Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research

Diversity supplements support scientists who are members of an underrepresented group at the following levels: high school, undergraduate, medical, graduate, postdoctoral, and junior faculty.

They provide salary and other expenses for students, postdocs, and faculty. For more information, read the July 2, 2008, Guide notice.

Note: Diversity supplements replace Research Supplements for Underrepresented Minorities and Research Supplements for Individuals with Disabilities.

Deadlines

We receive applications at any time and review them approximately every eight weeks. Contact Raushanah Newman (see below) for information on review cycles.

Submit applications for a high school or undergraduate student for summer work as early in the spring as possible, and no later than April 15.

If you are seeking an award before the end of a fiscal year -- September 30 -- we must receive your application no later than June 30. Applications received after this date will be considered for funding in the next fiscal year. We do not make awards during continuing resolutions.

Review and Award

A committee of NIAID senior staff members review applications, generally within two months. NIAID will make awards about four to six weeks after review.

Eligibility

PIs on the following grant types are eligible: R01, R10, R18, R22, R24, R35, R37, R43, R44, R41, R42, P01, P20, P30, P40, P41, P50, P51, P60, U01, U10, U19, U41, U42, U54, or S06.

The "parent" grant should have at least two years of support remaining. Students who are supported on research or training grants are not eligible.

Non-U.S. citizens must have permanent residency status ("green card") at time of award. People on temporary or student visas are not eligible.

Salary and Budget

High school students

Salary: consistent with the institutional salary policy.

Undergraduate students

• Salary: consistent with the institutional salary policy.
• Supplies and Travel: up to $200 per month with justification.

Post baccalaureate and post master's degree students

• Salary: consistent with the institutional salary policy.
• Supplies and Travel: up to $3,000 per year with justification.

Graduate students

• Salary: consistent with your institution's salary policy.
• Supplies and Travel: up to $4,000 per year with justification.
• Total salary, tuition, and fringe benefits cannot exceed the amount allowable for a first year postdoc at the same institution performing comparable work. See NRSA Stipend Levels -- FY 2008 for postdoctoral levels.

Postdocs and Faculty

• Salary: consistent with the institutional salary policy not to exceed $50,000 per year.
• Supplies and Travel: up to $6,000 per year with justification.

Investigators developing independent research careers

• Salary: consistent with level of support provided by NIH Career Development Awards.
• Fringe Benefits: consistent with your institution's policies.
• Supplies and Travel: up to $10,000 per year with justification.

Supplements for established investigators who become disabled

• Salary: for a person to assist an established investigator in meeting the goals of a funded research project.
• Equipment: to facilitate an investigator in meeting the goals of a research project, consistent with the type of disability and the nature of the research.

Advice for Applicants

The PI for the parent grant applies, choosing to either submit a paper application or email PDF files of scanned documents. NIAID encourages -- but does not require -- using PDFs.

Paper applications

• Include the following:
  • Front page of PHS 398.
  • Budget page from PHS 398 for the first 12 months.
  • Budget page for entire proposed period of support.
  • PI's two-page biosketch as in an R01.
  • Diversity investigator's biosketch.
  • Two- to four-page description of what the project entails. Descriptions for high school students and undergrads can be two pages long, but those for graduate students and postdocs should be more detailed. We need to know exactly what project the diversity investigator will be engaged in.
  • One-page statement of the diversity investigator's career goals.
  • Official copy of transcript if the candidate is a high school, undergraduate, post baccalaureate, post masters, or graduate student.
  • A signed statement from PI stating the eligibility of the candidate (include ethnicity, citizenship, and a description of any previous PHS research grant support).
• Send the original plus two copies to the NIAID staff contact.

PDF Files

• Scan all required PHS 398 forms (see above) and save them as PDF files. Your institutional business official's signature must be clearly legible.
  • Also scan transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other items that cannot be downloaded from the PHS 398 application package. Include these items as a single PDF file.
• Send your PDFs as attachments in an email to the NIAID Staff Contact.
  • Use the subject line "NIAID Diversity Supplement Application PDF."

For More Information

See Research Supplements in our Advice on Research Training, Career Awards, and Research Supplements tutorial.

NIAID Staff Contact

Raushanah Newman
6700B Rockledge Drive
Room 2148B
Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: 301-451-2691
Email: newmanrau@niaid.nih.gov