Full Text PAR-97-032
 
SMALL RESEARCH GRANT IN SECONDARY ANALYSIS IN DEMOGRAPHY AND ECONOMICS OF AGING
 
NIH GUIDE, Volume 26, Number 3, January 31, 1997
 
PA NUMBER:  PAR-97-032
 
P.T.  34

Keywords: 
  Aging/Gerontology 
  Demography 
  Health Care Economics 
  Data Management/Analysis+ 

 
National Institute on Aging
 
Application Receipt Dates:  March 17, July 17, November 17, 1997
 
PURPOSE
 
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is seeking small grant (R03)
applications to:  (1) stimulate and facilitate secondary analyses of
data related to the demography and economics of aging; (2) provide
support for pilot projects that could lead to subsequent applications
for individual research awards; and (3) provide support for rapid
analyses of new databases (including experimental modules) for the
purpose of informing the design and content of future waves.
 
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000
 
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This program
announcement, Small Research Grant in Secondary Analysis in
Demography and Economics of Aging, is related to several priority
areas including chronic disabling conditions.  Potential applicants
may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:  Stock No.
017-001-11474-0 or Summary Report:  Stock No. 017-001-11473-1)
through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-512-1800).
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Applications may be submitted by domestic for-profit and non-profit
organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges,
hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, and
eligible agencies of the Federal government.  Foreign organizations
and institutions are not eligible.  Racial/ethnic minority
individuals, women, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to
apply as principal investigators. Participation in the program by
investigators at minority institutions is strongly encouraged.
Applications from new investigators and researchers new to aging are
particularly encouraged.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
Applicants may request up to $50,000 (direct costs) for one year
through the small grant (R03) mechanism.  However, the grants will be
awarded under Expanded Authorities and are eligible for a single
one-year no cost extension.  These awards are not renewable.  If
applicable, before completion of the R03, investigators are
encouraged to seek continuing support for research through individual
research awards.  Replacement of the Principal Investigator on this
award is not permitted.
FUNDS AVAILABLE
 
It is anticipated that approximately $1,000,000 will be available to
fund approximately 15 to 20 small grants, contingent on high
scientific merit and program priorities.
 
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 
The Small Grant program is designed to:  support researchers
interested in undertaking secondary analyses of data related to the
demography and economics of aging; provide support for pilot projects
that could lead to subsequent applications for individual research
awards; and provide support for rapid analyses of new databases
(including experimental modules) for the purpose of informing the
design and content of future waves.  International comparative
analyses are permitted where relevant.  New data collection involving
human subjects is not permitted.  Applications that are innovative
and "high risk" with the likelihood for "high gain" are especially
encouraged.
 
Examples:
 
o  Biodemography of aging (e.g., the interface between demography of
aging and the biological sciences, population genetics, evolutionary
theory, and modeling of senescence).  Topics of interest include, but
are not limited to:  large populations observed under controlled
conditions; the influence of genetics on age-specific mortality
rates; the population effects of genetic indicators of disease;
precedents in nature for aging and intergenerational exchange; and
population dynamics
 
o  Medical demography of aging, mortality, chronic diseases and
functioning in late life and at extreme old ages (including
centenarians); trends in chronic disease and disability and
associated factors (e.g., early life experiences, education,
Medicare); disability dynamics; family cascades of chronic disease;
forecasting life and active life expectancy, health, medical services
and long term care usage
 
o  Evaluations and simulations of the impact of changes in DHHS and
SSA policies (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits)
on the health, disability and well-being of the older population
 
o  Health, work and retirement, including:  determinants of
retirement, family labor supply, and saving; consequences of
retirement for health and well-being; comparative studies of labor
force activity; effects of psychological factors (e.g., expectations,
personality) and mental health characteristics (e.g., depression) on
economic behaviors (e.g., altruistic or precautionary saving for old
age); employer- and organizational-level determinants of labor force
participation at older ages
 
o  Interactions between health and economic status over time;
improved measures of socioeconomic position for aging populations;
racial and ethnic differentials in the trajectories of health and
disability
 
o  Costs and impact of aging-related illnesses and disabilities; use
of public and private resources in the period before death; economic
determinants of health promotion and disease prevention behaviors
 
o  Demography and economics of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease, and
of AIDS in older populations
 
o  General demographic analyses of population aging, including: the
aging of the babyboom cohort; immigration, immigrants and aging; the
impact of state and small area characteristics on health; improved
descriptive analyses of centenarian populations; macro and micro
dynamics of intergenerational exchanges; and comparative
international analyses using Census and other data
 
o  Analyses and simulations of the epidemiological transition in the
global burden of disease and disability in developing countries
 
