NIH Diversity Supplement Program

The NIH Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (otherwise known as “Diversity Supplements”) provide funding to help attract minority and disadvantaged trainees and faculty into research careers. This additional funding is used to work on a pre-existing NIH-funded project (e.g. a “parent grant,” typically an R01, R34, P, or U grant), and must support work within the scope of the original project but should not overlap. Parent grants must have more than two years remaining, and an average supplement duration is typically 2-3 years. Funding cannot be extended beyond the existing parent grant project’s date, and budget requests must follow the budget cycle of the existing grant. Supplements must be submitted at least 10 weeks prior to the desired funding start date, and application deadlines may vary depending on the Institutional Center. Please check the IC-Specific Guidelines to determine the appropriate submission date for you.

Eligible candidates include PI’s supporting trainees and scholars who meet the NIH definition of “Underrepresented Populations in the U.S. Biomedical, Clinical, Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Enterprise.” These include individuals who meet one of the following categories (full description found here):

• Identify as part of racial and/or ethnic groups that are underrepresented in health-related sciences, which include: Black or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.
• Identify as an individual with a disability, defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (a full description can be found in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
• Identify as an individual from a disadvantaged background, meeting two or more of the following categories: was or currently is homeless, was or currently is in the foster care system, was eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for 2+ years, have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree, was or currently is eligible for Federal Pell grants, received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as a parent or child, or grew up in a U.S. rural area or a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas.

PI’s and candidates writing a Diversity Supplement should be sure to include the following sections in their application, as described in the current RFA:

• Statement of Candidate Eligibility and explanation of diversity qualification(s)
• Summary or abstract
• Proposed period of support
• Biosketches of PI and Diversity Candidate
• Candidate Statement (outlining career goals)
• Research Plan
• Specific Aims
• Career Development Plan
• Mentorship Plan
• Research Environment
• Proposed budget and justification

To view full proposals, please visit our ICTS Grants Library.

As these supplements are less competitive than other NIH peer-reviewed grant funding mechanisms, they can provide an entry point for an upcoming researcher looking to begin their research career. Diversity supplement applications have a high success rate and are on a shorter review cycle, which is extremely advantageous for a new researcher looking to secure funding. To help increase Diversity Supplements on campus, the ICTS has developed the following resources:

ICTS ASAP Program
The Affiliated Scholars Advancement Program (ASAP) was developed by the ICTS to provide various levels of support for UCI junior faculty, residents, fellows, and post- and pre-doctorate researchers. This program also supports those submitting NIH Diversity Supplement awards, and support through this program includes assistance with developing a research plan that outlines the timeline of the research project in addition to a publication plan, meeting with the trainee and mentor every six months to discuss progress on the research plan, and hands-on assistance, review, and ad-hoc meetings to prepare grant submissions. Mentors and trainees who are eligible for NIH Diversity Supplements and are completing the application process are eligible to receive ASAP support.

• For more information on getting involved in the ASAP program, please email Marguerite Klumb at mklumb@hs.uci.edu.

ICTS Grants Library
The ICTS is proud to offer a collection of successful Diversity Supplement awards that are available for applicants to view to help strengthen their own applications. These applications are not available to download to protect the original author’s content but can be utilized as a view-only resource during the writing process. Access to the library is granted in 30-day increments. If you need to renew your access, please submit a new request.

• To request access to the Grants Library please click here.
• If you have questions regarding your library access, please contact Brooke Piercy at piercyb@hs.uci.edu.