Additional Awards and Funding

Individual(s) must be a PD/PI on an active grant or cooperative agreement, and the research proposed in the supplement must be accomplished within the competitive segment of the active award. Supplements can be used to fund high school students, undergraduates, graduate and professional students and those in postdoctoral training. Funding can be for one year but typically is for two years. Candidates funded by supplemental awards must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States or individuals who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.

A typical diversity supplement application will include the following components, prepared by the PI:

1. Candidate/Applicant Eligibility Statement- one page
   1. Parent Grant/Contract number and title
   2. Level of supplement requested (e.g., High School, Undergraduate, etc.)
   3. Statement verifying candidate’s U.S. citizenship or Permanent Resident status
   4. Describe the basis for eligibility of the candidate
   5. Describe how this particular appointment will help meet the NIH’s compelling interest in fostering diversity. 
2. Senior/Key Personnel- Biographical Sketch of the Primary Mentor
3. Research Plan/Research Experience Plan/Research Strategy- four pages
   1. Must address how the supplement's research is related to the parent grant or contract's goals or how it is a logical extension of that research, depending on the level of the supplement
4. Research Environment/Project Performance Site- one page
5. Supplement Budget and Justification- three pages
6. Mentoring Plan- four pages

Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key goal of the NIH and of the CTSI. Research shows that diverse teams working together and capitalizing on innovative ideas and distinct perspectives outperform homogenous teams. Scientists and trainees from diverse backgrounds and life experiences bring different perspectives, creativity and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems. There are many benefits that flow from a diverse NIH-supported scientific workforce, including: fostering scientific innovation, enhancing global competitiveness, contributing to robust learning environments, improving the quality of the research, advancing the likelihood that underserved or health disparity populations participate in, benefit from health research and enhancing public trust.

The NIH offers diversity supplements so that PIs can join with the NIH to diversify their student, postdoctorate and faculty populations to enhance the participation of individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral and social sciences.

The following categories of persons have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research: 

• Blacks or African Americans
• Hispanics or Latinos
• American Indians or Alaska Natives
• Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders
• Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
• Individuals from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds

See the Notice of NIH’s Statement on Diversity

1. Consult the Table of IC-Specific Information, Requirements and Staff Contacts to find Diversity Supplement information specific to the Institute or Center that funds you
2. Determine that your R or U or other grant mechanism will support a diversity supplement
3. Read carefully the rules and process for applying for diversity supplements at your IC
4. Talk to the person listed as a contact about the process and especially the timeline for applying for supplements at your IC. The deadlines can vary widely between ICs
5. Identify a candidate to fund. The cited materials provide definitions and other information that defines who can be supported by a diversity supplement
6. Proceed with the application
7. Contact the CTSI to find out what training programs and researcher resources are available that could help your candidate and be included in the application
8. Submit your application