Full Text GM-95-001

INITIATIVE FOR MINORITY STUDENTS:  BRIDGES TO THE BACCALAUREATE
DEGREE

NIH GUIDE, Volume 23, Number 37, October 21, 1994

RFA:  GM-95-001

P.T. 44, FF

Keywords: 
  Environmental Health 
  Biomedical Research, Multidiscipl 


National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  November 18, 1994
Application Receipt Date:  January 20, 1995

PURPOSE

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and the
Office of Research on Minority Health (ORMH), National Institutes of
Health (NIH), announce two research initiatives directed at
increasing the number of underrepresented minorities entering careers
in biomedical research.  The programs target two different
underrepresented minority student populations:  those in colleges and
universities offering only Master of Science (M.S.) degree programs
in biomedically-related sciences and those in two-year junior or
community colleges.  These have been identified as two key transition
points for students considering careers in biomedical research.  This
is the third year of this program, which seeks to encourage the
development of new and innovative programs and the expansion of
existing programs to improve the academic competitiveness of
underrepresented minority students and facilitate their transition
into the next stage towards careers in biomedical research.

This Request for Applications (RFA) solicits new applications for a
partnership program involving two-year colleges awarding the
Associates degree and institutions awarding the Baccalaureate degree.
A separate RFA (GM-95-002) describes a program targeting the
transition from Master's-degree granting institutions to universities
awarding Doctoral degrees.  Previous applicants of unfunded Bridges
applications are encouraged to submit revised applications that
respond to the prior concerns of the National Advisory General
Medical Sciences Council.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

General

Applications may be submitted by domestic, private and public,
educational institutions.  State and local systems of higher
education (also hereinafter referred to as institutions) may submit
applications as well.  An institution may be involved as a partner
institution in more than one Bridge program, but can be the applicant
institution for only one Bridges to the Baccalaureate Degree and one
Bridges to the Doctoral Degree Program.  Institutions with NIGMS
Bridge Program (R25) awards made effective September 1, 1993 may
submit competing continuation applications for three years of
continued support (see RFA GM-95-003) since those initial awards will
be ending in 1995.  Institutions with NIGMS Baccalaureate Bridge
Program (R25) grants funded on September 1, 1994 are not eligible to
apply for this RFA (GM-95-001) or RFA GM 95-003.

An institution may submit ONLY ONE application for this RFA.
Institutions that submit applications in response to this RFA may
also apply for support for a Bridges to the Doctoral Degree (RFA
GM-95-002) if they meet the eligibility requirements.  However, a
separate application for each RFA is required.  Institutions
submitting their own applications may participate in programs with
other applicant institutions so long as these interactions are
consistent with institutional resources and their institutional
unified plan described in BOTH applications (see UNIFIED PLAN under
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS).  Institutions participating in more than one
application should provide a justification for each.

Programs developed or modified under this initiative must be
specifically designed to target underrepresented minority
undergraduates majoring in the sciences.  For purposes of this RFA,
underrepresented minority students are individuals belonging to a
particular ethnic or racial group that has been determined by the
grantee institution to be underrepresented in biomedical or
behavioral research.  Nationally, individuals who have been found to
be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research include, but
are not limited to, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native
Americans and Pacific Islanders.  The term "science" is used in this
RFA to mean the natural, physical, behavioral, and mathematical
sciences relevant to biomedical research.

Applications must include a partnership between a two-year
institution ("AA Institution"), which offers the Associate degree as
the only undergraduate degree in the sciences within the
participating departments AND has a significant enrollment of
underrepresented minorities, and a college or university offering
Baccalaureate degrees in science relevant to biomedical research
disciplines.

All applications must involve a partnership of at least two colleges
or universities, but may involve a consortium of several
institutions, and may include several institutions within a single
state system.  One participating institution must be designated as
the applicant institution, must name the program director and must
submit the application.  Each participating institution must name one
individual to act as its program coordinator.  Applications must
include a description of the collaborative arrangement with all
participating institutions.

Institutions offering both the Associate and Baccalaureate degrees
may not use funds from this program for graduates of their own
Associate-degree programs to enter their own Baccalaureate-degree
programs, even if the student is moving from one department, school,
or college to another.  The program seeks to promote and enhance
partnerships between institutions.

