# Presentation: 712584

## MARC Technical Assistance Workshop

***MORE Division, NIGMS***
*February 13, 2009*

***NIH, DHHS***

## MARC-U*STAR:

**Introduction & Case Studies**

## MARC-U*STAR is an INSTITUTIONAL research training program that provides an opportunity to develop the research and academic skills of students and the training capabilities of the grantee institution

The program emphasizes:
Institutional impact/improvement
Curricular reform (quantitative sciences)
Activities that increase the development of students in preparation for research careers
Summer research internships at research intensive institutions

**The program emphasizes:**
**Institutional impact/improvement**
**Curricular reform (quantitative sciences)**
**Activities that increase the development of students in preparation for research careers**
**Summer research internships at research intensive institutions**

## What will be the delta or difference 

**What will be the delta or difference **
**at your institution with a **
**MARC-U*STAR program?**

## Case Study Instructions

**Read Case Study 1 & discuss in groups for 20 minutes.  List:**
**Strengths**
**Weaknesses**
**Gaps**
**Recommendations**
**    ****General discussion of Case Study 1**
**Read Case Study 2& discuss in groups for 20 minutes.  List:**
**Strengths**
**Weaknesses**
**Gaps**
**Recommendations**
**    ****General Discussion of Case Study 2**

## Case Study I

**	**
**	****Whowahr U (WU) is a moderate sized liberal arts college with a student population that is 85% underrepresented minority (43% African American, 40% Hispanic, 2% Native American, 10% Asian and 5% Caucasian).  WU enrolls 1100 students that express an interest in the sciences, (Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Computer Science). The number of BA degrees awarded by the combined departments has averaged 95 per year for the past five years.  On average, 2 alumni per year graduate with a PhD from prestigious universities around the country. Under a new Dean of Science, who is the PI of the application, the college plans to improve its reputation as a scholarly institution.  Faculty will be judged on their scholarly productivity as well as their teaching. The faculty are interested in research but their current teaching workload limits their time for research.  The Dean would like the college to become more selective, have a better graduation rate, and send more students on to post graduate training.  WU proposes to use the MARC U*STAR program to motivate student interest and preparation for research careers.  Having a MARC program will provide financial support that will help the college recruit stronger students. **

## Case Study I (continued)

**	****The specific objectives of the proposed MARC U*STAR program are to: **
**Support 6 juniors and 6 senior honors students with stipends and a strong research experience with college faculty who are outstanding mentors**
**Provide the students with mentored research experiences at intramural and extramural sites**
**Provide an enriched curriculum with an interdisciplinary strength in the neurosciences with special MARC courses developed for MARC trainees**
**Expose the MARC Trainees to role models and provide career guidance through a seminar series**
**Have at least 33% of the MARC graduates enroll in graduate school and go on to receive a PhD**

## Group Discussion of Case Study I

**Strengths:**
**Diverse Student Body/URM Pool**
**Large Pool of Science Students**
**Admin Support - Dean as PI**
**Career Guidance for MARC students**
**Some Measurable Objectives **
**Some Prior Success/PhD track Record**
**Enriched Curriculum**
**Meets Mission of MARC program, including students getting research experiences**
**Faculty judged on scholarly activities**

## Group Discussion of Case Study I

**Weaknesses:**
**Using MARC as financial support to help institution recruit 'better' students/ Dean wants to recruit 'better' students for improved graduation rates (instead of focusing on improvement for existing students)**
**No institutional impact/improvement demonstrated**
**What's called "Objectives" is not - really activities**
**Some Objectives are not Measurable**
**No evidence of administrative support**
**Tone is institution-centered instead of student-centered (addressing needs of institute instead of students)**
**Faculty teaching load limits time for research/research training although proposed academic year/intramural research for students**
**Low proposed outcomes, only 33% to go on to PhD programs - questionable.  Is this an improvement over baseline.  Not clear.**
**No goal stated/Abstract is not logical, no overall BIG PICTURE **
**No data on quality of student pool**
**Numbers listed in abstract are not informative (no base line, from X to Y in Z amount of time not stated)**
**Giving past PhD track record at institution, the number of 12 MARC slots seems too high**
**Increase graduation rates of current students not the focus**
**No mentioned of the required summer research training experience**

## Group Discussion of Case Study I

**Gaps:**
**No Baseline data in proper context **
**No developmental training plan**
**Recommendation: **
**NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING**

