The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is making a number of changes to predoctoral training grant applications for due dates on or after January 25, 2025. For details, visit the Updates to NIH Institutional Training Grant Applications webpage.

Impact for NIGMS Predoctoral Training Grant Applicants

NIGMS already incorporates mentor training expectations into predoctoral training grant applications and includes instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and the Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity as additional review criteria that contribute to the overall impact score. Therefore, these NIH-wide updates do not impact NIGMS predoctoral (T32) training grant applications.

The changes that will impact NIGMS T32 applications include the following: 

1. The Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity will become a distinct attachment on the PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan form (similar to the Training in RCR and Methods for Instructions in Enhancing Reproducibility).
2. NIGMS applicants need to follow the new data table instructions (refer to these previews). As a reminder, NIGMS does not use Table 6 for predoctoral training grant applications, and it must not be included or the application will be withdrawn before review. Notable updates include the following:
   • Tables 1 and 2 should only include predoctoral outcomes and should not include postdoctoral outcomes.
   • Tables 2 and 4 will allow applicants with partnership programs to clearly show information for partner organizations in the new Part II.
   • Table 5 will be reorganized to focus on trainee outcomes (that is, trainees are now in the first column). Programs can also include interim research products to which the trainees have contributed (such as preprints) when there isn’t a final, peer-reviewed publication available.
   • Table 8 no longer contains the section, “Part II. Those Clearly Associated with the Training Grant.” As applicable, applicants can describe any additional impact of the training program on individuals who aren’t appointed to the grant as part of the program plan.

If you have questions about these upcoming changes, please reach out to the relevant program contacts or review the following predoctoral training grant funding notices to learn more:

• Predoctoral Basic Biomedical Sciences Research Training Program and Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)
• Leading Equity and Diversity in the Medical Scientist Training Program (LEAD MSTP)
• Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD), Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Development (G-RISE), and Bridges to the Doctorate Training Programs