NIH T32 Training Grants (Pre-award)

Matthew Miller, Financial Manager Department of Epidemiology, BSPH

Lisa Campbell, Assistant Administrator Department of Oncology, JHUSOM

Presentation Outline

• Funding Opportunities • Budget Preparation• Training Program Structure• Data Tables• Other NRSA Application Elements• Helpful Links

Funding Opportunities• Each NIH institute is unique and may potentially only participate in one of the

three NIH cycle deadlines: January 25, May 25 and/or September 25

• AIDS-related applications follow unique application due dates: January 7, May 7 and/or September 7

• When submitting a 5-year renewal be cognizant of the earliest projected start date to avoid a break in funding

• In some cases, renewals may be submitted over 1 year in advance of the current project end date.

Resources:http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/parent_T32.html)

http://grants.nih.gov/archive/grants/guide/contacts/PA-10-036_contacts.html

Budget Preparation

The training program determines:

• Predoctoral and/or Postdoctoral trainees • Estimated number of slots*• Participating Department(s) for trainee selection

*NIH Budget Cap of $500K may limit slots; federal sequestration means NIH is very conscious about the cost of new programs; the table data may not support the slots requests.

Building a Budget

Predoctoral:• Determine number of slots

Postdoctoral:• Determine number of slots• Determine appropriate NRSA trainee stipend level (0-7)• Determine length of training if able• Determine postdoctoral status – degree seeking (MHS or PhD) with a

previous advanced degree

Be aggressive with your stipend level estimates. Estimating too low may result in a stipend shortfall.

NRSA Stipends

• Determined using the NIH current fiscal year NRSA levels

• Can increase stipend levels for known postdoctoral trainees being reappointed

• Cannot be inflated beyond maximum year -07 stipend

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-033.html

Tuition & Fees

• If applicable, request full tuition needs of all the trainees

• NIH will apply the appropriate cuts when issuing an award.

• Do not estimate and apply the cuts yourself

1. NIH may in-turn cut the amounts that you have already reduced2. It could diminish the amount received if the NIH raises the tuition limit per

student in a successive fiscal year

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-033.html

Trainee Travel

• No unilateral travel limit

• Consult respective agency contacts to get a proper sense of what each institute would permit.

• Keep the request per student within reason and identical unless instructed otherwise by the NIH

• Some agencies permit different ranges for pre and postdoctoral fellows

Institutional Allowance

• Refer to the NRSA fiscal year webpage for the appropriate pre and postdoctoral levels for this specific category.

• Currently the levels are: • $4,200 per predoctoral fellow • $7,850 per postdoctoral fellow• Inclusive of health insurance

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-033.html

Other Budget Considerations

• NIH caps budgets at $500K pending advance Program approval

• Tuition costs or slots may influence total budget

• Request permission from NIH program staff no later than 6 weeks before the due date.

• Note that the projected awarded amount will be significantly diminished once NIH applies financial formulas to the tuition category in your letter of request. All requests of this nature should be institutionally certified by authorized individuals in the Office or Research Administration.

Training Program Structure

• Participating Departments

• Training Faculty

Participating Departments(Tables 1, 7, 8)

• Should represent the programs that will enroll the students whom will eventually be appointed to the slots.

• Should NOT be a reflection of the home Department of the various mentors.

• Tables show the direct ability of the respective departments to recruit and retain the prospective trainees, along with the selectivity of the admissions process.

• Ancillary Departments that will not recruit students for candidacy to the respective training program will simply offer meaningless data that will dilute or misrepresent the true capability of the proposed training program

Training Faculty(Tables 2,3,4,5 and 6)

• Key Training Program Faculty - direct control regarding the direction and curriculum of the training program, the final selection of trainee candidates, and the evaluation and evolution of the program.

• Core Faculty / Mentors / Preceptors - individuals who will serve as the primary mentors or co-mentors for the various trainee candidates (pre & post).

• Affiliated Faculty / Other Significant Contributors - serve on a trainee’s dissertation committee, oral committee or participate on training seminars or journal clubs; or perhaps they are critical to aspects of the program plan such as training coursework or ethics training.

