Sponsor Deadline
Posted: 5/1/2023

New Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity in Genomics, Bioinformatics, or Bioengineering and Biomedical Imaging Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits R01 grant applications that propose independent research projects that are within the scientific mission areas of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), and All of Us Research Program (All of Us). This program is intended to support Early Stage Investigators and New Investigators   from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the health-related sciences.

Deadlines: 

  • Letter of Intent Due Date(s): 30 days prior to the application due date

  • Application Due Date(s): February 22, 2022; February 22, 2023; February 22, 2024  

RFA-HG-21-041 Expiration Date: February 23, 2024

  • April 25, 2023 - Notice of Early Expiration of RFA-HG-21-041 "New Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity in Genomics, Bioinformatics, or Bioengineering and Biomedical Imaging Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)". See Notice NOT-HG-23-039
Areas of Interest

In spite of tremendous advancements in scientific research, information, educational and research opportunities are not equally available to all. NIH encourages institutions to diversify their student and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences, such as:

A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis

(see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27 (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?TopID=2&SubID=27)) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/women/)). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.  In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this opportunity. For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see the OMB Revisions to the Standards for Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity (https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1997-1030/html/97-28653.htm   ).

B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (http://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm).  See NSF data at, https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/static/data/tab7-5.pdf  .

C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the following criteria:

1. Were or currently are homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Definition: https://nche.ed.gov/mckinney-vento/ (https://nche.ed.gov/mckinney-vento/));

2. Were or currently are in the foster care system, as defined by the Administration for Children and Families (Definition: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/focus-areas/fostercare   3. Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years (Definition: https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/income-eligibility-guidelines  );

4. Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree (see https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018009.pdf  );

5. Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants (Definition: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/fpg/eligibility.html  );

6. Received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as a parent or child(Definition: https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-eligibility-requirements  ).

7. Grew up in one of the following areas: a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer (https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health  ), or b) a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas  (https://www.qhpcertification.cms.gov/s/LowIncomeandHPSAZipCodeListingPY2020.xlsx?v=1) (qualifying zip codes are included in the file). Only one of the two possibilities in #7 can be used as a criterion for the disadvantaged background definition.

D. Literature shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields

Eligibility Requirements

Individuals applying as the PD/PI must meet each eligibility criterion below. For a multiple PDs/PIs application, all of the individuals serving as PDs/PIs are required to meet all of the same eligibility criteria as for a single PD/PI application.

A. New Investigators

For the purpose of this FOA, an investigator is considered a New Investigator (https://grants.nih.gov/policy/early-investigators/index.htm) if he/she has not competed successfully for substantial, NIH independent funding from NIH. PD/PI of NIH Training-Related and Mentored Career Awards are eligible for this FOA if the NIH awards are in any of the following categories: fellowships (F awards), individual or institutional career awards (K awards), loan repayment contracts (L30, L32, L40, L50, L60), and all training grants (T32, T34, T35, T90, D43). PD/PIs with R00 awards are eligible 

Amount Description

Application budgets are allowed up to $500K direct costs per year. Budgets should reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

Award Project Period: Up to 5 years