We receive many questions from prospective applicants about getting NIGMS funding for their research: How do I know if my research fits within the scientific interests of NIGMS? What grant programs does the Institute offer? What are NIGMS' research priorities? Whom do I talk to—and when—to learn more?

This post will help to answer those questions. And because it’s the first post in a new series from our staff, think of it as a primer for your initial interactions with us.

We’d like to make you aware that NIGMS is expanding eligibility within the diversity supplement program (PA-23-189) to include applications from principal investigators (PIs) of parent awards from the following programs:

• Support for Research Excellence (SuRE, R16)
• Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE Phases 1 and 2, P20)
• Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Networks for Clinical and Translational Research (IDeA-CTR, U54)
• IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE, P20)
• Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH, S06)

UPDATE: The webinar video is now available along with a program website featuring FAQs.

As part of NIH’s UNITE initiative to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in biomedical research, we’re pleased to announce the release of the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO): Instrumentation Grant Program for Resource-Limited Institutions (RLI-S10) (PAR-23-138). The RLI-S10 program aims to enhance research capacity and educational opportunities at resource-limited institutions by providing funds to purchase modern, scientific instrumentation. Applications may propose purchase of instruments that support basic, translational, clinical, or biomedically related behavioral science. The instruments may be used in formal courses for teaching purposes as well as for research projects.

We’re pleased to announce a new notice of special interest (NOSI) (NOT-GM-23-031) associated with PAR-20-296, modules for enhancing biomedical research workforce training (R25). The NOSI requests applications to develop biomedical research training modules on one of the following topics:

• Wellness and resiliency: effectively providing individuals with the knowledge and skills to enhance their wellness, resiliency, and ultimate success during their research training.
• Structural racism and discrimination: addressing harassment, intimidation, and other forms of structural racism and discrimination to reduce disparities in recruitment, retention, and success and to promote access, inclusion, equity, and accessibility in the research training environment. Modules should focus on how to create optimized research training environments where all participants feel safe, respected, and supported.
• Safe research training environments: catalyzing a strong culture of responsibility and obligation to maintain high standards for physical, chemical, and biological safety.
• Program evaluation capacity: developing evaluation capacity by informing program directors and administrators about effective and practical approaches to evaluate biomedical research training programs at their institutions.

We’re pleased to announce the second webinar in our series on issues in biomedical research training, workforce development, and diversity. The series is a combination of lectures, panel discussions, and workshops focused on a variety of important topics for the broader training community, such as program evaluation, mentoring, safe and inclusive research environments, and curricular development.

To continue our efforts to modernize biomedical research training and career development, we invite eligible institutions with NIGMS training (T32, T34), certain research education (R25), or institutional career development (K12) awards to apply for administrative supplements to develop and implement curricular, training, or administrative activities to enhance:

• Laboratory safety curriculum and a culture of safety in biomedical research training environments (NOT-GM-22-010)
• Safe and inclusive biomedical research training environments (NOT-GM-22-011)
• Undergraduate biomedical research training (NOT-GM-22-012) (T34 and R25 undergraduate programs only)
• Program evaluation capacity (NOT-GM-22-013)
• Mentoring in the research training environment (NOT-GM-22-014)
• Wellness and resilience (NOT-GM-22-015)

Join us for a three-part webinar series designed for faculty and sponsored programs/research development personnel at institutions building research and research training capacity. During the webinars, we’ll share our suggestions for navigating the process of seeking NIH funding. You’ll also learn considerations for determining research idea and grant writing readiness, selecting opportunities to apply for, and effectively writing your grant application and seeking appropriate feedback. 

NIGMS is accepting diversity supplement applications to support master’s degree students who are planning to apply to Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. This opportunity is part of our Diversity Supplements Program, which facilitates the recruitment and training of promising scientists from diverse backgrounds (including individuals from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce). The broader goal of this program is to enhance the diversity of the biomedical research enterprise.

The duration of supplement support is normally 1 year but can be extended for up to 1 additional year, for a total of 24 months. Program directors (PDs)/principal investigators (PIs) with active NIGMS research grants, program project grants, center grants, or cooperative agreements are eligible to apply if there are at least 12 months remaining on the grant.

UPDATE: An informational webinar on these modules will be held on April 28 from 2-3:30 ET. For details see NOT-GM-22-035.

We’re pleased to announce a new notice of special Interest (NOSI) calling for applications to develop training modules on wellness and resiliency, and structural racism and discrimination in research training environments (NOT-GM-22-016). The proposed modules should impact individuals from a broad range of scientific disciplines and career stages and cover material not typically taught as part of current institutional coursework. The modules can take many different formats and approaches and should be timely, informative, engaging, easily accessible, and free to everyone. Applications must focus on one of the following topics:

UPDATE: The first bullet under the R01, R35, and R37 heading has been expanded to indicate the supplement can’t exceed the direct costs of the parent award.

We’re offering administrative supplements for equipment to select NIGMS-funded research projects, resources, centers, and core facilities. Funds are intended for the purchase of needed equipment that will enhance user access to the resource and/or the impact of the parent grant. The application deadline is March 1.

R01, R35, and R37 grantees:

• Funds are available for the purchase of single equipment systems with requested direct costs up to $250,000, as long as it doesn't exceed the direct costs of the parent award.