Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Bridges to the Future Program relate to the following topics:
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Mission
Q. What is the mission of the Bridges to the Future Program?
A. The mission of the Bridges to the Future Program is to make available the intellectual talents of an increasing number of underrepresented minority group members to the biomedical science research enterprise and to the nation. The program helps students to make the transition (a) from associate-degree to baccalaureate-degree institutions and from (b) master's-degree to doctoral-degree institutions. It promotes effective partnerships between institutions to enhance the quality and quantity of underrepresented minority students who are being trained as the next generation of scientists.
Q. What programs are available through Bridges to the Future grants?
A. The two Bridge programs are:
- Bridges to the Baccalaureate, which helps students to make the transition from 2-year junior or community colleges to 4-year baccalaureate programs. The 2-year college must offer the associate degree as the only undergraduate degree in the sciences within the participating departments and must have a significant enrollment of underrepresented minority students.
- Bridges to the Doctorate, which helps students to make the transition from master's programs to doctoral programs. The program promotes partnerships between institutions awarding the master's degree as the terminal degree and universities awarding the Ph.D. degree. Institutions awarding the master's degree must have a significant enrollment of underrepresented minority students.
Q. Who funds the Bridges to the Future Program?
A. The National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) jointly fund the program. NCMHD and NIGMS are two of the many institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Applying for a Bridges to the Future Grant
Q. Who is eligible to apply?
A. U.S. private or public educational institutions and state and local systems of higher education are eligible to apply. Thus, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, graduate institutions, and research universities, may apply as the grantee institution. An applicant institution should have the ability to manage a complex grant in accordance with the Federal and Public Health Service rules and policies.
A key component of Bridges to the Future is partnership between institutions. The partnership must involve at least two colleges or universities. It may involve a consortium of several institutions and may include several institutions within a single state system. One participating institution is designated the applicant institution; this institution must name the principal investigator and must submit the application. Each participating, or partner, institution must also name one person as its program coordinator.
Q. What is the funding mechanism for Bridges to the Future grants?
A. Bridges grants use the R25 funding mechanism, which is for NIH research education programs.
Q. How do you organize a multi-institution grant?
A. Like all grants-in-aid, Bridges to the Future grants are awarded to individual grantee institutions, which provide management and oversight. Because two or more institutions are involved in Bridges grants, the grantee institution typically negotiates subcontracts with partner institutions. Subcontracts allow the institutions to transfer funds from the grantee institution to the partners in order to pay salaries and run programs.
Q. What application form do I use?
A. Use the PHS 398 application form available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html.
Q. What are the application deadlines?
A. Your application must be postmarked by November 14 or May 14. The chart below shows the schedule for submission and review of applications:
| Postmark Deadline |
Study Section Review |
Council Review |
Earliest Award Date |
November 14
|
July |
Sept./Oct. |
January |
May 14
|
February |
May |
July |
Q. What are the elements of a good application?
A. A good application should have the following elements:
- Background information, which includes data relevant to your program goals, descriptions of the partner institutions and of previous and ongoing efforts to create transitional programs, and a survey of the research literature relevant to your program goals.
- A clear statement of your program goals.
- Description of program activities to achieve your goals.
- Evaluation plan, with specific objectives and measures.
- Evidence of institutional support from all partner institutions.
- Evidence that the applicant institution can manage the grant successfully.
- A plan for managing and coordinating the activities at the partner institutions.
Q. What do reviewers look for in a grant?
A. The Request for Applications for the Bridges to the Future Program specifies review criteria. The seven criteria are:
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Significance: If the aims of your program are achieved, what impact will they have on the diversity of the scientific workforce? Is a thorough evaluation plan, including specific goals and measurable objectives, in place?
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Approach: Is your program adequately developed, well integrated, and appropriate for achieving your program goals? Do you acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative tactics? Does the program use the skills and resources at the partner institutions effectively?
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Innovation: Does your program use novel approaches or methods for recruiting, retaining, training, or mentoring students? Does your program challenge existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?
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Investigator: Is your principal investigator appropriately trained and well suited to conduct this work? Does your principal investigator have the necessary leadership skills? Do the program director and coordinators have the qualifications and experience to conduct the program?
