INITIATIVES FOR MINORITY STUDENTS:  BRIDGES TO THE FUTURE

NIH GUIDE, Volume 21, Number 9, March 6, 1992



RFA:  GM-92-02



P.T. 44, FF



Keywords:

  Educational Instruction Programs 

  Biomedical Research Training 



National Institute of General Medical Sciences



Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  April 1, 1992

Application Receipt Date:  May 12, 1992



PURPOSE



The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) and the

Office of Minority Programs (OMP), National Institutes of Health (NIH),

solicit applications for two new initiatives aimed at increasing the

number of underrepresented minorities entering careers in biomedical

research.  The programs target two different underrepresented minority

student populations, those in terminal Master of Science (M.S.) degree

programs and those in two-year junior or community colleges, since

these have been identified as two key transition points for students

considering research careers.  These initiatives seek to broaden and

expand existing programs and to encourage the development of new and

innovative approaches to improve the academic competitiveness of

underrepresented minority students graduating from these programs,

thereby facilitating their transition into the next stage towards

careers in biomedical research.



For purposes of this announcement, 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, Black Americans, Hispanic Americans,

Native Americans and Pacific Islanders.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



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 project period for applications submitted in response to the

present RFA may not exceed two years.



This RFA is a one-time solicitation.  Future unsolicited competing

applications will not be accepted.



Institutions may apply for either or both programs; however, separate

applications for each program are required.  The program must be

identified clearly on the face page of the application in item 1.



FUNDS AVAILABLE



The Fiscal Year 1992 appropriation provides $2,000,000 for these

initiatives.  NIH staff anticipate making six to ten 2-year awards

using multi-year funding.  Requested direct costs are not to exceed

$300,000 for the two-year period.  Indirect costs will be paid at 8

percent of the direct costs minus appropriate exclusions.



OBJECTIVES



Program #1:  Transition From Master's Degree to Ph.D. Programs



This program seeks to promote the expansion and enhancement of existing

transitional activities between those institutions that offer the M.S.

degree as the terminal academic degree in the sciences and that have

significant enrollments of underrepresented minority students and

research universities with doctoral-degree (Ph.D.) programs.  The

objective is to facilitate the transition of minority students into

science Ph.D. programs when they complete the M.S. degrees.  Students

receiving the M.S. degree in one field of science may pursue the Ph.D.

in a different field if the Ph.D. is in an area of science related to

biomedical research.



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Applications may be submitted by domestic, private and public,

institutions that have existing educational programs aimed at helping

students move from M.S. programs into Ph.D. programs.  The existing

programs need not have been developed specifically to target

underrepresented minority graduates or science majors.  State and local

systems of higher education with existing transitional programs may

also be eligible to apply.  However, applicants from such organizations

should talk with the Grants Management Officer identified at the end of

this announcement about special issues concerning PHS grants to

governments.



A program must include a partnership between at least two institutions:

one that offers the M.S. degree as the terminal degree in the sciences

and that has a significant enrollment of underrepresented minorities,

and one research university providing Ph.D. degree programs in areas

relevant to the biomedical sciences.  However, the application may

involve a consortium of several colleges and universities, and may

include several institutions within a single state system.  One

participating institution or a single system of higher education must

be designated as the grantee institution and must submit the

application.  Proposals must include subcontracts or formal

collaborative agreements with all other participating institutions.



An institution offering both the M.S. and the Ph.D. degrees may not use

funds from this program for graduates of its own M.S. degree programs

to enter its own Ph.D. programs, even if the student is changing fields

or moving from one department, school, or college to another.  The

program seeks to promote and enhance partnerships BETWEEN institutions.



SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS



Collaborative agreements should take the form that best fits the needs

and situations of the institutions involved.  The challenge for the

project director, with the help of the other participants, is to design

an expanded and enhanced partnership that will focus attention and

adequate resources to the M.S. institutions to enhance the academic

competitiveness of their M.S. graduates.



The applicant must describe the existing transition program and explain

how it would be altered to meet the needs of this initiative.  The

nature and extent of underrepresented minority student participation

must be thoroughly delineated.  The applicant should also describe the

M.S. institution's success in training M.S. students in the sciences,

including information on the numbers of minority students receiving the

M.S. and data on subsequent careers or education of their graduates.



Institutions with NIH National Research Service Award (NRSA)

institutional training grants and/or Minority Biomedical Research

Support (MBRS) Grants must define the relationship between those

programs and this transition program.  They must delineate how this

initiative will influence their partnerships with the other

participants and the manner in which underrepresented minority graduate

students will interact with the NRSA and/or MBRS program(s).



In addition, modifications to existing "bridge" programs must be

described with special attention to the needs and special requirements

of the underrepresented minority student body.  They may include, but

are not limited to, the following elements:



o  providing research opportunities for M.S. students at the Ph.D.

institution or in private industrial laboratories; students may receive

compensation for these activities;



o  establishing a mentoring program for M.S. students with faculty at

the Ph.D. institution;



o  strengthening the research capability of the M.S.-granting college

(e.g., by faculty research collaborations, joint seminar programs);



o  enhancing the curriculum of the M.S. institution (e.g., special

courses, seminars);



o  students from either institution taking classes at the other

institution;



o  guaranteeing acceptance into the participating Ph.D. program(s) for

students completing the M.S. program;



o  academic counseling for M.S. students, with a particular focus on

encouraging students to pursue research careers in the biomedical

sciences.



It is an expectation of NIGMS and OMP that students who enter Ph.D.

programs as a result of this enhancement program will receive support,

if needed, while progressing satisfactorily in Ph.D. research training

programs.  Applicants should describe the type(s) of support that would

be available to such students.



