ARRA Training in Primary Care Medicine Administrative Academic Units in Primary Care | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the purpose of this HRSA Recovery Act (ARRA) grant opportunity?

This grant opportunity was designed to strengthen primary care training infrastructure at medical schools by supporting Administrative Academic Units (AAUs) in primary care. The goal was to build or improve the administrative and academic backbone inside accredited medical and osteopathic medical schools so they can deliver stronger clinical teaching, expand faculty development, and enhance research capacity in core primary care disciplines.

What types of organizations were eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to accredited schools of medicine or accredited schools of osteopathic medicine.

What kinds of primary care academic units or entities did HRSA intend to support?

The program targeted organizational units that shape how primary care is taught and sustained over time, such as departments, divisions, or comparable academic entities within eligible institutions.

Which primary care disciplines were specifically included?

Funding could be used to establish, maintain, or improve academic units or programs in family medicine, general internal medicine, and general pediatrics.

What were the main activities and outcomes the funding aimed to support?

Allowable uses emphasized improving clinical teaching and research capacity in core primary care disciplines. The opportunity also supported strengthening administrative and academic infrastructure, expanding faculty development, and enhancing research capacity tied to primary care training.

Could applicants use the grant to integrate efforts across primary care disciplines?

Yes. The opportunity supported efforts to better integrate units across family medicine, general internal medicine, and general pediatrics, based on the idea that coordination can strengthen interdisciplinary recruitment, training experiences, and faculty development pathways.

Did the program support training for community-based physician teachers (preceptors/faculty)?

Yes. An allowable use of funds included planning, developing, and operating programs that train physicians who teach in community-based settings, recognizing that much primary care education occurs outside major academic medical centers and depends on well-prepared community preceptors and faculty.

Was this funding intended for short-term projects or longer-term structural investments?

The announcement emphasized structural investments in primary care academic capacity, such as establishing AAUs or programs or substantially expanding existing units or programs, rather than limited, short-term project activities.

What is an Administrative Academic Unit (AAU) in the context of this grant?

Within this opportunity, an AAU refers to the administrative and academic structure within a school (for example, a department, division, or similar entity) that supports how primary care is organized, taught, and sustained, including clinical teaching, faculty development, and research activity in core primary care fields.

What made this funding opportunity distinctive compared to others in its category?

It was described as the only program in its category offering a formal funding preference.

What was the formal funding preference, and how could applicants request it?

Applicants could request the preference if they agreed to use the funds specifically to establish AAUs or programs in family medicine, general internal medicine, and/or general pediatrics, or to substantially expand existing units or programs in those fields.

What was the intent behind offering a funding preference?

The preference was intended to direct Recovery Act resources toward institutions making concrete structural investments in primary care academic capacity.

What type of federal funding instrument was this (grant, cooperative agreement, or contract)?

This opportunity was a grant (not a cooperative agreement or contract).

What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?

The funding opportunity number was HRSA-10-231.

What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity fell under CFDA 93.403 (ARRA Grants for Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry Training and Enhancement).

About how many awards did HRSA anticipate making?

HRSA anticipated making about 78 awards.

What was the estimated total funding amount available under this announcement?

The estimated total funding amount was $51,103,000.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.

When was the opportunity posted and when did applications close?

The opportunity was posted on April 22, 2010, and the application closing date was May 21, 2010.

Was this opportunity later archived?

Yes. It was archived on July 20, 2010.

Which federal agency administered this opportunity?

The program was offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

How was this opportunity categorized?

It was categorized under Health and the Recovery Act.

Who was the listed program contact for questions?

HRSA listed Daniel Mareck, Director in the Division of Medicine and Dentistry (BHPr, HRSA), as the program contact, with phone and email provided in the notice.