For additional requirements see: SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

General

Awards under this RFA will use the institutional education project
(R25) grant.  Responsibility for the planning, direction, and
execution of the proposed project will be solely that of the
applicant.  The total requested project period for applications
submitted in response to this RFA may not exceed two years.
Requested direct costs are not to exceed $300,000 for the two-year
period.  Indirect costs will be paid at the rate of eight percent of
the direct costs, minus appropriate exclusions, or actual indirect
costs, whichever is less.  A budget for each year must be provided.

This RFA is a one-time solicitation.  Future unsolicited competing
applications will not be accepted.

Allowable Costs

If appropriate, the budget request may be divided into two phases: a
planning phase with its attendant budget for the minor adjustment
and/or refinement of the partnership program; and an implementation
phase with its attendant budget.  The planning phase costs should be
minimal and not exceed a period of one year.  Faculty release time
for planning and implementation of the program and faculty travel
related to program development may be requested.

The implementation phase may include the costs of administering and
coordinating the partnership program within and between each of the
participants.  Requests for equipment, supplies, travel, and other
expenses should be limited to those necessary for program development
and should be carefully and specifically justified.

Student remuneration (limited to underrepresented minorities
matriculated at the AA partner institution(s)) through salary/wages
and/or other forms of compensation paid in lieu of wages for
participation in research experiences may be requested.  Expenditures
for tuition remission (or other forms of compensation paid in lieu of
wages) are allowable provided the following conditions are met:

o  the student is performing necessary work,

o  there is an employer-employee relationship between the student and
the institution,

o  the total compensation is reasonable for the work performed, and

o  it is the institution's practice to provide compensation for all
students in similar circumstances, regardless of the source of
support for the activity.

In summary, allowable costs include, but are not limited to: tuition
remission, supplies, equipment, travel, other expenses, salary,
wages, and fringe benefits for students and faculty.

Unallowable Costs

Stipends, housing, food, tuition (unless as stated above), and fees
are not allowable costs under this program.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

An estimated total of $9 million will be available in Fiscal Year
1995 for supporting awards made in response to this RFA, to RFA
GM-95-002, and for competing continuation applications in response to
RFA GM-95-003.  NIH staff anticipate making a combined total of 20 to
40 new and competing continuation awards for these RFAs using multi-
year funding, depending on the receipt of a sufficient number of
highly meritorious applications and availability of appropriated
funds.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background

This program seeks to promote the initiation and development of new
transitional programs, as well as the expansion and enhancement of
existing programs between those institutions with departments
offering only the Associate's degree in the sciences, and that have
significant enrollments of underrepresented minority students, and
colleges and universities with Baccalaureate degree programs.  The
objective is to facilitate the transition of underrepresented
minority undergraduate students into Baccalaureate degree programs
after obtaining their Associate's degree.  Students receiving their
Associate's degree in one field of science may pursue the
Baccalaureate degree in a different area as long as the new area is
in a discipline related to the biomedical sciences with a potential
for research careers.

Collaborative agreements should take the form that best fits the
needs and situations of the institutions involved.  The challenge for
the program director, with the help of the participating partners, is
to design a new partnership program, or enhance an existing program,
that will focus the attention and adequate resources of the Associate
degree-granting institutions on enhancing the academic
competitiveness of their degree programs and graduates in the
sciences.

Additional Information

These transition programs should be developed to meet the special
requirements of underrepresented minority students interested in
science.  They may include, but are not limited to, the following
elements:

o  providing laboratory research experiences at the baccalaureate
institution for students enrolled in the two-year institution
(students may receive compensation for these activities);

o  establishing a mentoring program with faculty at the baccalaureate
institution;

o  providing research opportunities at the baccalaureate institution
for faculty of the two-year college;

o  enriching the curriculum at the two-year institution (e.g.,
special science courses);

o  enabling students from the two-year institution to take courses
and/or participate in seminar programs at the baccalaureate college;

o  developing visiting lectureships at the two-year college by
science faculty from the baccalaureate institution;

o  developing courses at the two-year college to be jointly taught by
faculty of both institutions;

o  guaranteeing acceptance as juniors into the participating
baccalaureate program(s) for students who participated successfully
in the enhancement program;

o  providing academic counseling (e.g., guidance in course selection,
tracking and providing assistance to students who express an interest
or show special aptitude for science);

o  providing additional enrichment activities, such as tutoring, that
would enhance the student's transition to the baccalaureate college;

o  nontraditional or other professional degree-granting institutions
should describe those modifications or additions to their programs
that would provide Bridges students with the qualifications to enter
research career training programs.

o  other innovative plans to coordinate these programs.

