Eligibility (for predoctoral applicants only) • signed by dean or registrar • external parties • Letters of Reference (3) • submitted individually by referee through eRA commons before application deadline • mentor/ co-mentors can not serve as a referee

21. Part 2 – Career Development Awards (Ks)

22. Career Development Awards (Ks) • purpose: • provide “protected time” for research training opportunities to further develop career, beginning at the postdoctoral level • eligibility: • US Citizen of permanent resident (at time of award) • except for K99-R00 award • must be able to meet full time appointment requirement of 9 calendar months • mentored awards - can not be former PI of R01, P01 subproject, or any K award • can be former PI of R03 or R21 for most mechanisms, but not all • independent awards - must have active peer-reviewed research support at time of award • each IC uses grant mechanisms differently • application deadlines: • February 12th • June 12th • October 12th • defer to respective IC to determine if applications are accepted for all three dates

23. Grant Mechanisms

24. Grant Mechanisms, cont.

25. Grant Mechanisms, cont.

26. How to Determine Eligibility? • Career Award Wizard: • http://grants.nih.gov/training/kwizard/index.htm • IC specific use of grant mechanisms: • http://grants.nih.gov/training/careerdevelopmentawards.htm • contact Program Officer

27. Things to Consider Before Applying • contact Program Officer to confirm: • IC is currently accepting applications • application deadline • eligibility given proposed research and IC’s program priorities • qualifications of mentor • identify mentor/co-mentors (as applicable) • track record of independent research funding • availability of funds to defray costs of proposed research • some ICs require mentor to have active funding from the respective IC • significant mentoring experience

28. Budget • salary • minimum of 9 calendar months • amount of salary requested is IC dependent • despite range dictated by IC, salary must conform with Tufts University compensation policy • research development support • IC dependent • F&A - 8 % of MTDC (not including tuition) • eligible and encouraged to apply for additional grant support

29. Application Components • completed using SF 424 (R&R) Electronic Application Package • divided into 5 categories: • standard • applicant • mentor/co-mentor (referred to as sponsor within application) • institution • external parties

30. Standard • Project Summary (30 lines of text) • Project Narrative (2-3 sentences) • Facilities and Other Resources • Equipment • Specific Aims (1 page) • Research Strategy (12 pages*) • Bibliography and References Cited • Research Compliance (Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animals, Select Agents) • Cover Letter *including Candidates’ Background, Career Goals and Objectives, and Career Development/Training Activities During Award

31. Applicant • Biographical Sketch (4 pages) • Candidate’s Background (part of 12 page limit) • describe research and/or clinical training experience • Career Goals and Objectives (part of 12 page limit) • describe your past scientific history and how award will enable you to develop and or expand your research career • identify themes that have guided your previous work • if your work has changed direction, provide reason why

32. Applicant, cont. • Career Development/Training Activities During Award (part of 12 page limit) • identify new enhanced research skills and knowledge you will acquire • for mentored award applications, describe structured activities, include percentage of time for each activity by year, and explain how activity is related to proposed research and career development plan • Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page) • Mentoring Plan (6 pages; as applicable) • describe commitment to mentoring, including past experiences and successes

33. Mentor/Co-Mentor (as applicable) • Biographical Sketch (4 pages) • Other Support Page • Statements by Mentors, Co-Mentors (6 pages) • plan for candidate's training and research career development • source of anticipated support for candidate’s research project • nature and extent of supervision and mentoring • identify candidate's anticipated teaching load, clinical responsibilities, committee and administrative assignments, and time available for research • plan for transitioning candidate from mentored stage to independent stage • experience and success as a mentor

34. Institution • Description of Institutional Environment (1 page) • document a strong, well-established research program related to candidate's area of interest, including names of key faculty members relevant to candidate's proposed research and career development plan • indicate how facilities and other resources will be made available for career enhancement and proposed research • describe opportunities for intellectual interactions with other investigators, including courses, journal clubs, and seminars

35. Institution, cont. • Letter of Institutional Commitment (1 page) • level of commitment is dependent on K mechanism and IC • signed by department chair and/or dean • commitment should not be dependent on award • must confirm: • protected time for research and release of candidate from other duties to meet 9 calendar month effort commitment • access to laboratory and office space and needed facilities and equipment • time and support for proposed mentor/co-mentor (as applicable)

36. External Parties • Letters of Reference (3) • submitted individually by referee through eRA commons before application deadline • mentor/co-mentor can not serve as a referee • non-mentored awards • Biographical Sketches (4 pages) • Statements by Consultants, Contributors (6 pages) • identify contributors or consultants and describe research materials, data, guidance, or advice they will provide • include letters documenting their willingness to participate

37. Part 3 – Final Thoughts

38. Award Activation • F Awards • e-mail notification • can start award anytime within a 6 month window • provide NIH with: • Statement of Appointment: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm • NRSA Payback Agreement: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm • K Awards • standard JIT process

39. Questions?