Influence of age, medical condition and functional disability on
transportation options
 
Investigators are especially encouraged to undertake secondary
analyses of existing datasets supported by the NIA which are already
in the public domain.  These include, but are not limited to:  Asset
and Health Dynamics of the Oldest-Old (AHEAD); Australian
Longitudinal Study of Aging (ALSA); Early Indicators of Later Work
Levels, Disease, and Death; Epidemiology of Chronic Disease in the
Oldest Old; Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the
Elderly (EPESE); German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP);  Health and
Retirement Study (HRS); Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA);
Supplement on Aging II (SOA II); Luxembourg Income Study (LIS);
National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS): 1982-1994; National
Longitudinal Survey (NLS): 1990 Resurvey of Older Males; National
Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) Reinterview; Odense Archive
of Population Data on Aging; Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID);
1990 Public-Use Microdata Sample for the Older Population and the
comparable samples from ECE countries; and Wisconsin Longitudinal
Survey (WLS).
 
While development, enhancement and assembly of new databases from
existing data are permitted, primary data collection from human
subjects is not permitted.
 
Upon request, program staff listed under INQUIRIES will send
applicants information about these and other datasets, including
instructions on how the data can be accessed.
 
Although this Program Announcement is oriented primarily to the
demography and economics of aging, the datasets listed above, among
others, may also be relevant to other areas in the behavioral and
social sciences.  For such programmatic information, contact staff
listed under INQUIRIES.
 
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS
 
It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups
and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported
biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects,
unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification are
provided that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health
of the subjects of the purpose of the research.  This policy results
from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law
103-43).
 
All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should
read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as
Subjects in Clinical Research", which have been published in the
Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted
in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11,
March 18, 1994.
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
Schedule
 
The submission, review, and award schedule for the Small Research
Grant Program for 1997 is:
 
Application Receipt Dates:     Mar 17   Jul 17     Nov 17
Institute Committee Review:    Jun/Jul  Oct/Nov    Feb/Mar
Earliest funding:              Sep      Jan        May
 
Only one Small Grant application may be submitted by a principal
investigator per receipt date.  Applicants may not submit R01 or R29
applications on the same topic concurrent (to be considered at the
same review cycle) with the submission of a Small Grant application.
 
Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS
398 (rev. 5/95) and prepared according to the directions in the
application packet, with the exceptions noted below.  Application
kits are available at most institutional offices of sponsored
research and may be obtained from the Division of Extramural Outreach
and Information Resources, National Institutes of Health, 6701
Rockledge Drive, MSC 7910, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910, telephone
301/710-0267, e-mail: ASKNIH@odrockm1.od.nih.gov.
 
The program announcement title and number must be typed on line 2 of
the face page of the application form and the YES box must be marked.
 
Sections 1-4:  Do not exceed a total of ten pages for the following
sections: specific aims, background and significance, progress
report/preliminary studies, and experimental design and methods.
Tables and figures are included in the ten page limitation.
Applications that exceed the page limitation or PHS requirements for
type size and margins  (Refer to PHS 398 application  for details)
will be returned to the investigator.  The ten page limitation does
not include Sections 5-9 (Human Subjects, Consortia, Literature
cited). Appendix materials are not allowed.
 
"Just-in-time" (JIT) is an initiative of the National Institutes of
Health (NIH) Extramural Reinvention Laboratory under the auspices of
the National Performance Review and government-wide efforts to create
a government that works better and costs less. JIT postpones the
collection of certain information that currently must be included in
all competing applications when submitted.  The information for the
applications with a likelihood of funding is submitted "just-in time"
for awards to be made.  This program announcement is incorporating
JIT procedures as described below. Some sections are modified and
others in the application do not need to be completed for the
submission of the application, but WILL be requested if your
application receives a priority score in the fundable range.
 