## Case Study II

**	****Whatsa Matter University (WMU) is a major research institution offering both undergraduate and graduate programs. WMU enrolls close to 15,000 students. Its student profile is 15% Hispanic, 13% African American, 10% Hawaiian and/or Samoan, 20% Asian American, 40% Caucasian non-Hispanic, and 2% foreign students with visas. The university student body includes 1% students with disabilities, 65% female and 35% males. The academic departments in science include the traditional science departments (biology, chemistry and physics) and social behavioral sciences (psychology, and anthropology) as well as a school of engineering, a law school, a school of medicine, and a school of public health. The faculty in these areas are funded by several government agencies and foundations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), Kellogg, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). The institution’s portfolio of student development programs includes: STEP, Louis Strokes Alliance for Minority Participation, IGERT and GK12 Programs from the NSF, undergraduate and graduate HHMI programs, a Bridges to the Doctorate Program, an IMSD Program from MORE/NIGMS, and five T32 Research Training grants from NIGMS.  **

## Case Study II (continued)

**	****WMU students also have the opportunity to compete for EPA, NASA and USDA fellowships on a regular basis. Most the researchers who have R01 type funding support students on as research associates on their grants. Whatsa Matter U science students complete the undergraduate degree in approximately five years. WMU annually graduates approximately 1,800 students of which 5% are science undergraduate majors and 8% are science doctorates. WMU graduates 2% underrepresented students at the undergraduate level and 1% of them pursue or are pursuing PhD degrees in science fields. At the graduate level, Whatsa Matter U awards 0.5% doctorates in science to minorities and foreign students.**

## Group Discussion of Case Study II

**Strengths:**
**Good research environment (faculty with R01 grants)/students may have opportunity to engage in research**
**Have data**
**Infer institutional commitment due to other URM student support programs**
**Potential student numbers from different schools **
**Diverse student body/URM pool**
**Weaknesses:**
**Many student development programs, but not good outcomes in sending URMs to PhD programs**
**Don't know baseline**
**Low % of URM students going into PhD**
**No plan with no MGOs (Measurable Goal and Objectives)**
**Low retention and low graduation rates**
**The word "MARC" does not appear in the abstract - questionable**
**Focus on graduate training and not undergraduate**

## Group Discussion of Case Study I

**GAPS:**
**Need to show synergy with other existing student development programs**
**Need to specifically state with MARC is going to do for the institution**
**If demo. is "0" hard to show a gap**
** **
**Recommendations:**
** ****Note Recommended for Funding**

## MARC’s “10 MUST Haves”

**Institutional Setting**
**Institutional Past Training Record**
**Institutional Commitment**
**Program Director **
**Research Training Environment **
**Recruitment & Student Development Plan**
**Skills Development Pre-MARC**
**Skills Development MARC**
**Responsible Conduct of Research Training**
**Evaluation and Tracking**

## 1. Institutional Setting (Baseline Data)

**#URMs in science departments**
**# of honors URMs **
**# of junior/senior honors URMs**
**# URMs graduating per year**
**# URMs enrolled in PhD or MD/PhD**
**# URMs enrolled in MD/other professional**
**# URMs enrolled in postbacc**

_**ALL**_** URMs in Participating Departments**

## MARC applicants must describe the past 5 year record of the institution in sending URMs to science PhD programs

Competing Renewal MARC applicants must also describe MARC alumni outcomes (suggested table in application)

**Competing Renewal MARC applicants must also describe MARC alumni outcomes (suggested table in application)**

**2. Institutional Past Training Record**

## Sample Table for Renewal Applications

| 
MARC  PROGRAM  CUMULATIVE  REPORT |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Outcomes |   |  |  |  |  |   |
|  | Progress Report  |  |  |  |  | Current |
|  | Non-Competing  Continuation |  |  |  |  | Reporting Period |
|  | YR1 | YR2 | YR3 | YR4 | YR5 | 200X-200Y |
| Number of trainees slots awarded: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees appointed:  Junior |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees appointed:  Senior |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees graduating with BS or BA: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees enrolled in Ph.D programs: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees enrolled in MD/Ph.D programs: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees enrolled in MD programs: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees enrolled in MS programs: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees in post-bacc programs: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees in other professional degree: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of trainees in teaching positions: |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| Number of publications by MARC trainees: |   |   |   |   |   |   |

