The participating Institutes and Centers (ICs) are inviting applications to support administrative supplements to existing NIH awards to support scientists who have demonstrated compelling commitments and contributions to mentorship and enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the biomedical sciences. Funds will support ongoing and future efforts.
The biomedical research enterprise includes a range of research, including basic science, behavioral and social science, and clinical research and will be described hereafter as biomedical research. Excellent mentorship and superior training are critical to developing exceptional future scientists and building a diverse scientific workforce in the U.S. However, these efforts may not always be appropriately recognized or well compensated. As such, the intent of this NOSI is to reach those individuals with limited NIH support.
Mentoring can be defined as “a professional, working alliance in which individuals work together over time to support the personal and professional growth, development, and success of the relational partners through the provision of career and psychosocial support” (NASEM, 2019). Mentorship provides psychosocial and career support, self-efficacy, and science identity; it is also culturally responsive (NASEM, 2019). To date, NIH has supported such efforts via NOT-OD-22-057 and NOT-OD-23-002. This Notice of Special Interest aims to continue this program into Fiscal Year 2024.
Program Description and Requirements
This administrative supplement recognizes the crucial role that engaged, active mentors play in the development of future leaders in the biomedical research enterprise. This NOSI encourages PD/PIs to promote DEIA and mentorship broadly and as such differs from a Diversity Supplement (PA-23-189). The latter is designed to support research experiences for individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups, through the career continuum from high school to the faculty level. In contrast, this NOSI focuses on mentors who have dedicated their time and effort and made significant contributions, based on evaluation data and publications, to DEIA to apply for an administrative supplement to further their personal research and/or mentoring activities.
The parent award must have an existing mentoring component and the proposed work must be within scope of the funded aims of the parent award. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- a Diversity Supplement associated with the current competitive segment of the parent award
- a Research Education Program that describes mentored research experiences
- a Plan to Provide Mentoring
- a Plan to Enhance Diverse Perspectives (PEDP)
- or a discrete objective related to mentoring (examples include but are not limited to a description of mentoring others in a specific aim, a section in the research strategy, or a section in the research training program plan).