Program Overview

The Biomedical Research Environment & Sponsored Programs Administration Development (PAR-24-268) Program aims to promote broad participation in biomedical research by supporting Resource-Limited Institutions (RLIs) to conduct research, enhance their research environments, and increase sponsored programs administration capacity. The BRE-SPAD program is designed to support the needs of organizations that are in different stages of biomedical research capacity building.

All applications should propose plans in at least two of the developmental funding areas listed below:

1. Sponsored Programs Administration Development: For activities to increase sponsored programs administration capabilities, including staff, resources, training, policy development and other activities related to grants, contracts, activities to increase organizational funds available for research, and technology transfer.
2. Research Environment: For activities to cultivate growth in research and research education activities. Example activities include, but are not limited to, faculty grant writing training, student research training activities, course-based research development, research symposia, and research oversight policies and implementation.
3. Pilot Research Project Program: For the development of a program to administer internal pilot research project funding to faculty conducting biomedical research with the goal of generating preliminary data to enhance the competitiveness of securing external research funding. For more information see Section VI of PAR-24-268.

The administrative and funding instrument used for this program will be the cooperative agreement. For more information see Section VI.2 of PAR-24-268. For any questions about BRE-SPAD, please email NIGMSBRE-SPAD@nigms.nih.gov.

Organizational Eligibility

See Section III of PAR-24-268 for complete eligibility information. This table summarizes BRE-SPAD program-specific criteria for organizations with different levels of involvement in a potential program.

These written instructions [PDF] walk through organizational eligibility and how to determine NIH funding and biomedical Ph.D. conferment levels.

• Sponsored programs or research development associations can be applicant organizations provided other BRE-SPAD eligibility criteria are met. However, if such organizations apply, any funds requested cannot go toward development of the professional association, but must go toward building research capacity at one or more organizations of higher education that meet the NIH funding level and doctoral degree conferment, or HBCU, Tribal entity status eligibility criteria above.
• Instructions on how to determine NIH funding and biomedical Ph.D. conferment levels are here [PDF].

Funding Considerations

• Applications with the following characteristics will be considered low priority for funding, even if other aspects review favorably:
  • Fail to demonstrate that there will be sufficient faculty or staff time for research, mentoring of student researchers, grant writing, or student activities.
  • Propose to fund ongoing activities currently supported through organizational funds. BRE-SPAD is intended to build capacity that would not be possible without the funds, not to free up organizational funds.
• Eligible organizations are expected to propose plans for at least two developmental funding areas based on the needs identified in an organizational assessment.
• Programs are expected to assemble a team of individuals who will promote lasting change at the participating organization(s). This team should include organizational leaders, administrators, and biomedical research faculty, experienced mentors, and knowledgeable steering committee members.
• Applications among multiple participating organizations are encouraged and may promote sharing of research administration functions, personnel, electronic systems, or forming alliances to organize central offices such as Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs).
• The award may be renewed once, for a maximum of up to 10 years of funding per organization; however, renewal applications are not guaranteed funding and are dependent upon successful outcomes.

Things to Do Before Applying

• Determine organizational eligibility. See above for guidance. If your organization is not eligible, see below for other research capacity building funding opportunities.
• Read the NOFO PAR-24-268 including any Related Notices in the Overview Section.
• Consider reaching out to NIGMS BRE-SPAD staff to discuss organizational eligibility and proposed program's fit to this funding opportunity. Sending a one-page summary including the information below to NIGMSBRE-SPAD@nigms.nih.gov will help facilitate the non-binding feedback:
  • List the application organization, any other participating organization(s), and any partner organization(s).
  • State the two or three developmental funding areas that will be proposed in the application.
  • Briefly describe the need for proposed programming.
  • A brief overview of the primary goals and activities for the proposed plans. 
     
• Review NIH's Application Form Instructions, Research Instructions (the SF424).
• Complete the Required Registrations needed for the applicant organization to submit an application, which can take six weeks or more. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for BRE-SPAD

BRE-SPAD Applicant Video Series

Program Overview Video

Segment 1 — Introduction to the BRE-SPAD ProgramSegment 3 — Overview of EligibilitySegment 5 — Application Submission Information

Segment 2 — BRE-SPAD Developmental Funding AreasSegment 4 — Funding PrioritiesSegment 6 — Next Steps

Overview of Application Information

Segment 1 — How to find the application instructions: the SF424 Application Guide and the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)Segment 3 — A walk through of Section IV of the BRE-SPAD NOFO, highlighting content needed for select application documents

Segment 2 — A List of the major BRE-SPAD application components with required & suggested page lengthsSegment 4 — Next Steps

How Pilot Research Project Funding Works

How Pilot Research Project Funding Works Video

Slides from the Pilot Research Project Funding Video