Data Tables• Table 1 – Membership of Participating Departments/Programs• Table 2 – Participating Faculty Members• Table 3 - Institutional Training Grant Support Available to Participating Faculty

Members, Departments, or Programs • Table 4 - Grant and Contract Support of the Participating Faculty Members • Table 5A/B – Predoctoral/Postdoctoral Trainees of Participating Faculty Members • Table 6A/B - Publications of Research Completed by Predoctoral/Postdoctotal Trainees • Table 7A/B - Admissions and Completion Records for the Participating Departments and

Programs During the Past Five Years (Predoctoral/Postdoctoral)• Table 8A/B - Qualifications of Recent Predoctoral/Postdoctoral Applicants • Table 9A/B - Qualifications of the Current Predoctoral Trainees Clearly Associated with

the Training Program • Table 10 – Admissions/Completion Records for Underrepresented Minority (URM),

Trainees with Disabilities, and Trainees from Disadvantaged Backgrounds • Table 11 - Appointments to the Training Grant For Each Year of the Past Award • Table 12A/B – Predoctoral/Postdoctoral Trainees Supported by this Training Grant

Table 1

• Reflection of a Participating Department’s head count (active faculty & active students) to reflect the critical mass and potential capability (trainees, faculty, and representation of required discipline) of the proposed program as a whole.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Background

Table 2

• Illustrates the role of each respective participating faculty and research interest. It should be alphabetically organized but may be sub-organized into the 3 tiers discussed above.

• Key Training Program Faculty• Core Faculty / Mentors / Preceptors• Affiliated Faculty / Other Significant Contributors

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Background , Program Administration (subsection A) & Program Faculty (subsection B)

Table 3

• Illustrates the current training capacity currently afforded to the training faculty.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Background

Table 4

• Illustrates the strength of the research environment and availability of funds to support research conducted by the trainees; Other Support can also provide raw data needed for this Table

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Program Faculty (subsection B) & Human Subjects

Table 5

• Illustrates the program faculty’s strength of mentorship, his/her ability to successfully see them through a training program, and direct outcomes of the training through the illustration of their current employment and/or position. Indicates a mentor’s ability to help foster independent research careers for their advisees.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Program Faculty (subsection B)

Table 6

• Indicates a mentor’s ability to foster trainee productivity.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Program Faculty (subsection B)

Table 7

• Illustrates the ability of the Participating Department(s) to recruit and retain trainees through the completion of their program degree requirements or training.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Proposed Training (subsection C)

Table 7A. Admissions and Completion Records for the Participating Departments and Programs During the Past Five Years (Predoctoral Applicants)

Department /Program

EnteringYear

Applicants Applied (TGE)A

Applicants Accepted (TGE)A

Applicants Enrolled(TGE)A/B/C

Trainees Still inProgram(TGE)A/B/C

Trainees Completed Program

Earned PhD orMD/PhD(TGE)A/B/C

TraineesLeft ProgramEarned Other 

Degree(TGE)A/B/C

Trainees Left 

Program Without Degree(TGE)A/B/C

Reason for Leaving Program

(if training was not completed)

Total All Programs

Sums all Years

Average all Years

Table 7B. Admissions and Completion Records for the Participating Departments and Programs During the Past Five Years (Postdoctoral Applicants)

Department /Program

EnteringYear

PreviousDegreeType

Applicants Applied(TGE)A

Applicants Accepted (TGE)A

Applicants Entered Program(TGE)A/B/C

Trainees Still inProgram(TGE)A/B/C

Trainees Completed Program(TGE)A/B/C

Trainees Left 

Program(TGE)A/B/C

Reason for Leaving Program(if training was not 

completed)

Total All Programs

Sums

Averages

Table 8

• Indicates the quality and depth of the applicant pool and selectivity of the application process for the Participating Departments.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Proposed Training (subsection C)

Table 8A. Qualifications of Recent Predoctoral Applicants

YearDepartment / 

Program

Applicant (List by Number)

Previous Institution(s)

Degree(s) & Year(s)

UndergradGPA

GRE ScoresV, Q, A, S 

(Percentiles) and/or MCAT 

ScoresInterviewed

(Y/N)Accepted(Y/N)

Enrolled(Y/N)

Support from this Grant(Y/N)

Total Number of Applicants

Number of TGE Applicants

Applicants Interviewed

Applicants Accepted

Applicants Enrolled

Applicants Supported By This Grant

Average GRE and/orMCAT Scores Average GPA

Table 8B. Qualifications of Recent Postdoctoral Applicants

YearDepartment/ Program

Applicant (List by Number)

Previous Institution

Degree(s) & Year(s)

Doctoral Thesis or Other Research Experience & 

Research Advisor(if relevant)

Residency Training Institution PGY

Offered Position(Y/N)

Entered Program(Y/N)

Support from this Grant(Y/N)

Table 9

• Reflection of students from all participating departments who are actively part of an active training program or cohort for a potential training program.