It is an expectation of NIGMS and ORMH that students who enter
Baccalaureate programs as a result of this enhancement program will
receive financial aid, if needed, while progressing satisfactorily in
B.S. programs.  Applicants should describe the type(s) of
institutional or other financial aid that would be available to such
students.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should describe fully the proposed transition program and
explain how its design will meet the goals of this initiative.
Applicants should describe the criteria to be used in the selection
and retention of the student participants for this program;
applicants should also describe the criteria for selecting
participating faculty.  Applicants with an existing transition
program should describe that program and explain how it would be
altered to meet the goals of this initiative.  Applicant should
describe the methods and facilities available for tracking student
participants, and the criteria to be used for program evaluation.

Unified Plan

To avoid duplication of effort each institution should develop a
unified plan (which may include the physical, natural and behavioral
sciences and mathematics) to facilitate the transfer of its students
from the Associate's degree program to the Baccalaureate degree
program at another institution.  Applicants should describe how this
proposal fits in with the institution's overall transition plan.  If
an institution is involved in more than one Bridges Program, the
applicant or the institution's program coordinator must describe how
the various Bridges Programs interact and are consistent with the
institution's unified plan.

Other Training Programs

Colleges with any NIH funding such as the Minority Access to Research
Careers (MARC), Minority Biomedical Research Support Program (MBRS),
National Research Service Award (NRSA) training grants, and/or
project grants, or other sources of funds such as National Science
Foundation grants or Howard Hughes Medical Institute grants, should
define the relationship between those programs and this transition
program.  They should delineate how this enhancement program will
influence their partnerships with the other participants and the
manner in which underrepresented minority students in the transition
program will interact with these other sources of support.

Consortium Agreements

Each applicant institution should delineate appropriate agreements
and consortium arrangements with other institutions consistent with
its own unified institutional plan.  The following statement,
accompanied by signatures of the appropriate administrative officials
from EACH of the collaborating institutions, must be included as part
of the application:

"THE APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMATIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL OF EACH
INSTITUTION INVOLVED IN THIS GRANT APPLICATION ARE AWARE OF THE NIH
CONSORTIUM GRANT POLICY AND ARE PREPARED TO ESTABLISH THE NECESSARY
INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT(S) CONSISTENT WITH THAT POLICY."

In addition, letters acknowledging participation in the program are
required from each participating institution and must be signed by
the program coordinator and the appropriate institutional official.

Reporting Requirements

A progress report will be required at the end of the planning phase
(if any) or at the end of the first year, whichever is shorter.  A
final report will be required 90 days after the termination date of
the award and must include information for each student participant
and the benefits derived from the partnership program.  For
applicants submitting competing renewals the progress report in the
competing application may satisfy this requirement.

Student Population and Career Tracking

The nature and extent of underrepresented minority student
participation must be thoroughly delineated.  The applicant should
also describe the Associate degree-granting institution's success in
training its students in the sciences, including information on the
numbers of minority students receiving the Associate's degree and
data on subsequent careers or education of their graduates.

The applicant should describe a system by which it would monitor and
track students participating in this program, including their future
careers, in order to evaluate the success of the program.  The
applicant should maintain data to be able to demonstrate the benefits
of this program on retention rates, graduation rates, transfer rates
to and graduation rates from the next higher degree programs.  These
data should be compared to those of the non-minority students and the
minority students that were not in the bridges program.

LETTER OF INTENT

Prospective applicants are requested to submit, by November 18, 1994,
a letter of intent that includes a descriptive title of the proposed
plan, the name, address, and telephone number of the program
director, the identities of other key personnel and participating
institutions, and the number and title of the RFA.  Although a letter
of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into
the review of subsequent applications, the information that it
contains is helpful in planning for the review of applications.  It
allows NIH staff to estimate the potential review workload and to
avoid conflict of interest in the review.

