1. RTRN Small Grants Program, 2015-2016 Funding Opportunity Announcement
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,
Funding Opportunity Announcement
Informational Webinar

2. A Paradigm Shift Competitive Single-PI Silo Science Collaborative
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
A Paradigm Shift
Competitive
Single-PI
Silo Science
Collaborative
Multi-PI
Team Science
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 SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM
To provide modest funding for basic, clinical and translational research collaborations between RCMI grantee institutions
To maximize utilization of RCMI core facilities
To increase competitiveness of RCMI investigators
To promote mentorship and professional development of the next generation of RCMI investigators
To facilitate collaborative research through the infrastructure of the Data Coordinating Center
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.

4. RTRN Small Grants Program 44 Awards over Five Funding Cycles
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
44 Awards over Five Funding Cycles
35 T1 (80%) and 9 T2 (20%) 4

5. RTRN Small Grants Program, 2015-2016
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,
Translational research is defined as the innovative application of basic research discoveries toward the diagnosis, management and prevention of human diseases. 5

6. RTRN Small Grants Program, 2015-2016
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,
Clinical research = research that involves an individual person or group of people, or that studies materials from humans, such as their behavior or samples of their tissues.
Clinical trials = a special type of clinical research that examines the safety and effectiveness of new ways to detect, treat or prevent diseases, as well as ways to improve the quality of life for patients with chronic illnesses.
Treatments typically include new drugs or new drug combinations, new surgical procedures or devices, or new ways to use existing treatments. 6

7. RTRN Small Grants Program, 2015-2016
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,
Community-engaged research = “the process of working collaboratively with and through groups of people affiliated by geographic proximity, special interest, or similar situations to address issues affecting the well-being of those people.”
Community-engaged research = a “vehicle for bringing about environmental and behavioral changes that will improve the health of the community and its members.” It often involves partnerships and coalitions that help mobilize resources and influence systems, change relationships among partners, and serve as catalysts for changing policies, programs and practices. 7

8. 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.
An applicant may submit only one application, as lead Principal Investigator or as Multiple Principal Investigator.
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, R56, P01, P20, P60, U01, U19, U54, DP1, DP2 (or similar) and/or K99R00, SC1 and SC3 grants, as well as those with equivalent awards from AHRQ, CDC, DHS, DOD, DOE, HRSA, USDA, EPA, NSF, and postdoctoral fellows and graduate students are ineligible. 8

9. RTRN Small Grants Program, 2015-2016
Applications must represent collaborative partnerships between clinical researchers, basic scientists and community researchers from two or more RCMI grantee institutions.
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Additional collaborators from other NIMHD programs (such as COE, CBPR, BRIC, MHIRT) and from non-RCMI schools and the inclusion of lay community members are encouraged. Applications that do not show such collaborative arrangements will be considered nonresponsive.
RCMI Applicant
Primary Collaborator(s)
Clinical Researcher
Community Researcher
Basic Science Researcher 9

10. Letter of Intent A Letter of Intent is mandatory, but is not binding.
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
A Letter of Intent is mandatory, but is not binding.
All applicants must use the Letter of Intent Template, available on the on-line grant submission system (
The Letter of Intent must provide a brief project summary (50 words or less, with three key words) and must indicate the type of translational research being proposed.
The Letter of Intent should be submitted electronically to with a copy to the DCC 10

11. Application Process On-line System (http://grants.rtrn.net/)
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 on-line RTRN Small Grants Program Template.
The full proposal is limited to five (5) pages:
Specific Aims – one (1) page
Research Strategy – four (4) pages
Five page limit includes all tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, charts and other displays; a Communications Plan (including the designated collaborator) and a Mentoring Plan (if applicable, including the designated mentor); and a timetable for seeking subsequent extramural support. 11

12. Application Process On-line System (http://grants.rtrn.net/)
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 five-page limit:
References, but these are limited to one page
Biosketches and Other Support information of the principal investigator(s), collaborator(s) and mentor(s)
Descriptions of Protection of Human Subjects from Research Risk; Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Children in Research
Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research
Biohazards and Select Agents
Targeted/Planned Enrollment Table Format Page, if applicable
Evidence of IRB and/or IACUC applications or approvals is required at the time of submission 12

13. Application Process On-line System (http://grants.rtrn.net/)
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
All applicants are required to use RTRN DCC services:
Applicants should review the services offered and participate in a scheduled teleconference with the DCC to discuss the use of these services;
Applicants must submit a Cost Proposal Request Form (CPR Form), available on the RTRN website (
Applicants must obtain a Cost Estimate and Letter of Support from the DCC. DCC services will be provided at no cost. That is, DCC services for Small Grants Program applications will be provided in kind. 13

14. Application Process On-line System (http://grants.rtrn.net/)
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 $50,000.
Funds may be requested for personnel, small equipment (not to exceed $5,000), supplies and travel.
Funded projects must be completed by June 30, 2016.
No provisions for indirect costs.
No provisions for carryover requests. 14

15. Application Process On-line System (http://grants.rtrn.net/)
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Required Letters of Support:
Letter(s) from collaborator(s), and if applicable, from mentor(s).
Letter(s) from RCMI PI/PD and/or RCTR PI, specifying administrative and/or institutional support.
Letters from RCMI PI/PD and/or RCTR PI of each collaborating site, indicating matching funds and/or in-kind institutional support, for projects involving dual- or multi-site clinical trials. 15

16. Scientific Review
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
RCMI PI/PD and other RCMI faculty with subject-matter expertise and NIH study section experience, as well as RTRN EAC and RCMI/RCTR EAC will serve as reviewers.
NIH-type review criteria and 9-point scoring scale.
Six review criteria: collaborations and partnerships; significance; innovation; approach; investigators; and environment.
Use of DCC services.
Overall likelihood that support will be leveraged into a competitive grant application to NIH or other agency. 16

17. NIH 9-Point Scoring Scale
RTRN is supported by grant number U54MD from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health.
Scientific Review
NIH 9-Point Scoring Scale 17

18. 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.
Funding priority will be given to projects that demonstrate a cross-disciplinary approach to improving minority health and/or reducing health disparities.
Funding priority will be given to inter-institutional projects involving community engaged research.
Funding priority will be given to projects that arise from active participation in one or more of the 10 existing Translational Research Clusters.
Funding decisions will be based on priority scores, with direct oversight from the Protocol Review Subcommittee and discussion and ratification by the RTRN Steering Committee. Final approval rests with NIMHD.   18

19. RTRN Small Grants Program, 2015-2016
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,
Key Dates:
LETTER OF INTENT DUE DATE:
January 30, 2015 at 9:00 pm Eastern time
APPLICATION DUE DATE:
February 28, 2015 at 9:00 pm Eastern time
SCIENTIFIC Review period:
March–April 2015
funding DECISION AND APPROVAL period:
May–June 2015
EARLIEST ANTICIPATED AWARD DATE: July 1, 2015 19

20. We encourage your inquiries.
Small Grants Program,
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. 20