Form DD - Page 4 - DETAILED BUDGET PAGE FOR INITIAL BUDGET PERIOD
Do not complete form page 4 of the PHS 398 (rev. 5/95).  It is not
required nor will it be accepted at the time of application.
 
Form EE - Page 5 - BUDGET FOR ENTIRE PROPOSED PROJECT PERIOD
Do not complete the categorical budget table on form page 5 in the
PHS 398 (rev. 5/95).  Only the requested total direct costs for each
year and total direct costs for the entire proposed period of support
should be shown.  Begin the budget justification in the space
provided, using continuation pages as needed.
 
Budget Justification
 
o  List the name, role on project and percent effort for all project
personnel (salaried or unsalaried) and provide a narrative
justification for each person based on his/her role on the project
and proposed level of effort.
 
o  Identify all consultants by name and organizational affiliation
and describe the services to be performed.
 
o  Provide a narrative justification for any major budget items,
other than personnel, that are requested for the conduct of the
project that would be considered unusual for the scope of research.
No specific costs for items or categories should be shown.
 
o  Indirect costs will be calculated at the time of the award using
the institution's actual indirect cost rate.  Applicants will be
asked to identify the indirect cost exclusions prior to award.
 
o  If consortium/contractual costs are requested, provide the
percentage of the subcontract total costs (direct and indirect)
relative to the total direct costs of the overall project.  The
subcontract budget justification should be prepared following the
instructions provided above.
 
Submit a signed original of the application, including the checklist,
and three exact photocopies in one package to:
 
DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE, ROOM 1040 -MSC-7710
BETHESDA, MD  20892-7710
BETHESDA, MD  20817 (for courier/overnight service)
 
In addition, to expedite the review of the application, submit two
additional exact photocopies of the application directly to:
 
Chief, Scientific Review Office
National Institute on Aging
Gateway Building Suite 2C212, MSC 9205
7201 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
 
In order not to delay review, it is important that applicants comply
with this request.
 
REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS
 
A review committee of the NIA will evaluate each Small Grant
application with respect to the following criteria:
 
o  Adequacy of approach and scientific originality and significance
o  Degree of innovation
o  "High risk" with likelihood for "high gain"
o  Feasibility of the proposed research
o  Availability of resources necessary for the research
o  Importance of the area to aging research
o  Appropriateness of the proposed budget and timetable in relation
to the scope of the proposed research
o  Qualifications and research experience of the principal
investigator.
 
AWARD CRITERIA
 
Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved
applications.  The following will be considered in making funding
decisions:
 
o  quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review;
o  availability of funds;
o  program priority
 
INQUIRIES
 
Inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or
questions from potential applicants is welcome.
 
For information about the datasets described above, send your inquiry
to:
 
Donna Perry
Behavioral and Social Research Program
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 533 - MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
Email:  Donna_Perry@nih.gov
 
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues (including those not
related to the demography or economics of aging but that may be
relevant to other areas in the behavioral and social sciences) to:
 
Georgeanne E. Patmios
Behavioral and Social Research Program
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 533 - MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892-9205
Telephone:  (301) 496-3138
FAX: (301) 402-0051
Email:  Georgeanne_Patmios@nih.gov
 
Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:
 
Dave Reiter
Grants and Contracts Management Office
National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 2N212 - MSC 9205
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1472
FAX:  (301) 402-3672
Email:  David_Reiter@nih.gov
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.866.  Awards are made under authorization of the
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410), as
amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered
under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52 and 45
CFR Part 74.  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental
review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency
review.
 
The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to
provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco
products.  In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of
1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any
portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care or early childhood development
services are provided to children.  This is consistent with the PHS
mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the
American people.
 
.

Return to PA Index

Return to NIH Guide Main Index


Office of Extramural Research (OER) - Home Page Office of Extramural
Research (OER)
  National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Home Page National Institutes of Health (NIH)
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
  Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Home Page Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
  USA.gov - Government Made Easy


Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files.