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Environment: Does the scientific environment of the institutions contribute to the probability of success? Is each institution committed to the program? Is the strength of the collaborations sufficient to foster professional training of underrepresented minority students?
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Pool Size: Is there a sufficient number of underrepresented minority students in the participating science departments who are interested in further studiesin the biomedical sciences? Do underrepresented minority students at the partner institutions progress to higher education?
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Administration: Is your system for tracking participating students adequate to monitor the effectiveness of the program? Is the administrative plan adequate (e.g., are the space and other resources adequate)?
Q. How much money can I request?
A. Bridges grants are limited to $600,000 in direct costs for the 3-year period. When developing your 3-year plan, you can distribute the $600,000 across the 3 years as needed to support your program. If you need less money in the first year because you will be organizing and developing the program, you can budget less for that period. The total budget for the 3 years is limited to $600,000 plus 8% indirect (F&A) costs.
Review
Q. How are applications reviewed?
A. Bridges applications are reviewed for their merit by a peer review group selected by the Scientific Review Administrator (SRA). One member serves as chair and conducts the meeting with the SRA. NIGMS staff attend but do not participate. Assigned reviewers and discussants present their evaluations of each application, and the entire group has an opportunity for discusssion. Members mark their priority scores privately on scoring sheets, which are later tabulated by the Center for Scientific Review.
Within a few days after the meeting, you will receive a computer-generated letter with your priority score, and in about 6 weeks, you will receive your summary statement, which will include: (1) the written critiques produced by the assigned reviewers, (2) the SRA’s summary of the study section’s discussion, (3) study section recommendations, and (4) administrative notes.
Q. What is a priority score?
A. Each application is assigned a single score that reflects the overall impact that the project could have, based on the review criteria. The emphasis on particular criteria may vary from one application to another, depending on the nature of the application and its relative strengths. The best possible priority score is 100 and the worst is 500. Individual reviewers mark scores to two significant figures (e.g., 2.2) and the individual scores are averaged and then multiplied by 100 to yield a single overall score for each scored application (e.g., 253).
Q. What does the Scientific Review Administrator do?
A. The Bridges SRA is in charge of your application from the time it is submitted until after it is reviewed. The SRA examines each application, checks it for completeness, and organizes the peer review group. The SRA decides which study section members can best review each application and ensures that all reviews are fair and consistent. The SRA also prepares the summary statements.
Q. When should I contact the Scientific Review Administrator?
A. If you have any concerns about the review of your application, you should contact the SRA before the review. For example, if you feel that particular expertise is required, you may put a cover letter on your application informing the SRA of that fact.
Funding
Q. How are funding decisions made?
A. After review, the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council reviews these scores and recommends applications for funding. The recommendations of the peer review group and the Advisory Council are major factors in determining which grants will actually be awarded. Three additional considerations also affect funding decisions:
- Merit: The primary measures of merit are an application's priority score and the summary statement prepared by the scientific review group.
- Availability of funds: NCMHD and NIGMS contribute each year to the budget for the Bridges to the Future Program. The number of awards that can be made reflects the number of excellent applications and the total budget for the Bridges Program.
- Programmatic considerations: NIGMS may have additional priorities (e.g., achieving a balance between baccalaureate and doctoral programs, ensuring regional diversity, and supporting programs that offer unique opportunities) that will affect funding decisions.
Q. How does an applicant find out if his/her application will be funded?
A. After NIGMS makes its funding decisions, successful applicants are contacted by the NIGMS program director, who will discuss the budget and terms of the award and answer questions. NIGMS then issues an award statement to each grantee institution, which defines the conditions of the award (budget, term of award, restrictions).
Q. What is the role of the NIGMS program director?
A. The NIGMS program director is your primary contact for advice about policies and procedures, potential changes in your program, requests, and advice.
Annual Noncompeting Renewals
Q. What is the process for reporting my progress and getting the next year’s money?
A. Bridges noncompeting renewal applications are subject to SNAP (Streamlined Noncompeting Application Process) guidelines. Noncompeting renewal applications are due 2 months prior to their renewal date. NIH will not send out reminders that the noncompeting renewal application is due. The application for a continuation grant (PHS 2590, revised 5/01) is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm. The original and two copies of the completed application should be mailed to:
NIH/NIGMS
Application Receipt Office
45 Center Drive, Room 2AN.28
MSC 6200
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200
Detailed instructions on completing the Bridges SNAP applications are at
Roles of Participants
Q. What is the role of the grantee institution?
A. The institution that receives the grant (i.e., the grantee) is legally responsible and accountable to the NIH for the performance and finances of the program.
