Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 13 019
Apply for RFA RM 13 019
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Directors Biomedical Research Workforce Innovation Award Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) (DP7)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310 Trans NIH Research Support.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 17, 2014 and posted on Jan 17, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 31, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NIH Directors Biomedical Research Workforce Innovation Award: Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) (DP7) was a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-RM-13-019) aimed at reshaping how graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are trained for the modern biomedical workforce. The central idea was to fund bold, innovative approaches that expand training beyond the traditional academic research track, so that PhD students and postdocs gain realistic exposure to the wide range of careers they actually pursue across the biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research enterprise. A key emphasis was that these broadened experiences should be available to trainees regardless of their individual funding source, reflecting an institution-wide commitment rather than a benefit limited to a small subset of trainees on a specific training grant.
The program strongly encouraged institutions to build collaborations with non-academic partners, recognizing that many high-impact science careers exist outside universities. These partnerships were meant to bring in professionals from diverse research-intensive and research-related settings to contribute directly to training through mechanisms such as specialized coursework, experiential rotations, internships, and other structured forms of career exploration and skills development. In practical terms, the FOA envisioned trainees learning from and working with experts in settings that could include industry, biotech, pharma, government, policy organizations, nonprofits, communication and publishing, regulatory affairs, technology transfer, entrepreneurship, consulting, and other sectors connected to biomedical research and its translation.
BEST was also positioned as a field-building effort rather than a collection of isolated campus programs. NIH described it as establishing a new paradigm for graduate and postdoctoral training, with awardee institutions expected to work together to define evolving workforce needs, develop evidence-informed approaches, and share best practices. This collaborative, community-of-practice element suggested that NIH wanted the funded sites not only to implement local innovations but also to generate models and lessons that other institutions could adopt, helping shift national norms around career development in doctoral and postdoctoral education.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was offered as a grant with an activity category in health and a CFDA listing of 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support). The FOA stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement. NIH estimated total funding at $3,000,000, and the award ceiling was $250,000. The announcement was posted January 17, 2014, with an original and current closing date of March 31, 2014, and it was archived May 1, 2014.
Eligibility focused on U.S.-based higher education institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions and private institutions of higher education. The eligibility description also explicitly included a range of designated institution types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). Foreign institutions were not eligible to apply, and the FOA further clarified that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were not eligible and that foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) were not allowed.
The administering agency was the National Institutes of Health, and the full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at the link provided in the source. For technical access issues, the contact point listed was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was the NIH Director's Biomedical Research Workforce Innovation Award (BEST) (DP7)?
The NIH Director's Biomedical Research Workforce Innovation Award: Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) (DP7) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity designed to reshape how graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are prepared for the modern biomedical workforce. The focus was on supporting bold, innovative training models that go beyond the traditional academic research career path.
What was the main purpose of the BEST program?
The central purpose was to broaden scientific training so PhD students and postdoctoral researchers could gain realistic exposure to the wide range of careers they commonly pursue across the biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research enterprise. The program emphasized expanding training experiences beyond the standard academic track and aligning training with real-world workforce outcomes.
Which trainees were the program intended to serve?
The opportunity targeted graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the biomedical research training pipeline. A key emphasis was that broadened training experiences should be available to trainees regardless of their individual funding source, signaling an institution-wide approach rather than limiting benefits to trainees supported by a specific training grant.
Did the program require that broadened training be limited to certain funded trainees?
No. The opportunity emphasized that broadened experiences should be available to trainees regardless of their individual funding source, reflecting an institution-wide commitment rather than a benefit restricted to a small subset of trainees.
What kinds of approaches did NIH want institutions to propose?
NIH sought bold, innovative approaches to broaden training. The FOA envisioned structured mechanisms such as specialized coursework, experiential rotations, internships, and other organized forms of career exploration and skills development that expand beyond the traditional academic research track.
What types of non-academic collaborations were encouraged?
The program strongly encouraged institutions to build collaborations with non-academic partners and bring in professionals from diverse research-intensive and research-related settings to contribute directly to training. This reflected NIH's recognition that many high-impact science careers exist outside universities.
What sectors and career areas were mentioned as potential training environments?
The FOA described settings that could include industry, biotech, pharma, government, policy organizations, nonprofits, communication and publishing, regulatory affairs, technology transfer, entrepreneurship, consulting, and other sectors connected to biomedical research and its translation.
What training activities were specifically envisioned for trainees?
Training activities mentioned included specialized coursework, experiential rotations, internships, and other structured opportunities for career exploration and skills development, ideally involving direct learning from and work with experts in a range of professional environments.
Was BEST intended to be a set of isolated campus programs, or something broader?
BEST was positioned as a field-building effort rather than just a collection of separate institutional programs. NIH described it as establishing a new paradigm for graduate and postdoctoral training, with expectations that awardee institutions would collaborate, share best practices, and help define evolving workforce needs.
What was the "community-of-practice" expectation described in the FOA?
The FOA indicated that funded institutions were expected to work together to define workforce needs, develop evidence-informed approaches, and share best practices. This suggests NIH wanted awardees to generate models and lessons that could be adopted by other institutions and influence national norms around career development in doctoral and postdoctoral education.
What was the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed was RFA-RM-13-019.
Which NIH organization administered this opportunity?
The administering agency was the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What was the CFDA listing associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity listed CFDA 93.310 (Trans-NIH Research Support).
What was the estimated total funding amount for this FOA?
NIH estimated total funding at $3,000,000.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed in the FOA was $250,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA explicitly stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was the opportunity posted, and what were the closing dates?
The announcement was posted on January 17, 2014. The original closing date and the current closing date were both March 31, 2014.
Is this FOA still active?
No. The announcement was archived on May 1, 2014, and the closing date listed was March 31, 2014.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility focused on U.S.-based higher education institutions, including public and state-controlled institutions and private institutions of higher education.
Were specific institution designations explicitly included as eligible?
Yes. The eligibility description explicitly included Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Were foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions were not eligible to apply.
Could a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component in the application?
No. The FOA clarified that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were not eligible.
Were foreign components allowed under NIH policy definitions?
No. The FOA stated that foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) were not allowed.
Where could applicants find the full announcement?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide at the link provided in the source information for the opportunity.
Who was the contact for technical access issues?
For technical access issues, the contact point listed was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
What kinds of career outcomes was BEST trying to reflect in training?
The program was built around the idea that trainees pursue many careers across the biomedical, behavioral, social, and clinical research enterprise, including roles outside academia. BEST sought to align training with this reality by creating structured opportunities to explore and build skills relevant to multiple career directions.
What was the overarching training philosophy behind BEST?
The FOA emphasized expanding training beyond the traditional academic research track and embedding broadened experiences in an institution-wide way. It also highlighted collaboration with non-academic partners and sharing of models and best practices across funded institutions to help establish a new training paradigm.
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