## 3. Institutional Commitment

**	****Documented commitment to proposed research training program’s goals and assurance that the institution intends the MARC program to be an integral part of its research and research training endeavor (financial or otherwise)**

## 4. Program Director

**Must be full-time faculty or administrator**
**Posses scientific background, leadership, research training experience and administrative capabilities**
**Responsible for overall direction, management, administration, and  evaluation of the program**

## 5. Research Training Environment

**Extramural research – summer requirement at T32 or like institution required**
**Intramural research**
**	****if research intensive (RI) environment with active research faculty**
**	****	****	****	****	****OR**
**	****partnerships w/nearby RI (T32) institutions and/or “Research Classroom” training **_[http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/MARC/USTARAwards.htm](http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/MARC/USTARAwards.htm)__ _

## Community for Advanced Graduate Training (CAGT)https://cagt.nigms.nih.gov/

**On-line “matching service” *****exclusively *****for MARC-U*STAR students and NIGMS predoctoral T32 Programs for the MARC students extramural summer research experience and/or graduate school (Ph.D.) training.**

## 6.   Recruitment & Student Dev. Plan

**Recruitment and development plan for enhancing the pool of potential trainees (prefreshmen, freshmen, & sophomores)**
**A plan for trainee selection**

## 7.  Skills Development Pre-MARC Program must develop the skills of pre-trainees (pre-freshmen, freshmen, sophomores) via workshops, etc.

8. Skills Development MARC trainees
	Program must develop the skills of MARC trainees: 
	- research 
	- critical thinking/problem solving
	- communication
	- career guidance

**8. Skills Development MARC trainees**
**	****Program must develop the skills of MARC trainees: **
**	****- research **
**	****- critical thinking/problem solving**
**	****- communication**
**	****- career guidance**

## 9. Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

**Mandatory RCR training**
**“****NIH does not establish specific curricula or formal requirements, all programs are encouraged to consider instruction in the following areas: ****conflict of interest, responsible authorship, policies for handling misconduct, data management, data sharing, and policies regarding the use of human and animal subjects****. Within the context of training in scientific**** ****integrity, it is also beneficial to discuss the relationship and the specific responsibilities of the institution and the graduate students or post-doctorates appointed to the program”**

## 10. Evaluation and Tracking

**Evaluation should be for your institution, not for NIH**
**Evaluation that’s in-line with measurable goals and objectives - - Did you get expected outcomes?  If not, what would you change?**
**Tracking - 10 year tracking system to follow MARC trainee alumni**

## Budget

**No cap; 5 year grant award**
**Allowable Costs:**
**	****-  Stipends (~11K/yr/trainee), partial tuition & fees       **
**	****-  Trainee travel (mtgs and summer research)**
**	****-  Summer per diem ($931/mo. + travel)**

## Unallowable Costs

**Stipends to pre-trainees**
**Funds to support more than awarded number of trainees**
**Recruitment activities**
**Faculty research**
**Faculty payment for mentoring**
**Workshops for specific tests (GRE)**

## Training Related Expenses

**Activities to strengthen the pool: pre-freshmen, freshmen, & sophomores e.g., curricular improvement**
**Costs for workshops for faculty development (pedagogical)**
**Evaluation**
**Workshops to improve student critical thinking skills**

## MARC-U*STAR:

**Grant Writing Tips**

##  Preparation of a MARC-USTAR Training Grant Application

##  Program Expectations

- Increase in the baccalaureate retention rate as a result of pre-MARC training
- Increase in the graduation rate of URM students from MARC supported schools
- Increase in the number of URM students, both from the program and the institution, that obtain BS degrees and enroll in Ph.D. programs (institutional impact)

##  PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS

- Increased academic preparation as a result of interdisciplinary instruction in the quantitative sciences to teach about biological phenomena.
- Increased collaboration between MARC supported institutions and research intensive institutions
- Exposure of MARC trainees to research during the academic year

## Need a Good Plan

**Conduct a self analysis and gather baseline data!!**
**What are the institutional needs?**
**What is your long range goal?**
**What are your specific goals and measurable objectives?**
**What activities will help your institution achieve these objectives?**

## Needs Statement

**The needs statement is the difference between **_**what is**_** and **_**what should be**_**.**
**What your program will do to close this gap.**