• Does not need to include all students who are actively enrolled in the various Departments.

• Strongest impact on the requested number slots as it displays the totality and quality of the applicant pool and its distribution by mentor.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Trainee Candidates (subsection C)

Table 9A. Qualifications of the Current Predoctoral Trainees Clearly Associated with the Training Program(New Applications)

Program Statistics

Department / Program

Trainee(List by Number)

Previous Institution(s) 

Degree(s) & Year(s)

UndergraduateGPA 

GRE ScoresV, Q, A, S

(Percentiles)and/or

MCAT Scores 

Current Research Mentor 

Years in Program

Leave Column Blank

Total Number of Trainees

Number of TGE Trainees Average GPA

Average GRE /MCAT Scores

Table 9B. Qualifications of the Current Postdoctoral Trainees Clearly Associated with the Training Program

(New Applications)

Program Statistics

Department / Program

Trainee(List by Number)

Previous Institution(s) 

Degree(s) & Year(s)

Doctoral Thesis or Other Previous 

Research Experience & Research Advisor 

(If Relevant)

Residency Training Institution

Current Research Mentor 

Years in Program 

LeaveColumnBlank

Total Number of Trainees

Number of TGE Trainees

Table 10

• Demonstrates a training programs current success of recruiting and retaining those from diverse backgrounds who could also serve as potential training candidates.

• Primary Impact on Program Plan: Trainee Candidates (subsection E) & Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity

Diversity Recruitment 

Group

Trainee(List by Number)

Entering Year

(Pre/Post)Department / 

Program

Source of Support and if Support by NRSA 

Grant In TrainingCompleted Training

Left Without Completing Training

Current Status Career or Employment 

Table 10: Admissions and Completion Records for Underrepresented Minority (URM) Trainees, Trainees with Disabilities, and Trainees from Disadvantaged Backgrounds Clearly Associated With the Training Program

Tables 11 and 12(Renewal Applications)

• Appointments to the Training Grant For Each Year of the Past Award

• Trainees Supported by this Training Grant (10 year record)

Other Important NRSA Application Elements

• Biosketches• Human Subjects• Faculty Salary• Institutional Commitment• Letters of Support• Page Limits

Biosketches• Biosketches for all training faculty (regardless of role) should be

uploaded as a single PDF document in the appropriate section.

• Biosketches for key individuals should also be uploaded a second time into the SF424 Key Personnel Component.

• The Personal Statement (subsection A) on a Biosketch is not required and such sentiments (experience and qualifications that make you suitable for the role) should instead be reserved for the faculty’s Letter of Support.

Human Subjects

• Typically, training programs are not directly tied to a single IRB, and are more commonly indirectly associated with those on other research projects (the trainees’ thesis projects through their advisor’s IRB research).

• Program should include examples of IRB projects that could be potentially supportive of trainee research associated with this training program

Faculty Salary• NRSA awards do not permit standard direct requests for faculty salary and

fringe.

• Each grant will only offer an institutional allowance that could potentially support a tiny fraction of the required effort.

• The Program Director is required to state his/her respective proposed effort in the proposed project (Program Plan subsection A – Program Administration) in order to justify the program.

• Such effort should be incorporated into the institutional amounts provided for teaching and mentorship activities; this institutional support can also be reflected in the programs Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training (subsection F of the Program Plan).

Institutional Commitment

• The applicant institution must include a statement (institutional letterhead and signature) that supports and certifies the commitment to the planned program and provide assurances for the time commitments of the training faculty.

• This commitment may come from a Department Chairman, Dean, or combination. This certified statement may be incorporated into the Letters of Support section

Letters of Support

• Build generic templates that illustrate the primary talking points for the information you want the training faculty to convey.

• Required to confirm their respective role listed on Data Table 2.

• Additional information similar to a Personal Statement on a Biosketch (experience and qualifications) can lend additional helpful emphasis to justify their role

Page Limits

• The Background, Program Plan, and Recruitment and Retention Plan to Enhance Diversity sections when combined may not exceed 25 pages

Helpful LinksNRSA Main Webpage:http://grants.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm

Introduction to Training Data Tables:http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/datatables_intro.pdf

T Kiosk: http://grants.nih.gov/training/T_Table.htm

Table of Institute or Center Specific Information:http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/parent_T32.html

NIH Forms and Applications (including NRSA-specific guidelines):http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm

NIH Funding Standard Due Dates for Competing Applications: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm

Questions?