CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE
CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCEPopular Name: MARC
Objectives: To increase the number and capabilities of scientists from underrepresented minority groups who are engaged in biomedical research and to strengthen science curricula and student research training opportunities at institutions with substantial minority enrollments in order to prepare minority students for research careers. MARC sponsors Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (U*STAR) Awards, predoctoral fellowships, faculty predoctoral fellowships, faculty senior fellowships, visiting scientist fellowships, and ancillary training activities awards.
Applicant Eligibility: Any nonfederal public or private nonprofit 4-year university or college with substantial enrollment of underrepresented minority students may apply for an institutional National Research Service Award. Individual National Research Service awardees must be nominated and sponsored by a public or nonprofit private institution having staff and facilities appropriate to the proposed research training program. All awardees must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the United States, or must have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Predoctoral awardees must have completed the baccalaureate degree and must have been accepted into or enrolled in a Ph.D. or combined professional degree-Ph.D. training program in the biomedical or behavioral sciences. Predoctoral faculty fellows must have been full-time faculty in the biomedical sciences for at least 3 years before the date of application. Senior faculty fellows must have received the Ph.D. or equivalent degree at least 7 years before the date of application.
Beneficiary Eligibility: Any nonfederal public or private nonprofit 4-year university or college with a substantial enrollment of ethnic minority students.
Credentials/Documentation: For applicants for National Research Service Awards, the academic record, research experience, citizenship, institutional sponsorship, and the proposed area and plan of training must be included in the application. The applicant institution must show the objectives, methodology, and resources for the research training program; the qualifications and experience of directing staff; the criteria to be used in selecting individuals for the award; a plan for evaluating the program; and a detailed budget and justification for the grant funds requested. Costs will be determined in accordance with HHS Regulations 45 CFR, Part 74, Subpart C.
Preapplication Coordination: Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure: Application forms and information concerning the areas of science being supported may be obtained from the MARC Branch, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 45 Center Drive MSC 6200, Bethesda, MD 20892-6200, and completed applications should be submitted to the Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, for assessment by a scientific review committee. Application forms are also available on-line at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110 "Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations."
Award Procedure: All accepted applications for institutional National Research Service Awards are reviewed for scientific merit by an appropriate initial review group and by a national advisory council. (NRSA applications for the support of individual fellows are not reviewed by the council.) All approved applications compete for available funds on the basis of scientific merit and program emphasis.
Deadlines: Institutional NRSAs: January 10 and May 10 (predoctoral). Individual NRSAs: April 5 and December 5.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: Institutional NRSAs: 12 to 18 months. Individual NRSAs: 6 months.
Appeals: A principal investigator (P.I.) may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff of the Institute. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal procedures is available on the NIH Web site at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-232.html.
Renewals: Every 5 years for institutional NRSAs. Recompetition and Council approval required.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals: The major elements in evaluating proposals include assessments of: (1) the scientific merit and general significance of the proposed objectives and the training activities to meet these objectives; (2) the competence of the proposed investigator or program director to successfully pursue the training objectives; (3) the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; (4) the necessity of the budget components required in relation to the proposed training objectives; and (5) the relevance and importance to announced program objectives.
Examples of Funded Projects: Undergraduate student training in biomedical/behavioral research; predoctoral fellowships; faculty predoctoral fellowships; faculty senior fellowships; ancillary training activities; visiting scientist fellowships.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: The range is from $18,000 to $1,000,000; $150,942 average.
Federal Agency: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (Home Page)
Type of Assistance: Project Grants.
Obligations: (Grants) FY 01 $28,679,000; FY 02 est $30,718,000; and FY 03 est $31,375,000.
Budget Account Number: 75-0897-0-1-552.
Authorization: Public Health Service Act, Sections 301, 461, 487, and 488, as amended; Public Laws 78-410 and 99-158; 42 U.S.C. 241, as amended; 42 U.S.C. 285k; 42 U.S.C. 288 and 288a.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature: 42 CFR 52; 45 CFR 74; 45 CFR 92; NIH Extramural Programs brochure; miscellaneous program literature from Headquarters Office; and PHS Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 90-50,000, (Rev.) April 1, 1994.
Regional or Local Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters Office: Branch Contact: Dr. Adolphus P. Toliver, Chief, MARC Branch, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 45 Center Drive MSC 6200, Bethesda, MD 20892-6200. Phone: (301) 594-3900. Grants Management Contact: Mr. Joe Ellis, Chief Grants Management Officer, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 45 Center Drive MSC 6200, Bethesda, MD 20892-6200. Phone: (301) 594-5135. Use the same numbers for FTS.
Web Site Address: http://www.nigms.nih.gov/about_nigms/more.html#marc
(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)
Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: All awards, except Visiting Scientist Awards, are made for 1 year, with additional support (up to 4 more years) depending on the recommendation of the scientific review group, the national advisory council, successful annual performance, and availability of funds. Visiting Scientist Awards are usually 3 to 12 months in duration.
Uses and Use Restrictions: National Research Service Awards are made directly to individuals for research training in specified biomedical areas. In addition, grants may be made to institutions to enable them to make National Research Service Awards to individuals selected by them; these individuals must be honors undergraduate students in their junior or senior years who intend to pursue a Ph.D., M.D.-Ph.D, or other combined professional-Ph.D. degree in the biomedical sciences. Responsibilities of grantees and restrictions on use of funds are set forth in the Public Health Service policy statement on grants for research projects, which is available upon request from the Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Reports: Annual progress and fiscal financial status reports for continuing projects and final reports on all projects upon conclusion are required. Recipients of individual National Research Service Awards are required to file termination reports to ascertain compliance with the service and payback provisions.
Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal government officials.
Records: Expenditures and other financial records must be retained for 3 years from the day on which the grantee submits the last financial status report for the report period.
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Text updated: June 2002