## Rationale

**Describe the problem or need**
**Explain the program’s long range goal**
**Identify institutional commitment**
**Put the program in context of institutional needs/program objectives (e.g. student retention, scholastic achievement/GPA/GRE scores, interest in research)**
**Review relevant literature that underlies your plan.**

## Important Steps in Preparing a Competitive Grant Application

**read the program announcement carefully**
**Read the Program Announcement Carefully**
**READ THE PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT CAREFULLY**
**Read the **_**correct**_** program announcement (know the right program)**
**Read the **_**most current**_** program announcement**
**Read **_**all of the instructions**_** in the program announcement**
_**FOLLOW**_** all of the instructions in the program announcement**

## Sequence of Proposal Topics for Reading

**Title Page and Abstract (Description)**
**Specific goals and measurable objectives**
**Institutional background and need**
**Rationale for literature review**
**Progress report (competing renewals)**
**Administration of the program**
**Plans to achieve objectives/activities**
**Evaluation Plan**
**Budget**

## Sequence of Topics for Proposal Development

**Needs statement**
**Rationale and literature review **
**Specific measurable goals and objectives vis a vis current institutional productivity**
**Plans to achieve measurable goals and objectives**
**Evaluation Plan**
**Progress Report **
**Administration, budget, and biographic sketches**
**Budget**
**Description (Abstract)**

## Specific Goals & Measurable Objectives 

**State the long range goal of the program**
**State each specific goal or measurable objective, and state how it is connected to the long range goal**
**Be brief and focused**

## Objectives Achieved Through Activities

**Restate each objective and describe:**
**The intervention activities to achieve each objective**
**The anticipated impact of each activity**
**Who will implement the plan**
**Possible pitfalls and solutions**
**Alternative approaches**
**Timeline for interventions**

## Presentation of Data

**Present data in figures, graphs, tables, or text**
**Place figures, tables, and graphs close to where they are referred to in the text**
**Make all figures, tables, and graphs clearly legible**
**Make a SINGLE point with each figure, graph, or table**
**Avoid irrelevant information**

## Training Plan: Summary

**Make sure the long range goal is clear**
**Specific goals and measurable objectives are statements of end results. They are not a means to an end.**
**The activities proposed are the means to achieve your specific goals and measureable objectives.**

## Training Plan: Summary

**Clearly explain the need**
_**Provide baseline data**_
**Explain the rationale for objectives and activities**
**Cite literature to support your choices**
**Consider alternative approaches or strategies **

## Training Plan: Summary

**Use plain English**
**Be convincing**
**List intellectual and physical resources**
**Provide a timeline for implementations**
**The proposal should flow logically from section to section, i.e. activities = logical extensions of specific goals/measurable objectives**

## Administration

_**Advisory committee:**_
**Not required but highly recommended**
**Possible roles include program direction, selection of students and faculty mentors, preparing the application**
**Define the role(s) of the committee clearly**
_**Trainers, mentors,& other key personnel:**_
**Define the roles clearly**
**Provide credentials**

## Other Parts of the Application

**Title Page**
**Description of the Proposal (Abstract)**
**Budget**
**Biographical Sketch of key personnel**
**Institutional Resources**

## Description

**Write the narrative for the description last – it details and summarizes the objectives, rationale, the plan and the anticipated outcomes**
**It should be succinct and motivating- most often it is the first section to be read, and is also the most often read section of a proposal**

## Budget

**Should never drive the proposal**
**Justify all personnel with respect to effort and expertise**
**Any equipment request must be congruent with the resource statement and must stem from the proposed activities**
**Faculty mentoring is an unallowable cost**
**JUSTIFY, JUSTIFY, JUSTIFY**

## Biographical Sketches

**Document credentials accurately**
**Document aspects of training and expertise that are relevant to the application**
**Include **_**only relevant**_** and full citations in the bibliography**

## Common Reasons for Failure

**Failure to use your resources wisely**
**	****If the institution has limited or no research capacity, don’t propose to put students in research labs on your campus.  Find alternatives**
**Lack of clear and well-defined measurable objectives.  ****“Having a seminar series” is not a measurable objective and neither is “creating an atmosphere of science”**
**Missing or inadequate baseline data**
**	****Reviewers need to know your starting point and what will change as a result of your proposed program**

## MARC-U*STAR:

**Program Evaluation**

## Evaluation: What is it?   

**Evaluation: What is it?  **** **

**   ****	****Program evaluations are individual, systematic studies that use objective measurement and analysis to answer specific questions about how well a program is working.**
**	****	****	****          ****	****	*****- #GAO/GGD-00-204 Program Evaluation***
***Program evaluation and the ***
***tracking of students are not the same thing. ***

## Program Evaluation Answers Questions Like.... 

**Program Evaluation Answers Questions Like....**

**Does it work?**
**How well does it work?**
**Does it do what we want it to? **
**Does it work for the reasons we think it does? **
**Is it cost effective? **
**Are the benefits worth it?  **
**What are the unintended consequences? **

## Why bother?  

- Why bother?