The letter of intent is to be sent to Dr. Rivera at the address
listed below under INQUIRIES.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 9/91) is to be used
in applying for these grants.  These forms are available at most
institutional offices of sponsored research; from the Office of
Grants Information, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes
of Health, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892,
telephone (301) 435-0714; and from the NIGMS program administrator
listed under INQUIRIES.

The RFA label in the PHS 398 application form must be affixed to the
bottom of the face page of the application.  Failure to use this
label could result in delayed processing of the application such that
it may not reach the review committee in time for review.  In
addition, the RFA number and title must be typed on line 2a of the
face page form, the "YES" box must be marked, and "R25" typed in 2B.

Submit a signed, typewritten original of the application, including
the Checklist, and three photocopies of the signed application in one
package to:

Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**

At the time of submission, two additional copies of the application
must also be sent to Dr. Americo Rivera, Jr. at the address listed
under INQUIRIES.

Applications must be received by January 20, 1995.  Applications
arriving after that date will be returned to the applicant without
review.

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed for completeness by the
Division of Research Grants (DRG) and responsiveness by the NIGMS.
Incomplete and/or unresponsive applications will be returned to the
applicant without further consideration.  Those applications that are
complete and responsive will be evaluated in accordance with the
criteria stated below for scientific and technical merit by
appropriate initial review groups.  The second level of review will
be provided by the National Advisory General Medical Sciences
Council.

Review Criteria

o  qualifications and experience of the Principal Investigator and
staff to carry out the proposed program (extensive publication
records may be waived for faculty at primarily teaching
institutions);

o  appropriateness of the plans to develop the transition program to
meet the goals of the Bridges program;

o  appropriateness of the existing program, if appropriate, and of
plans to modify that program;

o  availability of sufficient numbers of underrepresented minority
students in the participating science department(s) who are
interested in studying further in biomedical and health-related
fields;

o  evidence that a sufficient proportion of underrepresented minority
students in an existing program progressed to higher education in the
sciences;

o  appropriateness of the system to track future course of program
participants and monitor the effectiveness of the program;

o  budget and cost-effectiveness of the project, including
appropriateness to the scope of the program, benefit to the students,
number of students involved, appropriateness of the resources
allocated to AA institution(s), and responsible and prudent senior
personnel costs;

o  evidence of institutional commitment, for each collaborating
institution, and strength of the collaborative efforts between
institutions to foster professional development of underrepresented
minority faculty and to train underrepresented minority students in
the biomedical sciences;

o  appropriateness of the administrative plan for managing the
proposed program, including adequacy of space and other institutional
resources.

o  appropriateness of the plan for evaluating the impact of the
Bridges program on the institutions, and underrepresented minority
students and faculty.

AWARD CRITERIA

The anticipated date of award is September 30, 1995.  Award decisions
will be based on the technical merit of the applications, the
geographical distribution of the awardee institutions, and the
diversity of underrepresented minority student participants.  Awards
will be made only to institutions with financial management systems
and management capabilities that are acceptable under PHS policy.
Awards will be administered under the PHS Grants Policy Statement.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries concerning this RFA are encouraged.  The opportunity to
clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.

Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Americo Rivera, Jr., Ph.D.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences

45 Center Drive, Room 2AS-13H MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD  20892-6200
Telephone:  (301) 594-0533
FAX:  (301) 480-2004
Internet:  RiveraA@GM1.NIGMS.NIH.GOV

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Ms Annette Hanopole
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Room 2AN-50J
45 Center Drive MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD  20892-6200
Telephone:  (301) 594-3928
FAX:  (301) 480-3423
Internet:  HanopolA@GM1.NIGMS.NIH.GOV

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.960, Special Minority Initiatives Program.  Awards
are authorized by sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service
Act, as amended and administered under PHS grants policies and
Federal Regulations 45 CFR Part 74 or 45 CFR Part 92.  This program
is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of
Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.

The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all grant
recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use
of all tobacco products.  This is consistent with the PHS mission to
protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American
people.

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