Diversity Supplement Grants

In an effort to promote diversity and support members of underrepresented minority groups, Albert Einstein College of Medicine offers several resources to assist you in applying for administrative diversity supplements. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsors programs supporting research experiences for minorities from the high school to the faculty level at grantee institutions. There are many options for diversity supplements; the NIH’s Administrative Supplements to Enhance Diversity are some of the most popular mechanisms. These supplements encourage the participation of members of underrepresented minority groups and disability candidates. The office of grant support will inform you of applicable funding opportunities. We are also available to facilitate the matching of principal investigators to eligible grants and interested applicants. Joan Frumkies will assist you with the preparation and submission of the grant applications.

If you are interested or have any questions or concerns, please contact Joan (x2413), joan.frumkies@einsteinmed.edu, or Indranil (x2238), indranil.basu@einsteinmed.edu.

What do these supplements provide?  

These diversity supplements offer additional funding for existing NIH grants with two or more award years left. These funds enable investigators to recruit and retain diverse candidates who have demonstrated interest in research to fill crucial roles on research teams. The proposed research experience must be an integral part of the approved, ongoing research of the parent award; it must also be an additional project that has the potential to contribute significantly to the candidate’s research-career development. 

Who is eligible for these grants? 

 Eligible candidates may be high school or college students; graduate research assistants; post-baccalaureate, post–master’s degree, or postdoctoral candidates; or faculty members. They must be from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, or (for high school and undergraduate candidates only) individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Groups identified as underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences: Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis, including blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska natives, native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders; Individuals with disabilities, defined as those with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities;Individuals who come from families with annual incomes below established low-income thresholds; and Individuals who come from educational environments—such as those found in certain rural or inner-city areas—that have demonstrably and directly inhibited them from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to develop and participate in research careers.  

Are there restrictions on who can apply?  

These supplemental awards are limited to citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States or to individuals who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States (i.e., those in possession of Permanent Resident Cards, Form I-551).  

Which organizations of the NIH accept administrative diversity applications?   

National Cancer Institute (NCI); National Eye Institute (NEI); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI); National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI); National Institute on Aging (NIA); National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA); National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS); National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB); Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR); National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA); National Institute 

of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS); National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS); National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS); National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR); National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD); National Library of Medicine (NLM); Fogarty International Center (FIC); National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH); National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS); Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (DPCPSI ORIP); and Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC Common Fund). The participant institutes and centers (ICs) change over time. Please call the NIH or the office of grant support to be certain. 

Which grant activity codes accept administrative diversity applications?  

Not all NIH ICs support the activity codes below for administrative diversity supplements. Prior to preparing your application, check the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts for more details. G12; P01; P20; P30; P40; P41; P50; P51; P60; P2C; PM1; PN2; U10; U19; U2C; U41; U42; U54; U56; UC2; UL1; UM2; DP1; DP2; DP4; DP5; G20; RM1; R00; R01; R03; R15; R18; R21; R21/R33; R24; R33; R34; R35; R37; R41; R41/R42; R42; R43; R43/R44;R44; R61; R33; RC1; RC2; RC3; RC4; RM1; RF1; SC1; SC2; SC3; U01; U13; U18; U24; U44; UC4; UG1; UG3/UH3; UH3; UM1; UF1. 

Are there standard submission dates?  

 Submission dates as well as start dates vary by awarding institute or center. See the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts.  

How much funding do investigators typically apply for and receive?  

Application budgets are limited to no more than the amount of the current parent award, and must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. Direct costs for individual administrative supplements vary from less than $5,000 to more than $100,000, depending on the organization and the career level of the candidate. See the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements, and Staff Contacts. Program directors and principal investigators should encourage candidates to submit applications for fellowships, research grants, and other sources of independent support before the supplemental period ends.

What can these funds be used for?  

Funds can be used to cover cost increases associated with achieving certain new research objectives, as long as the research objectives are within the original scope of the peer reviewed and approved project. Funds can also be used to address cost increases for unanticipated expenses within the original scope of the project. Any cost increases need to result from making modifications to the project that would increase or preserve the overall impact of the project consistent with its originally approved objectives and purposes. The success rate for diversity supplements is extremely high, and would support the salary and fringe costs of the recipient as well as provide modest funding for travel and supplies.

Who can assist with your grant application?  

Dr. Joan Frumkies (x2413); joan.frumkies@einsteinmed.edu or Dr. Indranil Basu at indranil.basu@einsteinmed.edu.