Guidance for Supplemental Funding for NIGMS TWD T34 Program

NIGMS will consider providing supplemental funding in one-year increments to a pre-existing (i.e., awarded prior to Fiscal Year 2020) MARC (T34) program that encounters a gap in funding as a consequence of the restructuring of the NIGMS diversity enhancing programs.

Pre-existing diversity enhancing programs will be allowed to reach the end of their grant cycles. Going forward, each institution will be eligible to apply for:

  • Either U-RISE (T32) or MARC (T34) to support undergraduate students

All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In making funding recommendations, only the programs that meet the following criteria will be considered:

  • Programs at institutions with a strategic plan for the submissions of NIGMS diversity enhancing programs that have been approved by the relevant NIGMS Program Officers (see contact information below).
  • Successful program outcomes.

Eligibility

  • Supplement requests will be considered at institutions that have multiple NIGMS diversity enhancing programs that support participants at the same training stage, and where a gap in funding is anticipated because of staggered program end dates (i.e., different fiscal years).
    • Institutions that have parallel programs for students at the same training stage and whose programs end in the same fiscal year are not eligible for supplemental funding.
    • Institutions that have been awarded a new U-RISE (T34) or MARC (T34) program after Fiscal Year 2020 to support undergraduates, will not be eligible to apply for supplemental funding for the T34 program unless otherwise justified.
  • The pre-existing T34 program must be active in the original project period prior to submitting the supplement application. Grants that are in a “no cost extension” are not eligible for supplemental funding.

Instructions

Grantees are strongly encouraged to submit the supplement request 4 to 6 months before the end of the original project period. Requests for supplemental funding must be submitted through the FOA PA-20-272. The application should include:

  • The institutional strategic plan for the submissions of NIGMS diversity enhancing programs that have been approved by the relevant NIGMS Program Officers (see contact information below).
  • A rationale for the supplement.
  • An itemized budget and justification for the supplemental funding request. The amounts requested should adhere to the supplemental funding budget guidelines detailed below and all expenditures must be well justified.
  • Estimated unobligated balance remaining as of the end of the final year. If any balance is available, an explanation should be provided of how this balance will be used in conjunction with the supplemental funding to continue program operations.
  • Names of students that will be supported.
  • Applicants should include “NIGMS Restructuring” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form
  • The supplement request end date should align with the end of the original project period.

Supplemental Funding Budget Guidelines

The following budget line items should be included:

  • Stipend support for each MARC trainee using the current published stipend guidelines.
  • Tuition remission for each MARC trainee at the same level committed in the final year.
  • Up to $1,000/trainee for travel to scientific meetings and workshops.
  • Funds to support current students during their Summer Research Experience (SRE) may be requested using the standard SRE formula of $3,500/trainee ($3,750/trainee for institutions outside the continental U.S.). These SRE students must be specifically identified in the budget justification.
  • Training-Related Expenses at the level committed per trainee in the final year, if strongly justified.
  • F&A costs at 8% of total direct costs excluding tuition remission.

Supplemental funding is dependent upon the availability of funds.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the program officers, Sydella Blatch and Patrick H. Brown, for additional details.