1. RTRN Small Grants Program Research Enhancement Award- Cycle 2
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
                     
RTRN Small Grants Program
Research Enhancement Award- Cycle 2
Funding Opportunity Announcement
Informational Webinar
Richard Yanagihara, M.D., M.P.H.
Research Coordinating Center

2. A Paradigm-Disruptive Shift
Challenges and Barriers
Lack of trust
Lack of scientist directory
Lack of resource database
Incomplete inventory of research projects and grants
Limited IT infrastructure
Dearth of RPG- and PPG- funded investigators
Geographic separation and time-zone differences
Deeply entrenched silo- science research culture
Poor familiarity with translational science spectrum
Competing priorities and over-committed faculty
Competitive
Single-PI
Silo Science
Collaborative
Multi-PI
Team Science
A Paradigm-Disruptive Shift
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.

3. Purpose of the RTRN Research Enhancement Award
To provide travel funds for enhancing competitiveness and grant success of RCMI faculty, who have a reviewed, either scored or unscored, but unfunded or unpaid R-, U-, SC-, P- or K-series NIH application, for which a summary statement is available.
To identify and meet with a current or prospective collaborator and/or mentor at another RCMI or non-RCMI grantee institution to address weaknesses noted in the summary statement in order to improve the A1 submission.
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.

4. Purpose of the RTRN Research Enhancement Award
To increase research competitiveness and grant success of RCMI investigators.
To promote cross-institutional mentorship and professional development of the next generation of RCMI investigators.
The expectation is that support from the Research Enhancement Award will be leveraged into competitive NIH A1 resubmissions within one year after receipt of RTRN funds.
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.

5. Applicant Eligibility
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Any faculty member of the 18 RCMI grantee institutions.
Must have the summary statement for an unfunded or unpaid R-, U-, SC-, P- or K-series NIH application.
An applicant may submit only one application. There are no restrictions on the number of applications from an RCMI grantee institution.
Current and past RTRN Small Grants Program pilot project applicants and awardees may apply. 5

6. Applicant Eligibility
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
An applicant must have an updated Profile on the RTRN website
( and be a member of the Translational Research Cluster System (
Principal investigators of active NIH R01, R15, R35, R37, R56, P01, P20, P50, P60, SC1, SC3, U01, U19, U54, DP1, DP2 and/or K99R00 grants, as well as those with equivalent awards from AHRQ, CDC, DHS, DOD, DOE, HRSA, USDA, EPA and NSF are eligible in this cycle.
Postdoctoral fellows and graduate students are ineligible. 6

7. Application Process
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
All applicants must use the RTRN Research Enhancement Award Template.
enhancement-award/
The full proposal is limited to two (2) pages:
Specific Aims – one (1) page maximum
Research Strategy – one (1) page maximum
Two-page application must include:
All tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, charts and other displays
A timetable for the A1 resubmission or other applications for extramural support 7

8. Application Process
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
The following items are not counted in the two-page limit:
Summary Statement of the A0 application.
Biosketch and Other Support information for the applicant, prospective collaborator(s) and/or mentor(s).
Letters of Support from the applicant’s current or prospective collaborator(s) and/or mentor(s), as well as from the RCMI or RCTR PI/PD.
Budget itemization and justification. 8

9. Application Process Budget:
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Budget:
Non-modular itemized budget, with justification.
Maximum request of $2,500.
Funds may be requested for only costs associated with travel to confer with the applicant’s current or prospective collaborator(s) and/or mentor(s).
Travel must be completed by June 30, 2017.
No provisions for indirect costs.
No provisions for carryover requests. 9

10. Scientific Review
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
RCMI Cluster Leaders and members of the RTRN Protocol Review Subcommittee will serve as reviewers. In all cases, individuals with conflicts of interest will not be assigned as reviewers.
Six review criteria: collaborations and partnerships; significance; innovation; investigators; approach; and environment.
The reviewers will also assess the impact score and summary statement of the A0 submission and the overall likelihood that the Research Enhancement Award will be leveraged into a competitive and fundable A1 resubmission. 10

11. Scientific Review Review Category Review Criteria
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Scientific Review
Review Category
Review Criteria
Collaborations and Partnerships
RCMI or non-RCMI collaborators and/or mentors?
Will visit strengthen the A1 resubmission?
Significance
Important scientific question or health problem?
Will visit increase scientific rigor of the A1 resubmission?
Innovation
Will visit result in innovative concepts or new technologies?
Investigator
Does collaborator and/or mentor offer added value?
Does collaborator and/or mentor possess complementary expertise?
Approach
Will visit result in improved study design design?
Environment
Will visit facilitate access to unique cores or resources?
Will visit provide access to difficult to reach patient populations?
Is there evidence for institutional support, such as faculty-release time, salary support and/or matching funds for travel? 11

12. Funding Priorities and Decisions
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Applications will be ranked according to impact scores. Funding decisions will be based on priority scores and the criteria shown below, with direct oversight from the Protocol Review Subcommittee and ratification by the RTRN Steering Committee.
Strong justification for travel funds
Clear plan of deliverables from visit to collaborator or mentor
High-impact research question
Highly innovative approach
Strong publication record of applicant
Clear timetable for NIH A1 resubmission
High potential for success of A1 resubmission
Institutional match to defray additional costs associated with travel 12

13. Funding Priorities and Decisions
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
To more broadly promote translational science in different disciplines, awards will be distributed across the RTRN Clusters.
For successful applicants, subcontracts will be made from the Morehouse School of Medicine to the awardee institutions.
The expectation is that the travel awards will result in heightened competitiveness of the A1 resubmission. 13

14. January 16, 2017 at 9:00 pm Eastern time
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Key Dates:
APPLICATION DUE DATE:
January 16, 2017 at 9:00 pm Eastern time
EARLIEST ANTICIPATED AWARD DATE:
March 1, 2017
AWARD END DATE:
All travel must be completed before June 30, 2017 14

15. We encourage your inquiries.
Contact Information
We encourage your inquiries.
Richard Yanagihara, M.D.
RCC Director
John A. Burns School of Medicine
University of Hawaii at Manoa
651 Ilalo Street, BSB320L
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Telephone: (808)
Pamela Bullard
RCC Administrative Coordinator
651 Ilalo Street, MEB401G
Telephone: (808)
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health. 15