**Supports continuous program improvement**
**Increases understanding of the program – how are activities and strategies linked to results? **
**Leads to improved planning and management**
**Provides shared understanding of program**

## Guidelines for Conducting Successful Evaluations

**G****uidelines for Conducting Successful Evaluations**

**Invest heavily in planning early on**
**Use knowledgeable, experienced evaluators (*****usually social scientists*****)**
**Integrate evaluation into ongoing activities of the program**

## Typical Evaluations

_**Needs Assessment**_
**What is nature & extent of the issues program should address?**
**Planning phase**
_**Process Evaluation**_
**Is program being conducted & producing output as planned?  **
**How can process can be improved?**
_**Outcome Evaluation**_
**Extent to which a program’s goals have been met?**** **

## Sample Study Questions

| Needs 
Assessment | What problem is the program attempting to address?
Whom does this program serve; to what extent are their needs met?
What should be the documented goals of the program?
 |
| --- | --- |
| Process Evaluation | Is the program being implemented as planned?
  If not, why?
How could the program’s processes be improved?
Has the program achieved recognized standards of       performance?
 |

## Sample Study Questions

| Outcome Evaluation | To what extent has the program achieved its goals?
Is the current performance different from the past?
Has the program been more successful than a comparable program?
Which characteristics/ activities are most related to success?
What are the intended/ unintended effects of the program? |
| --- | --- |

##  Why should you care? 

** **Why should you care?** **

**If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.**
*	**	**	**     **- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland*

- -Illustration by Sir John Tenniel, eBooks@ Adelaide, 2004

## Key Steps in Evaluation

**Engage stakeholders**
**Describe the program**
**Focus the evaluation design**
**Gather credible evidence**
**Justify conclusions (present data, analysis used, and findings)**
**Ensure use and share lessons**

## 1. Engage Stakeholders

**1. Engage Stakeholders**
**	*****Who are the stakeholders?***
**	****	**
**	****	**
**	****	****Those involved in program ****	****operations, those affected by the ****	****program operations, and primary ****	****users of evaluation results**

## “I think you should be more explicit here in Step Two.”

**“****I think you should be more explicit here in Step Two.”**
- By Sidney Harris, Copyright    2007, The New Yorker

## Describe the program

**Describe the program**
**What are the goals and specific aims of the program?**
** **
**What problem or need is it designed to address?**
** **
**What are the measurable objectives? **
**What are the strategies to achieve the objectives? **
**What are the expected effects?**
** **
**What are the resources and activities? **
**How is the program supposed to work? **

## Remember:  

**Activity ****≠**** Program**
**You cannot evaluate a program by assessing only an activity**

**Remember:  **

## Model of a Training Program   

**Model of a Training Program****   **

**Resources             Activities             Impact**

**Research base**

**Workshops & **
**Seminars**

**Mentoring by **
**faculty member**

**Training in **
**scientific **
**methods**

_**Short term **_
**Knowledge**
**Skills **
**Attitudes**
_**Intermediate**_
**Behaviors**
**Practices **
_**Long term**_
**Enter PhD Program**

** ****Faculty & Staff**

**Money**

**Equipment & Technology**

**What is invested?**

** ****(Inputs)                         (Outputs)                      (Outcomes)**

**What is invested? **

**What is done? **

**What are the changes or benefits? **

## 3. Focus the evaluation design

**3. Focus the evaluation design**

**What do you want to know? ****(key questions)**
**Who will be involved in or affected by the evaluation or use the findings? ****(stakeholders)****  **
**To focus an evaluation, consider its purpose, uses, questions, methods, roles, budgets, deliverables etc. **
**	****An evaluation cannot answer **_**all**_** questions for **_**all **_**stakeholders**

