Announcing Updates to NIH Institutional Training Grant Applications and Required Data Tables

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headshot of Kenneth Gibbs
Kenneth Gibbs, PhD, Chief of the Undergraduate and Predoctoral Cross-Disciplinary Training Branch, NIGMS
photo of Ericka Boone
Ericka Boone, PhD, Director of the Division of Biomedical Research Workforce, NIH

We are pleased to announce updates to NIH Institutional Training Grant applications and required training data tables for due dates on or after January 25, 2025 (NOT-OD-24-129). The changes are intended to reduce applicant and reviewer burden, and further support the development of a biomedical research workforce that will benefit from the full range of perspectives, experiences and backgrounds needed to advance discovery. 

Over the past decade, NIH has made significant investments to develop, implement, assess and disseminate innovative, effective approaches to research training and mentoring and to prepare trainees for a variety of career paths in the biomedical research workforce. Some of these investments include NIH’s Advisory Committee to the Director Working Groups on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce and Re-envisioning NIH-Supported Postdoctoral Training, Common Fund initiatives to advance research training and mentorship, and the UNITE initiative. The updates announced today build on these efforts.

A common theme throughout these initiatives was a clear need for accessible quality mentorship at early career stages. Today’s updates were developed to encourage effective mentorship across NIH-supported training programs and ensure that trainees receive the support they need to pursue a variety of career goals.

The updates will affect institutional training, international institutional training, and institutional career development awards. Key changes include:

  • The Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity will be its own attachment in the PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan Form.
  • Mentor training expectations will be more clearly defined in parent T32 Notices of Funding Opportunity.
  • Institutional Training data tables will be updated to reduce burden and promote consistent information collection across training programs.
  • “Responsible Conduct of Research” and “Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity” will now be included among the Additional Review Considerations that contribute to the overall impact score.

To help the community prepare, we are holding a webinar on the changes on June 5 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET and we would encourage you to register to attend. In the meantime, we recommend that you review our updated NIH Grants page on the changes to Institutional Training Grant applications. There you can find information on the changes, as well as links to resources, FAQs, and relevant Notices. You may also wish to listen to our recent Training Grant miniseries on the All About Grants podcast.

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