Q. What are the characteristics and role of the principal investigator?
A. The principal investigator is a faculty member at the grantee institution. The principal investigator:
- Is a strong leader
- Has solid scientific and educational credentials
- Has the confidence of the partner institutions and their faculties
- Is responsible for promoting dialogue among partners
- Has knowledge of NIH policies, including the use of human subjects, use of animals, and hazardous materials
- Is the spokesperson to NIGMS for any grant-related issues
Q. What is the role of program coordinators?
A. Each partner institution has a program coordinator. The program coordinator:
- Is a strong leader
- Has solid scientific and educational credentials
- Implements Bridges activities at his/her institution
- Represents his/her institution in the Bridges partnership
Program Evaluation
Q. Do I really need to worry about evaluation?
A. Absolutely. A scientific review group will assess your evaluation plan, and the quality of your plan will influence the overall priority score given to your application. Your plan must be solid and you must have outstanding staff to conduct the evaluation.
Q. What will evaluation tell me?
A. Evaluation will tell you:
- When and how proposed activities were implemented
- Whether or not the activities were effective
- What the overall outcomes of your program were
- Whether or not you achieved your goals and objectives
Q. What are program goals?
A. Program goals are what you intend to accomplish. They will reflect the missions and interests of your partner institutions, the pool of students and their preparation, the preparation and support of faculty, and other issues pertinent to your program. Your goals must be specific (e.g., to improve students' retention rate, transfer rate, grade point average; to improve communications skills; to improve faculty participation and skills), and they must be tailored to your program’s situation and resources.
Q. What are measurable objectives?
A. Objectives are the specific indicators of success. Measurable objectives will help you to document what you have accomplished and to make changes in your program when needed.
For each objective, you should describe how you plan to measure your progress. For example, you could look at new science and math curricula, scores on a test, or the results of a focus group You may want to use a table or chart format to write down the goals, objectives, and measures of success.
Q. What are baseline data and how do they apply to measurable objectives?
A. It is impossible to know that a program is making progress if the starting point is not known. Reviewers expect to see baseline data for every measurable objective, and the applicant institution will also need this information in order to measure its progress later on.
For example, suppose an applicant proposes to increase the number of students who transfer from community college to the partner baccalaureate institution. In order to know if the Bridges program is making a difference, we need to know:
- How many students in the relevant departments are transferring now?
- How many students students who transfer actually graduate with a science major?
Suppose an applicant proposes to improve the mathematics literacy of community college students. The application might need to include
- What mathematics courses are offered?
- Which courses do the relevant students take?
- How well do they perform in these courses?
- Do their credits transfer to the baccalaureate program?
- Is the preparation adequate for successful transfer?
By providing baseline data, you give reviewers critical information for reviewing your application. The data provide a context and a scale for assessing the improvements that you propose.
Q. Are costs of evaluation allowed?
A. Yes. You may include the cost of evaluation in your budget. Evaluations may be conducted by outside consultants or evaluation groups at your institution.
Program Meetings and Groups
Q. What is the purpose of the Bridges Program meeting? Who should attend?
A. The annual Bridges Program meeting is an opportunity to meet with colleagues, share experiences and ideas, and meet with NIH staff. Meetings generally focus on specific topics (e.g., program evaluation, course and program articulation). The principal investigator and an official from your grantee institution and the program coordinators from your partner institutions should attend the meeting.
Policies and Procedures
Q. What happens if there is money left at the end of the year?
A. Any funds remaining in your grant at the end of a budget period will be returned to the U.S. Treasury. You cannot automatically carry over these funds into a new budget period. However, you can request permission to carry over funds for specific programmatic reasons. You can use carryover funds to support one-time activities or the purchase of supplies or equipment, but you cannot use them to expand a program (for example, to add students). If you have questions about the use of carryover funds, ask your NIGMS program director.