## 4. Gather credible evidence

**4. Gather credible evidence**

** **

***Evidence must be ***
***believable, trustworthy, and relevant***** **
**Select methodological approach & data collection instruments**
**Determine who is studied and when  **

## 5. “Justify” conclusions

**5. “Justify” conclusions**

**Consider data: **
**Analysis and synthesis  **
**	****- determine findings**
**Interpretation **
**	****- what do findings mean?**
**Judgments**
** ****	****- what is the value of findings based on  accepted standards?**
**Recommendations – **
**	****- what claims can be made?**
**	****- what are the limitations of your design? **

## An evaluation plan should include:

**An evaluation plan should include:**

**Program description with baseline data**
**Purpose & rationale for evaluation **
**Evaluation Design **
**Data Collection & Analyses **
**Products of evaluation & their use**
**Project Management **
**Budget estimate**

## If you remember nothing else...

**If you remember nothing else...**

**Evaluation is a **_**tool **_**to help you make decisions about program management**

## MARC-U*STAR:

**Review**

## Paper Applications

- February 2009

- Forms
- Revised PHS 398 (NIH Guide NOT-OD-08-028)
- 11/2007 version _must_ be used for all applications for submission/receipt dates on/after May 25, 2008.
- Format
- Supply all requested materials within page limits
- Follow general appendix guidelines (NIH Guide NOT-OD-07-018) _and_ ones specific to the program announcement
- NO paper appendices are accepted; if sending a paper application, appendices MUST be on CDs
- Relevant material only, such as large tables, survey instruments, and publications that are NOT available online.
- NO catalogs, lengthy reports, or material that should be in the body of the application

- (Currently T, F, P and K12)

## Electronic applications (Currently all R and most K mechanisms)

**February 2009**

**Electronic applications ****(Currently all R and most K mechanisms)**

**Grants.gov**
**Electronic application via this site will soon be mandatory for all funding mechanisms:**
**	****	****T and K12 transitions tentatively scheduled for September 2009**
**	****	****F transition tentatively scheduled for August 2009**
**	****	****P transition indefinite at this point****	****	**
**Hosts standardized federal forms SF424 (R&R) and agency-specific forms (PHS 398)**
**Checks the application for federal-wide requirements.**** **
**eRA Commons**
**Retrieves the data from Grants.gov and checks the application against NIH-specific requirements**
**Allows applicants to electronically track the status of submissions and to receive/transmit application and award information**

## Online Resources

**February 2009**

**Overview of Electronic Submission **_[http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/](http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/)__ _
**Frequently Asked Questions **_[http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/faq.htm](http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/faq.htm)__ _
**Avoiding Common Errors **_[http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm](http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm)__ _
**Training Resources, Videos, Quick Reference Materials **_[http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/training.htm](http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/training.htm)__ _

## Finding Help

**February 2009**

**Finding Help**

**Grants.gov Contact Center **
**	****Toll-free: 1-800-518-4726****Hours : Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST****Email : **_[support@grants.gov](mailto:support@grants.gov)_
**	****Support for: Grants.gov Registration, Mac Issues, Adobe Forms **
**eRA Commons Help Desk **
**Phone: 301-402-7469****Hours : Mon-Fri, 7a.m. to 8 p.m. EST **
**	****Online Help Ticket : **_[http://](http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/)__[ithelpdesk.nih.gov](http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/)__[/eRA/ ](http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/)_
**	****Support for: Commons Registration, Application Status, Post-****	****submission Questions**
**	**

## Enhancing Peer Review Update

**February 2009**

**Only a single amendment accepted (NIH Guide NOT-OD-09-003)**
**For original new applications (never submitted) and competing renewal applications submitted on/after January 25, 2009 only one amendment to the original application will be accepted**
**If funding is not received after two submissions, the program should be substantially re-designed rather than altered in response to previous reviews**
**Scoring changes (NIH Guide NOT-OD-09-024, NOT-OD-09-025)**
**Each application submitted on/after January 25, 2009 will receive an individual score on a 9-point rating scale on individual review criteria**
**Each application that is discussed in the review meeting will receive a final impact/priority score on a 9-point rating scale, which will be the average of the **_**overall**_** impact/priority score given by each eligible review committee member**
**For additional information on peer review changes visit:****             ****	****	**_[http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov](http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov/)__ __	_

