FY09 DOD Prostate Cancer Health Disparity Training Award | Apply Online

FY09 DOD Prostate Cancer Health Disparity Training Award (HDTA) FAQs

1) What is the FY09 DOD Prostate Cancer Health Disparity Training Award (HDTA)?

The FY09 DOD Prostate Cancer Health Disparity Training Award is a funding opportunity under the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) designed to build the next generation of researchers and clinicians focused on prostate cancer health disparities. It is positioned as a training-focused award that emphasizes mentored career development rather than operating as a traditional standalone research grant.

2) What is the main goal of this award?

The main goal is to support early-career development through a structured training plan combined with mentored research that clearly targets a defined prostate cancer health disparity.

3) Is this a research grant or a training award?

It is a training-focused award. While it includes a research project, the review emphasis is largely on the trainee, the mentor relationship, the training plan, and the training environment, not only on the technical details of the research question.

4) Who is the intended applicant (trainee) population?

The opportunity supports predoctoral and postdoctoral traineeships for individuals early in their career trajectory who are pursuing a path as a researcher or clinician addressing prostate cancer health disparities.

5) What kinds of research are allowed under this award?

The scientific scope is broad and can include basic, preclinical, behavioral, and epidemiological research, as long as the work aligns with one or more FY09 PCRP focus areas described in the full program announcement and clearly targets a prostate cancer disparity.

6) What counts as a prostate cancer health disparity for this award?

The program recognizes many potential disparity drivers, including (but not limited to) race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, access to health care, insurance status, age, geographic location, and cultural beliefs. The application must clearly explain how the proposed project connects to a defined disparity area.

7) Does the application have to explicitly connect the proposed project to a defined disparity?

Yes. A core requirement is that the research must clearly target a prostate cancer disparity, and the application must explicitly explain how the project connects to a defined disparity area.

8) Is having a mentor required?

Yes. Every application must include an experienced prostate cancer health disparity researcher as the mentor, and the mentor is expected to be actively involved throughout the trainee's project and development.

9) What qualifications must the mentor have?

The mentor must be demonstrably established in prostate cancer health disparities research, with a record of funding and publications specifically in that field. The mentor is not intended to be a nominal participant; they are expected to be substantively engaged in the trainee's research and training.

10) Does the mentor need a connection to the disparity-affected population or community?

Yes. Beyond research credentials, the mentor must show a real connection to the population or community affected by the disparity being studied. This can be through being a member of the affected community with ongoing commitment, having substantial experience working directly with the population, or maintaining active relationships with relevant organizations and networks.

11) What are examples of organizations or networks that reflect an acceptable community connection?

Examples listed include the Urban League, National Medical Association, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, American Indian Health Care Association, National Rural Health Association, Patient Advocate Foundation National African American Outreach Program, and the Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN).

12) What does the program prioritize during review?

The review emphasis is largely on the people and the training environment. Applicants are expected to demonstrate strong promise, clear commitment to a career addressing prostate cancer health disparities, and an individualized training program that prepares them for independence. The mentor relationship and institutional support are central considerations.

13) What is meant by an "individualized training program" in this award?

Applicants are expected to present a structured training plan tailored to their development, describing how mentorship, institutional resources, and the training setting will support their progression toward becoming an independent investigator or provider focused on prostate cancer health disparities.

14) What does the award primarily pay for?

The award primarily provides salary support for the trainee (the PI). It is designed to protect time for training and mentored research rather than to function as a large project grant.

15) Who is listed as the PI for this mechanism?

The trainee serves as the PI. Proposals are intended to be trainee-led and written with the mentor's guidance, and they must be signed by the trainee as the PI and author.

16) What agency offered this FY09 funding opportunity?

This FY09 opportunity was offered by the Department of the Army through the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA).

17) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH 09 PCRP HDTA.

18) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA is 12.420 (Military Medical Research and Development).

19) What type of funding instrument is this?

The instrument type is listed as a cooperative agreement/grant within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.

20) Was cost sharing required?

No. Cost sharing was not required.

21) Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility notes in the full announcement.

22) When was the opportunity posted and when were applications due?

The opportunity was posted on February 11, 2009. The application deadline was May 20, 2009.

23) When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was later archived on June 19, 2009.

24) How many awards were anticipated in FY09 and what was the estimated funding pool?

The FY09 cycle anticipated making about three awards from an estimated total funding pool of $400,000.

25) What application volume and funding recommendations were reported for the program up to FY09?

By FY09, the program had seen 28 applications total since its introduction in FY01, with 15 recommended for funding.

26) How broad is the program's definition of disparity drivers?

The opportunity explicitly recognizes a wide range of disparity drivers (including race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, access to care, insurance status, age, geographic location, and cultural beliefs), and it allows applications to propose projects grounded in one or more of these drivers as long as the disparity connection is clearly articulated.

27) Does the mentor need to be actively involved, or can they be listed in name only?

The mentor is expected to be actively involved throughout the trainee's project and development. The program describes the mentor as not being a nominal figure, emphasizing demonstrated expertise and engagement.