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Yes, we welcome application submissions from a broad range of institution types.
The ReWARD program funds (1) scientific research and (2) DEIA activities. If you intend to focus strictly on interventions research, we recommend that you explore the NIGMS Interventions Research program and reach out to the contacts to see if your research is in alignment with NIGMS funding priorities. If you have a balance of scientific research and DEIA activities, the ReWARD program may be the best option.
No, not as PD/PIs. As noted in the funding announcement: This FOA is open to all eligible PDs/PIs who have a track record of making significant, sustained, and impactful contributions to enhancing DEIA in the biomedical research enterprise and who are not at the time of award a PD/PI on an NIH research project grant (RPG). All PD/PIs must fit the two criteria.
You can't be a PD/PI on an NIH grant "at the time of award". However, it takes time from the time of submission to the notice of award. If you are still on the previous grant, you would have to relinquish that role to receive the award. Please be aware that a priority of the program is to bring new investigators into the NIH funded workforce.
You can have a NIH grant when you apply, but NIH can't make the ReWARD award if you have another active grant. NIH can terminate the No Cost Extension early at your request.
It depends on the MIRA funding announcement. For Early Stage Investigator MIRA applications it is okay to have a similar ReWARD application under review at the same time, but only one application will be funded. For Established Investigator or New Investigator MIRA applications, it is NOT okay to have similar ReWARD application under review at the same time.
We welcome applications from individuals at all career stages! For example, the review criteria specifically address issues that early career individuals face: "Similarly, early career stage applicants may not have yet published independently as senior or corresponding authors, and the absence of these publications should not be viewed as a weakness."
The description of research supported by each participating IC is in Part 2, Section I of PAR-25-117. Please note that not all NIH ICs are participating in ReWARD. You can paste the abstract or specific aims of your proposal into NIH RePORTER’s Matchmaker feature to find ICs and program officers that fund similar projects. We strongly suggest reaching out to the appropriate Scientific/Research Contact(s) listed in Part 2, Section VII of the notice of funding opportunity prior to developing an application to ensure that your plans are appropriate for ReWARD.
You may include the PHS Assignment Request Form in your application if you want to request a particular IC. However, the Division of Receipt and Referral will make the final assignment based on their assessment of the research proposed in the full application.
The Specific Aims for the two components should be separate. As stated in the funding opportunity, "In addition to the scientific specific aims...succinctly list the specific aim(s) of the DEIA proposed activities." Please follow the table of page limits for R01 applications; the Specific Aims are limited to one page.
The ReWARD program is intended to support a balanced approach to advancing scientific research and promoting diversity. This does not have to be an exact 50:50 split, and certainly there could be reasons that one component of the proposal requires more description, effort, or funding than another. However, applications should be strong in both areas to be considered meritorious.
The application can propose collaborations with existing groups or programs and funds can be used to support salaries or activities. However, it should be clear what is new or unique in what is being proposed; funds would not be awarded just to support existing programs.
The Diversity Statement should describe your commitment to diversity and describe any past or present activities to enhance diversity in the biomedical research enterprise.
The PEDP and the Research Strategy should describe your future plans. In addition to the proposed scientific research, the Research Strategy component of the Research Plan should describe your proposed activities to impact diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the biomedical research enterprise. The PEDP should describe how inclusivity will be advanced in the project overall. This could be in the diversity component or in the scientific research component. More information about the PEDP can be found here: https://braininitiative.nih.gov/about/plan-enhancing-diverse-perspectives-pedp.
Yes. All applicants planning research that results in the generation of scientific data, regardless of the amount of direct costs requested, are required to comply with the instructions for the Data Management and Sharing Plan. For details see NOT-OD-22-189.
ReWARD applications will be reviewed by Special Emphasis Panels in the Center for Scientific Review. Your assignment and the Scientific Review Officer contact information will be posted in your eRA Commons account within a few weeks after your application is submitted. Approximately 30 days before the review meeting, CSR will post your study section’s roster in the Commons. After the roster appears in the Commons, make sure the expertise you need is represented on the committee. If it is not, or if you have any other concerns, notify your scientific review officer (SRO).
Once applications are received, they will be referred to the most relevant program official based on internal NIGMS referral procedures and guidelines. The program official assigned to your application should be visible to you in the eRA Commons by the time the application is reviewed, and the name and contact information for the program official should appear at the top of the summary statement. NIGMS scientific contacts by research area can be found here. Please note that you should contact the SRO (see above) for questions in the time between submitting the application and its review. You should contact your program official after your summary statement has been released.