**Enhancing Peer Review Update**

## Timeline for Application and NIH Contacts

**February 2009**

**Timeframe****	****Activity                                  Contact***
** ****Submission****	**
**+ 2 months****	****Referral****	****	**
**+ 4 months****	****Review**
**+ 5-6 months****	****Summary Statement**
**+ 7 months****	****Council**
**+ 8 months****	****Funding Decisions**
**+ 9 months****	****Award - or - Not**

***NIH Contact:  Scientific Review Officer (SRO) or Program Officer (PO)**

**PO**

**SRO**

**Timeline for Application and NIH Contacts**

## Review of Research Training and Educational Development Program Applications

- February 2009

**Review Panel**
**Organized by an SRO in the NIGMS Office of Scientific Review**
**Special Emphasis Panel or Standing Committee**
**Temporary committee members included for particular expertise**
**Reviewer characteristics**
**Experience with multiple education levels**
**Involvement with research training programs**
**Educators, researchers, and institutional administrators**

## Writing Tips

- February 2009

**Content**
**Read the program announcement and ensure that your application contains the necessary elements**
**Successful submission through Grants.gov and eRA Commons does **_**not**_** mean appropriate responsiveness to the program announcement**
**Context**
**Present the **_**institutional**_** framework and environment of your program **
**Be realistic in your program’s goals**

**Writing Tips**

## Writing Tips

- February 2009

**Comprehensive**
**Address **_**all**_** of the requirements of the program announcement**
***E.g.,***** if you don’t have institutional baseline data, explain how you plan to obtain it**
**Consistent**
**Data in tables and text should match**
**Match justification to budget items**

**Writing Tips**

## Writing Tips

- February 2009

**Clear**** **
**Don’t bury important information in appendices or expansive prose**
**Don’t expect reviewers to “read between the lines”**
**Current**
***E.g.*****, make sure faculty biosketchs are up to date**
***E.g.*****, provide data on current and prior students**

**Writing Tips**

## MARC-U*STAR:

**Grants Management**

## Managing Your MARC Grant

***Grants Administration Branch, NIGMS, NIH, DHHS***

## Managing Your MARC Grant

**	****Use the following resources to help you manage your MARC Training Program****:**
**The Terms and Conditions stated in the Notice of Award for your grant.**
**The MARC Program Announcement (PAR-07-337):**
**	**_**http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-337.html**_
**The NIH Grants Policy Statement available at:**** **_**http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm**_
**Answers to MARC “Frequently Asked Questions” on the NIGMS website:**** **_**http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority/MARC/FAQs.htm**_
**Your institution’s Grants & Contracts Office**

## 	June 1st MARCs the start of the budget period!

**	****June 1st**** MARCs the start of the budget period!**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**Time to appoint your MARC students!**
**You must submit a signed/completed PHS 2271 “Statement of Training Appointment” Form for each student you appoint:**** **_**http://grants1.nih.gov/training/phs2271.pdf**_
**- Appointments are made in 12 month increments.  No trainee may be appointed for less than 12 months in their initial appointment unless you receive prior approval from NIGMS. Trainees should not be appointed unless they plan to complete two years of training.**
**-****	****The maximum number of trainees you can appoint is stated in Section IV or your Notice of Award.**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**Time to appoint your MARC students!**
**Common reasons why 2271 appointment forms are rejected:**
**Period of Appointment is not acceptable**
**Stipend amounts in Section 20 are wrong**
**Missing signatures**
**The maximum number of appointments exceeded**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**Time to appoint your MARC students!**
- _All MARC students are to be appointed for a consecutive 24 month period (12 months at a time_).  However, if an appointment is going to be less than 12 months (e.g. student leaves program) then the stipend must be prorated according to the following table:
**MARC STIPEND LEVEL COMPUTATION CHART**

| 1 YR | 11 MO | 10 MO | 9 MO | 8 MO | 7 MO | 6 MO | 5 MO |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 10,956 | 10,043 | 9,130 | 8,217 | 7,304 | 6,391 | 5,478 | 4,565 |
|   |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 4 MO | 3 MO | 2 MO | 1 MO | 3 WK | 2 WK | 1 WK | 1 DAY |
| 3,652 | 2,739 | 1,826 | 913 | 639.10 | 426.07 | 213.03 | 30.43 |

