In collaboration with NYU Langone’s Office of Science and Research, the Institute for Excellence in Health Equity is enhancing diversity in health research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Diversity Supplement Generating Emerging Scholars (GEMS) Diversity Supplement Matching Program. Sponsored by the NIH, diversity supplements allow for the addition of a trainee from an underrepresented minority group to further the trainee’s education and career development.

The aim of our program is to support the career development of students, trainees, and early-career faculty who have historically been underrepresented in the biomedical and health sciences, by increasing the number of NIH Diversity Supplements successfully awarded to NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. Diversity supplements are administrative supplements that provide funding for underrepresented candidates to engage in a supplemental project within an ongoing NIH research study. Supplements have a high funding rate and are reviewed by NIH program staff rather than a full review.

For general inquiries, contact the GEMS diversity supplement team at GEMSDiversitySupplements@NYULangone.org.

Eligibility Criteria

Below is a high-level overview of the NIH Diversity Supplement eligibility criteria.

Before submitting an application, we encourage PIs to reach out to your program officer to discuss your application further, as well as review the NIH Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Contacts, Submission Dates and Special Instructions): PA-23-189, to confirm eligibility.

The following groups are eligible to apply for the NIH Diversity Supplement:

• high school students
• undergraduate students
• graduate students
• post-baccalaureate graduates
• postdoctoral trainees
• junior faculty

Candidates must be a citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident of the United States.

Candidates must meet at least one of the following criteria. Please see the NIH’s Notice of Interest in Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031) for more details.

• Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences and biomedical research on a national basis as follows: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.
• Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
• Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more criteria in the NIH’s Notice of Interest in Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031).

Individuals who are already supported on research grants (especially the parent grant) are not typically eligible. Graduate students or individuals in postdoctoral training who are supported by an institutional National Research Service Award are eligible once they have completed the grant.

Benefits of Applying for a Diversity Supplement

There are several benefits for principal investigators (PIs), candidates, and trainees to apply for a diversity supplement.

Principal Investigators

• Applying for a diversity supplement shows a commitment to diversity for your research project.
• It provides an opportunity to receive additional funding while supporting outstanding individuals to work on your project.
• It is a short grant period.
• It is quickly processed because full institutional review board (IRB) review is not required.
• It has a high funding rate.

Candidates and Trainees

• A diversity supplement provides a livable salary/stipend.
• It can provide funding for summer internships, or for full-time, one-to-two-years projects, depending on the candidate’s level.
• It includes a small stipend for manuscripts and travel to international meetings.
• It is a great experience to prepare for graduate school.
• It provides an opportunity for research experience and mentorship.

Basic Parameters of a Diversity Supplement

Here are some requirements to consider when applying for a diversity supplement:

• Supplements must support work within the scope of the parent project.
• Budget requests must follow the budget cycle of the parent grant, and supplemental funding may not extend beyond the parent grant’s project end date.
• There is generally no set application deadline, but applications must be submitted at least 10 weeks before the desired start date of the project activity.
• Supplements are generally much less competitive than peer-reviewed grant funding mechanisms and can provide an excellent entry point for a research career.

Application Process

Principal investigators and candidates and trainees follow a specific application process.

Principal Investigators

We highly recommend PIs review the NIH Diversity Supplement Presentation by an NIH program director listed in the “Additional Resources” section below for guidance on the application process.

Step 1: Contact your program officer to confirm your study’s eligibility.

Step 2: Review contacts, submission dates, and special instructions specific to your NIH institute or center.

Step 3: Indicate your interest in participating in the Diversity Supplement Connections Program.

Candidates and Trainees

Step 1: Explore our database of grants eligible for NIH Diversity Supplements.

Step 2: Express your interest in any of these NIH Diversity Supplement grants.

Additional Resources

For additional information, please review the NIH Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Contacts, Submission Dates and Special Instructions): PA-23-189 and the NIH Diversity and Other Supplement Programs presentation by Lynn Morin, NIH program director.