Can NIH Diversity Supplements be used for T32 pre- and post-doctoral fellows?

The use of NIH Diversity Supplements for T32 pre- and post-doc fellows will depend on the funding institute or center. In the past, most institutes have said that candidates supported on a T32 can only start a diversity supplement after their T32 appointment end date. However, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) offers a T32 Diversity Supplement Program for Pre- and Postdoctoral Candidates for a limited number of trainees. It looks like this NICHD program was introduced for FY2023—perhaps other institutes will introduce similar programs. Talk to your program officer or an institute-specific diversity supplement contact to find out what your institute supports.
 

Can principal investigators (PIs) receive a Diversity Supplement for an underrepresented individual who is already paid from an existing grant?

The short answer is “no.” Specifically, the funding opportunity announcement for this research supplement (PA-21-071) states that for graduate (predoctoral) and health professional students “this program is not intended to provide an alternative or additional means of supporting individuals who receive support from an NIH research grant, a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (Kirschstein-NRSA), or any other PHS funding mechanism. Students who are supported by an institutional Kirschstein-NRSA may not be transferred to supplemental support prior to the completion of their appointed period of training. In addition, individuals may not be transferred to a supplement to increase the availability of funds to the parent grant for other uses.  Individuals may be supported by the parent grant for short periods, at the recipient’s risk, pending Institute/Center decision on the supplement application.”
 

Is mentoring training available to PIs who work with students funded by Diversity Supplements?

Here is a list of past and upcoming training opportunities at the University of Iowa that we are aware of. To add other opportunities to this list, contact us.

  • Teaching and Mentoring First-Generation Students, Dec. 15, 12:00-1:00 p.m. (Registration is closed)

    • This training session will focus on best practices for teaching and mentoring first-generation students including undergraduate, graduate, and professional learners.  Individuals at all levels, including graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff, are encouraged to attend. Coordinated by the Carver College of Medicine Office of Health Parity; the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies; and the 1stGen@IOWA initiative.

In addition, here are two training opportunities that some University of Iowa faculty have taken advantage of: