Current grantees, take note: Over the next two weeks, applications are due for three distinct initiatives providing administrative supplements for research at the nexus of women’s health, sex and gender, and health disparity populations.

For each initiative, NIH published a notice of special interest (NOSI) and each NOSI directs applicants to apply through the funding opportunity announcement Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp, Clinical Trial Optional).

Regardless of the NOSI through which you apply, you must include the corresponding notice number in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF 424 (R&R) Form.

Remember: administrative supplements require that the supported research be within the approved scope of an ongoing award. Before applying, we strongly encourage you to discuss with the program officer assigned to your ongoing award whether your proposed supplement is within scope.

As our article “Understand Scope and Why It Matters for Managing Your Grant” explains, if the study you propose is beyond the aims, objectives, and purposes of your current grant, you should apply for a competitive revision rather than an administrative supplement.

Administrative Supplements for Research on SGM Populations

The NOSI will fund projects to enrich scientific understanding of how sexual orientation, gender identity, or being born with differences/disorders in sex development or intersex characteristics relate to health outcomes, health risks, health behaviors, perceptions and expectations about health, and access to health-related services or associated barriers.

For example, you might expand an ongoing study focused on one SGM group to add another or you could conduct secondary analysis of existing data to generate new information or hypotheses about SGM health.

Request only one year of support and limit your budget request to $100,000 in total costs.

Administrative Supplements for Research on Sex and/or Gender Influences

Apply if you’re capable of research at the basic, preclinical, translational, or clinical level to address at least one objective from the five strategic goals of the 2019-2023 Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women's Health Research: Research, Methods, Dissemination and Implementation, Training and Careers, or Evaluation. Paramount is addressing the role of sex or gender in health and disease.

Potential topics include the influence of sex and gender on disease incidence, prevention, treatment, and reoccurrence; or gender roles influencing caretaking responsibilities, and effects on health, resilience, and disease.

Request only one year of support and limit your budget request to $100,000 in direct costs.

Research on the Health of Women of U3 Populations

This initiative supports preclinical, clinical, behavioral, and translational projects highlighting common sources of disparities in women and girls’ health with a specific emphasis on those that integrate measures beyond the individual level and consider perspectives from multiple disciplines. You are encouraged to incorporate multilevel interventions using community-engaged approaches and focusing on one or more NIH-designated Health Disparity Populations.

Projects you could propose range from broad explorations of caretaking responsibilities, systemic barriers to participation, gender discrimination, and social and structural determinants of health inequities to narrow investigations of risk factors associated with COVID-19 disease prevalence among underserved and underrepresented populations of women.

Request only one year of support and limit your budget request to $140,000 in direct costs.