- ** Round off fractional amounts when reporting stipend levels

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**Time to appoint your MARC students!**
**Mail the PHS 2271 appointment forms to:**
**	****     ****Grants and Council Operations**
**	****     ****NIH/NIGMS**
**	****     ****45 Center Drive, MSC 6200**
**	****     ****Building 45, Room 2AS.55**
**	****     ****Bethesda, MD  20892-6200**
**... Or fax the forms to:**
**	****“****ATTN: Grants and Council Operations” at (301) 480-3423**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**	****When Autumn is here, the deadline to submit your progress report is near!**
**Progress reports are due by ****November 1**** of each year.  Use the PHS 2590 progress report kit:**** **_**http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm**_
**READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY!**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**Progress Reports: Which Forms?**
**Face Page (Form Page 1)**** – ****Mandatory**
**Budget Page (Form Page 2)**** – ****Mandatory**
**NRSA Additional Budget Page 2**** – ****Mandatory**
**Budget Justification (Form Page 3)**** – ****Mandatory**
**Progress Report Narrative (Form Page 5)****  – ****Mandatory**
**NRSA Data Table 12A**** – ****Mandatory**
**MARC Formatted Tables**** – ****Optional**
**Checklist (Form Page 6)**** – ****Mandatory**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**	****When Autumn is here, the deadline to submit your progress report is near!**
**One copy of the progress report must be mailed to:**
**	****     ****Division of Extramural Activities Support, OER                             **
**	****     ****National Institutes of Health                                              **
**	****     ****6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 2207, MSC 7987                                  **
**	****     ****Bethesda, MD 20892-7987 (US Postal Service & Express mail)    **
**	****     ****Bethesda, MD 20817 (UPS/FedEx & other couriers)**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**Progress Reports: Any Advice?**
**Make sure that you include valid IRB and/or IACUC Approval Dates if students are participating in projects involving such research.**
**-****	****IRB approval dates**** are valid up to ****1 year**** before the budget period start date.**
**-****	****IACUC approval dates**** are valid up to ****3 years**** before the budget period start date.**
**Include a section describing the instructional activities in the ****responsible conduct in research****.**
**	****And Always...**

## BE HONEST!!

**18 U.S.C. 1001**
**	****(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—**
**	****	****(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or ****	****device a material fact; **
**	****	****(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent ****	****statement or representation; or **
**	****	****(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing ****	****the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or ****	****fraudulent statement or entry;**** **
**	****shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years....**

## A Typical Year in the life of a MARC Program

**	****When Spring is here, it’s time to get the Summer Research Experience in Gear!**
**Prior to sending students to the SRE, you must send a list of the students to NIGMS through your institution’s business office.**
**See Section IV of your Notice of Award for specific details on what information must be included.**

## 	One Final Note:

**	****One Final Note:**
**A Financial Status Report (FSR) is due no later than 90 days after the end of each budget period.**
**- The FSR must be submitted electronically via the eRA Commons.**

## I Need Help! Who Should I Call?

**	**_**Before you contact NIGMS staff**_**, check out ****the following resources as they will likely have the information you’re looking for:**
**The Terms and Conditions stated in the Notice of Award for your grant.**
**The MARC Program Announcement (PAR-07-337):**
**	**_**http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-07-337.html**_
**The NIH Grants Policy Statement available at:**** **_**http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/index.htm**_
**Answers to MARC “Frequently Asked Questions” on the NIGMS website:**** **_**http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Minority/MARC/FAQs.htm**_
**Your institution’s Grants & Contracts Office**

## I Need Help! Who Should I Call?

**... And if you still can’t find the answer:**
**	****Contact The NIGMS Grants Management Specialist (policy/budget issues) or Scientific Program Officer (policy/technical issues) listed in the last section of the Notice of Award for your grant.**
**	***** If you send an e-mail, include your**
**	****  ****grant number (e.g. GM012345).**

## Contacts

**Contacts**

_**MARC Program**_**:**
**Dr. Toliver, ****ToliverA@mail.nih.gov****  **
**Dr. Drew, ****DrewL@mail.nih.gov**
_**Evaluation:**_
**Dr. Juliana Blome, ****BlomeJu@mail.nih.gov**
_**Review:**_
**Dr. Mona Trempe, ****TrempeMo@mail.nih.gov**** **
_**Grants Management:**_
**Mr. Robert Altieri, ****AltieriR@mail.nih.gov****	**