Additional requirements are detailed below.



Program #2:  Transition From Two-year Colleges to Institutions Awarding

the Baccalaureate Degree



This program is designed to refine and extend existing "bridge"

programs that facilitate the transfer of students at two-year colleges

with significant enrollments of underrepresented minority students into

colleges with baccalaureate degree programs in the sciences.  The goal

is to increase the number of underrepresented minority students who

graduate with Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) degrees in the

sciences related to biomedicine.



ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS



Applications may be submitted by domestic, private and public,

institutions with existing educational programs aimed at helping

students move from two-year colleges into B.S. degree programs,

although the existing programs need not specifically target

underrepresented minorities or science majors.  State and local systems

of higher education with existing transitional programs may also be

eligible to apply.  However, applicants from such organizations should

talk with the Grants Management Officer identified at the end of this

announcement about special issues concerning PHS grants to governments.



Programs must include at least two institutions:  one college or

university offering the B.S. degree (or equivalent) in areas of science

relevant to biomedical research, and one two-year institution with a

significant enrollment of underrepresented minority students.  However,

the program may include a consortium of several two-year and

baccalaureate institutions, and may include several institutions within

a single state system.  One baccalaureate-granting institution or a

single system of higher education must be designated as the grantee

institution and must submit the application.  Proposals must include

formal collaborative agreements or subcontracts with all other

participating institutions.



SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS



Collaborative agreements should foster partnerships that best fit the

needs and situations of the institutions involved.  The challenge for

the program director, with the help of the other participants, is to

design a program that focuses attention and adequate resources to help

the two-year institution enhance the academic competitiveness of its

graduates.



The application must include a description of the existing transition

program and describe how the program will be modified to accommodate

the goals of this initiative.  The nature and extent of

underrepresented minority student participation must be thoroughly

delineated.  Colleges with NIH funding through the Minority Biomedical

Research Support (MBRS) and/or the Minority Access to Research Career

(MARC) programs must define the relationship between those programs and

this transition program.  They must 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 the MBRS and/or MARC programs.



In addition, these existing "bridge" programs must be modified as

needed 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 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  academic counseling (e.g., guidance in course selection, tracking

and providing assistance to students who express and interest or show

special aptitude for science);



o  additional enrichment activities, such as tutoring, to enhance the

student's transition to the baccalaureate college;



o  other innovative plans to coordinate these programs.



Additional requirements are detailed below.



GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BOTH PROGRAMS



Allowable Costs



If appropriate, the budget request may be divided into two phases: a

planning phase with its attendant budget for the enhancement,

expansion, and modification of the existing partnership program; and an

implementation phase with its attendant budget.  The planning phase

costs should be minimal and may include such items as compensation for

release time for faculty and administrators for each of the

participating institutions and travel between the participating

institutions.  This phase of the project should not exceed a period of

one year.  The implementation phase may include the costs of

administering and coordinating the partnership programs within and

between each of the participants.  Compensation for student

participation in research experiences may take the form of salaries,

fringe benefits and/or tuition waivers for students and salary

compensation for release time for faculty participating in research

projects.  Costs related to curriculum enhancement may also be

requested.



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 a Statement of Appointment Form (form 2271) for each

student participant and a report of the educational benefits to each

student of the partnership program.



During the planning phase or first year of the award, program directors

should develop plans for following the subsequent careers and

educational achievements of the participating students, which will be

used as part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of these

initiatives.  The progress report should include a description of these

plans.



During or after the project period, program directors will be asked to

share information and experiences and help evaluate the effectiveness

of the programs.  OMP and/or NIGMS may convene a meeting of program

directors to discuss these programs.



LETTER OF INTENT



Prospective applicants are requested to submit by April 1, 1992, 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.  Applicants should indicate the

specific program(s) (Program 1:  M.S. to Ph.D. Transition or Program 2:

Two-year to Four-year Transition) to which they intend to apply.

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:



Americo Rivera, Jr., Ph.D.

National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Westwood Building, Room 909

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-7001

FAX:  (301) 402-0019



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 business offices; from the Office of Grants Inquiries,

Division of Research Grants, NIH, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Room 449,

Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone (301) 496-7441; and from the NIGMS

program administrator named below.



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 given

below.



Applications must be received by May 12, 1992.  Applications arriving

after that date will be returned to the applicant.



REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS



Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by NIH program staff.

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

peer review groups in the Division of Research Grants (DRG).  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;



o  appropriateness of the existing transition program and of the plans

to modify or expand this program to meet the goals of the solicitation;



o  availability of significant 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 of underrepresented minority students progressing to higher

education in the sciences;



o  budget and cost-effectiveness of the project including

appropriateness to the scope of the program, benefit to the students,

number of students involved, and responsible and prudent senior

personnel costs;



o  evidence of institutional commitment, for each 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;



AWARD CRITERIA



The anticipated date of award is September 30, 1992.  Award decisions

will be based on the technical merit of the applications based on the

review criteria, the geographical distribution of the awardee

institutions, and diversity of underrepresented minority student

participants.  Awards can 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



Written and telephone 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 the program

administrator:



Americo Rivera, Jr., Ph.D.

National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Westwood Building, Room 909

5333 Westbard Avenue

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-7001



Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:



Ms. Carol Tippery

Grants Management Officer

National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Westwood Building, Room 953

5333 Westbard Avenue

Bethesda, MD  20892

Telephone:  (301) 496-7746



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



Awards are authorized under the Public Health Service Act, Title IV,

Part A, (Sections 301 and 405, as amended, 42 USC 241 and 284) and

administered under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR

52, 45 CFR Part 74 and 45 CFR Part 92.  This program is not subject to

the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or

Health Systems Agency review.



.

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