Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 025
The Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program is an NIH training grant opportunity (T32, clinical trial not allowed) designed to strengthen and diversify the biomedical research workforce by supporting Ph.D. training. Its central aim is to help produce a broader, more diverse pool of scientists who not only complete rigorous doctoral training, but also gain the skills, mentoring, and professional preparation needed to transition successfully into long-term biomedical research careers. In practical terms, the program focuses on improving the training environment and the systems around trainees so that promising graduate students are better supported, better mentored, and better positioned to thrive in a rapidly changing research enterprise.
The opportunity is administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under NIH, and it funds institutions to build or enhance structured research training programs that use effective, evidence-based approaches to mentoring and professional development. The expectation is that funded programs will not be limited to lab research alone. Instead, they should combine multiple elements: strong didactic training (for example, coursework or structured instruction that supports scientific foundations and quantitative or methodological skills), meaningful research experiences under high-quality mentorship, and deliberate career development activities (such as training in scientific communication, grant writing, team science, responsible conduct of research, and exposure to a range of biomedical career paths). The overarching idea is to prepare trainees for careers that will make a real contribution to the nation s health-related research needs.
A key constraint is that this FOA is limited to training programs at research-intensive institutions. Specifically, applicants must meet an NIH funding threshold: a three-year average of NIH Research Project Grant funding of at least 7.5 million in total costs. That requirement is meant to ensure the institution has a robust, active research base and the infrastructure needed to support a high-quality training environment, including sufficient funded investigators, research facilities, and an ecosystem of opportunities for trainees.
Eligibility is limited to domestic (U.S.) institutions and organizations. The FOA lists a wide range of eligible applicant types that can apply if they otherwise meet the program requirements, including public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, federally recognized tribal governments, tribal organizations, independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, as well as other eligible entities. It also explicitly highlights several categories of institutions and organizations, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, foreign organizations and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, reinforcing that the supported training programs must be domestically based.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health area (CFDA 93.859). The funding opportunity number is PAR-21-025. The source information provided lists an original closing date of 2023-01-30 and a creation date of 2020-11-20. Award ceiling and expected awards are not specified in the provided data, which usually means applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget guidelines, allowable costs, trainee slots, and expected program size.
Finally, the clinical trial restriction matters: "clinical trial not allowed" signals that the supported training activities cannot include conducting independent clinical trials as part of the grant s proposed work. The emphasis is on research training and mentoring structure rather than running clinical trial studies under the award. Overall, IMSD is best understood as an institutional training mechanism intended to modernize graduate biomedical training and improve outcomes for trainees, with a particular focus on building a more diverse and well-prepared Ph.D.-level scientific workforce.Apply for PAR 21 025
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) (T32 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-01-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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IMSD (PAR-21-025) Frequently Asked Questions
What is the IMSD program?
The Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) is an NIH institutional training grant opportunity intended to strengthen and diversify the biomedical research workforce by supporting Ph.D. training. It focuses on improving training environments and the systems around trainees so graduate students are better supported, better mentored, and better prepared for long-term biomedical research careers.
What type of NIH award mechanism is IMSD?
IMSD is a T32 institutional training grant mechanism, and the opportunity specifies that clinical trials are not allowed.
Who administers this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the main goal of this program?
The central aim is to produce a broader, more diverse pool of scientists who complete rigorous doctoral training and gain the skills, mentoring, and professional preparation needed to transition successfully into sustained biomedical research careers.
What is the program designed to improve besides lab research training?
The program is designed to improve the broader training environment and support systems around trainees, including mentoring practices and structured professional development, rather than focusing only on laboratory research experiences.
What kinds of training elements are expected in an IMSD-supported program?
Funded programs are expected to combine multiple elements, including: strong didactic training (such as coursework or structured instruction supporting scientific foundations and quantitative/methodological skills), meaningful research experiences under high-quality mentorship, and deliberate career development activities.
What career development activities are mentioned as examples?
Examples include training in scientific communication, grant writing, team science, responsible conduct of research, and exposure to a range of biomedical career paths.
What level of trainee is this program intended to support?
The opportunity is described as supporting Ph.D. training for graduate students as part of institutional research training programs.
Is this opportunity meant for institutions or for individual applicants?
The opportunity funds institutions to build or enhance structured research training programs using effective, evidence-based approaches to mentoring and professional development.
What does "clinical trial not allowed" mean for this opportunity?
It means the supported training activities cannot include conducting independent clinical trials as part of the proposed work under this grant. The emphasis is on research training and mentoring structure rather than running clinical trial studies with the award.
Are there institutional eligibility constraints related to research intensity?
Yes. The FOA is limited to training programs at research-intensive institutions.
What NIH funding threshold must an applicant institution meet?
Applicant institutions must meet an NIH funding threshold: a three-year average of NIH Research Project Grant funding of at least $7.5 million in total costs.
Why does the FOA include an NIH funding threshold?
The threshold is meant to ensure the institution has a robust, active research base and the infrastructure needed to support a high-quality training environment, including sufficient funded investigators, research facilities, and an ecosystem of opportunities for trainees.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign organizations and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Can a U.S. organization apply if the proposed program includes non-domestic components?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, reinforcing that supported training programs must be domestically based.
Is eligibility limited to U.S. (domestic) institutions?
Yes. Eligibility is limited to domestic (U.S.) institutions and organizations, as described in the provided opportunity information.
What types of organizations are listed as eligible applicants (if they meet program requirements)?
The FOA lists a wide range of potentially eligible applicant types, including public and private institutions of higher education, state and local governments, federally recognized tribal governments, tribal organizations, independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, as well as other eligible entities, provided they meet the program requirements.
Does the FOA explicitly highlight specific categories of institutions?
Yes. It explicitly highlights categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations mentioned?
Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights faith-based or community-based organizations among the listed categories.
Are U.S. territories or possessions mentioned as eligible entities?
Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights U.S. territories or possessions among the categories referenced.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this IMSD FOA?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PAR-21-025.
What is the CFDA number and program area?
The opportunity is categorized in the health area under CFDA 93.859.
What type of grant is this categorized as?
It is categorized as a discretionary grant in the health area.
Are the award ceiling and expected number of awards provided in the information above?
No. The provided data does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
Where would applicants typically look for budget guidelines and allowable costs?
Because award ceiling and expected awards are not specified in the provided data, applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text for budget guidelines, allowable costs, trainee slots, and expected program size.
What dates are provided for this opportunity?
The source information lists a creation date of 2020-11-20 and an original closing date of 2023-01-30.
What is the overall emphasis of IMSD in one sentence?
IMSD is an institutional training mechanism intended to modernize graduate biomedical training and improve trainee outcomes, with a particular focus on building a more diverse and well-prepared Ph.D.-level biomedical research workforce.
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