When the EA Research Development Award (EARDA) grant program began in 1994, the EA Program Advisory Board recommended that a mechanism be established to recruit high-quality EARDA applications on an annual basis, keeping in mind the unique culture and teaching mandate of EA-eligible institutions.

Based on this recommendation, and with concurrence from the EA Program director, the EA Program initiated the RTAWs. These workshops were intended to provide EA-eligible institutions with equal access to expertise without having to travel great distances, regardless of their geographic locations. The NIH provides funding for one person per institution to attend the RTAW, although additional participants from each institution are encouraged.

Generally, the objectives of the RTAWs are to provide participants with:

• A unique opportunity to learn about the EARDA and to obtain technical assistance in preparing generic federal and non-federal proposals, including the EARDA;
• An opportunity to meet with key personnel from the NIH and from other federal agencies, and to learn firsthand about current and emerging programs related to the goals and objectives of the EA Program;
• A forum for establishing and strengthening collaborations and partnerships, which is a key objective of the EA Program; and
• The opportunity to describe their successes as EARDA grantees for the purpose of encouraging other EA-eligible institutions to apply for the award.

The RTAWs are budgeted in the EA Program's annual operations budget for the EA Program; the workshops are jointly organized by the EA Program staff and the co-host organization or institution.

The first RTAW was held in October 1994, in Houston, Texas; Texas Southern University served as the co-host EA-eligible institution. Approximately 100 people attended this RTAW, about half of whom were from Texas Southern University. A significant number of participants from this RTAW later submitted applications for the EARDA.

Since 1994, the following EA-eligible institutions have co-hosted RTAWs:

• Texas Southern University, 1994
• Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia), 1995
• Carlow College (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), 1996
• East Los Angeles Community College, 1997
• Bethune Cookman College (Daytona Beach, Florida), 1998
• Texas Southern University, 1999
• Immaculata College (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 2000
• Tennessee State University, 2001
• New Mexico Highlands University (Tucson, Arizona), 2002

Overall, the RTAWs are one of the most effective mechanisms for recruiting EA participants; thus these workshops appear to be fulfilling their intended purpose. Because of their effectiveness as a recruitment mechanism for EARDA applicants, as well as their usefulness in serving other important functions, the RTAWs will remain an integral component of the EA Program experience.

Fall 2006 Workshop

The EA Program sponsored a workshop entitled Successfully Managing Your Grant at the NIH campus on November 1-2, 2006. The workshop was designed to increase the effectiveness of EA Program PIs at the operation of the grant from the end of the residency to its completion. Extramural Associates and their business officials from 40 institutions attended this workshop.

Dr. Regina Smith James, the director of the EA Program, gave welcoming remarks and an overview of the workshop’s objectives. Dr. Yvonne Maddox, deputy director of the NICHD, provided greetings and shared the NICHD’s vision on the future direction of the EA Program.

The EA Program staff and NICHD Grants Management Branch staff led the sessions focusing on the following types of issues, illustrative of the two-day agenda:

• Progress reports, Notice of Grant Awards, and prior approvals
• Electronic process
• Financial Status Report (business officials only)
• EARDA Grant and Pilot Research (PIs only)
• Individual meetings between the EARDA PI and Grants Management Specialists
• Internet resources
• Guide notices and NIH Policy Statements
• Demonstration of the 424 Electronic Transmission

The workshop also included intensive work sessions focused on issues related to:

• Components of the Notice of Grant Award and the terms and conditions associated with it;
• Contacts for answers to questions about the grant;
• Conditions under which prior approvals are required;
• How to request a carryover of funds;
• When to submit the progress report;
• How to prepare a detailed budget; and
• Making awards for faculty pilot projects.

Special sessions were also designed to explain the financial aspects of the EARDA grant to business officials for the institutions to ensure the implementation of budgetary requirements. Workshop sessions for the EARDA PIs also highlighted programmatic issues related to the implementation of the EARDA grant.