Q. How do I request a carryover of funds?
A. You must send in your request in writing (by letter, fax, or e-mail), and it must be countersigned by your institutional official. You can send your request to the NIGMS program director or grants management officer. The request must explain:
- Why there are funds left over
- How much money you want to carry over into the new budget period
- Exactly how you want to use the funds
Q. What if it is the last year of the grant? Can I extend the budget period?
A. Your institution can extend the period of your project for up to 1 year if you do not change the program's scope and if one of the following reasons applies:
- You need more time to complete the project described in your application
- You need to ensure that NIH support of your grant continues while your application for a competing continuation is being reviewed
- You need to orderly phase out a project that will not receive continued support
Just because funds are left at the end of a grant is not sufficient justification to extend the project period without additional funds.
To extend the project period, your grantee institution must notify NIGMS, in writing, 10 days before the end of the project period. NIGMS will revise the end date for your project and send an acknowledgment to your institution.
NIGMS must approve any extensions beyond 12 months.
Q. Can we apply for a bridge from the baccalaureate to doctorate?
A. No. Other programs in NIGMS' MORE Division support activities for students planning to go directly from baccalaureate to doctoral programs. The Bridges to the Future Program focuses only on two transition points that are especially difficult for young scientists who wish to pursue research careers.
Q. Can we add or delete institutions from the program?
A. You can request permission to add or delete partner institutions by sending a letter (by hard copy or e-mail) to your NIGMS program director. Your letter should include the name(s) of the institutions, the name(s) of the program coordinator, an explanation of why the change is being made, and a statement of the impact of the change on your budget. The principal investigator and an official from the grantee institution must sign the letter. If an institution is being added to the program, an official from that institution must also sign and you must submit a consortium agreement.
Q. Can the grantee institution change the principal investigator or program coordinators?
A. A grantee institution can request to change the principal investigator by sending a letter to NIGMS explaining why the change is requested. Both the institutional official and the proposed principal investigator must sign the letter, and you must attach a curriculum vitae for the proposed principal investigator. NIGMS staff will evaluate the request to confirm that the proposed principal investigator is well qualified to guide the program and advise your institution.
Q. How much of the budget should be devoted to administration?
A. This depends on many factors specific to your program, such as the amount of administrative support you receive from your institution, the number of partner institutions involved, and the complexity of your program. You should carefully justify all administrative costs based on the program you propose and what you expect to accomplish.
Q. Can we pay tuition for undergraduate students?
A. Yes, but only for specific coursework and workshops. Full tuition can be paid only for graduate students and only if the tuition is part of a salary package for the student and is employed by the institution.
Q. Can we provide any funds to students after they transfer to the second-level institution?
A. No, the second-level institution has the responsibility for providing support for students after they transfer.
Q. Who is considered to be an underrepresented minority in biomedical sciences?
A. Your institution defines who is eligible for your program based on whether the student belongs to a racial or ethnic group that is underrepresented in the biomedical research sciences. Typically, individuals who are underrepresented include U.S. citizens who are African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans (including Alaska Natives), and Pacific Island natives.
Q. Are women eligible?
A. Women are eligible only if they belong to a racial or ethnic group that is underrepresented in the biomedical research sciences. The Bridges to the Future Program is not designed to remedy disparities of gender in biomedical research.
Q. Can we include equipment in the budget?
A. Yes, but it must be well justified based on the goals of your program and the needs of your students.
Q. Can we use funds for programs for high school students?
A. No.
Q. Can we use funds to recruit students to the college or university?
A. No.
Other Information
Q. Who should I contact if I have more questions?
A. Contact:
|
Adolphus P. Toliver, Ph.D.
Acting Bridges Program Director
National Institute of General
Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive MSC 6200
Room 2AS.37
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200
Tel: (301) 594-3900
Fax: (301) 480-2753
e-mail: tolivera@nigms.nih.gov |
Antoinette Holland
Grants Management Officer
National Institute of General
Medical Sciences
45 Center Drive MSC 6200
Room 2AN.50B
Bethesda, MD 20892-6200
Tel: (301) 594-5132
Fax: (301) 480-2554
e-mail: hollanda@nigms.nih.gov |
NIGMS Bridges Web site: http://www.nigms.nih.gov/minority/special_initiatives.html
NIH Grants Policy Statement: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/index.htm
Center for Scientific Review: http://www.csr.nih.gov
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