The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking applications for its program entitled "Mental Health Research Dissertation Grant to Enhance Workforce Diversity" to enhance the diversity of the mental health research workforce by providing dissertation awards in all research areas within the strategic priorities of the NIMH to individuals from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical and social sciences research.

Award Budget

This FOA allows for budget requests to cover, per year, a salary consistent with the current fiscal year National Research Service Award (NRSA) predoctoral stipend level and up to $15,000 for additional expenses such as fringe benefits (including health insurance for self and family members), travel to scientific meetings, and dissertation research costs in accordance with institutional policies.

Programmatic Evaluation

Within seven years of publication of this FOA, NIMH will assess the program’s overall outcomes and gauge its effectiveness in enhancing diversity of the mental health research workforce. The overall evaluation of the Mental Health Research Dissertation Grant to Enhance Workforce Diversity (R36) program will be based on core metrics that may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Number and percentage of program participants who complete graduate or professional doctoral degrees in mental health-related sciences
• Completion of graduate or professional doctoral degrees by gender, race/ethnicity, and disability
• Number and percentage of program participants who apply for postdoctoral training/research opportunities in mental health-related sciences
• Number and percentage of program participants who complete postdoctoral training/research opportunities by gender, race/ethnicity, and disability
• Publication of peer-reviewed research arising from the dissertation project and/or participant authorship of other scientific publications relevant to mental health
• Number and percentage of program participants who obtain independent faculty positions in mental health-related sciences

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Organizations
  • Higher Education Institutions
    • Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
    • Private Institutions of Higher Education
  • The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:
    • Hispanic-serving Institutions
    • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
    • Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
    • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
    • Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
  • Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education
    • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
    • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education)
  • For-Profit Organizations
    • Small Businesses
    • For-Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses)
  • Governments
    • State Governments
    • County Governments
    • City or Township Governments
    • Special District Governments
    • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
    • Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized)
    • Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government
    • U.S. Territory or Possession
  • Other
    • Independent School Districts
    • Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities
    • Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
    • Faith-based or Community-based Organizations
    • Regional Organizations
• In addition, eligible institutions must have a doctoral degree-granting program in the candidate's area of study. The applicant institution must be the institution at which the PD/PI is pursuing doctoral studies.
• The research training should occur in a strong research environment that has appropriate human and technical resources for the proposed research and is demonstrably committed to high-quality research training in the research area proposed by the PD/PI.
• Foreign Institutions
  • Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply
  • Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply online via given website.

For more information, please visit Grants.gov.