Research Workforce Diversity and Equity Program
The Research Workforce Diversity and Equity Program (RWDEP), located within the Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity (ODWD), was created in 2018 to promote the research training and career advancement for emerging neuroscientists and mental health researchers in support of NIH’s Interest in Diversity .
As part of the NIMH commitment to the biomedical research workforce, RWDEP supports highly talented students and investigators in the United States from disadvantaged and underrepresented groups . This support encompasses a wide range of individuals, from high school students to faculty members, all of whom play a vital role in advancing our understanding and treatment of mental illnesses.
Training and mentoring opportunities span the entire spectrum of scientific research, from basic neuroscience to translational research and mental health services research.
RWDEP initiatives for enhancing the mental health research workforce
RWDEP is committed to promoting equity and enhancing training opportunities to help mental health investigators build independent research careers. Providing support for trainees and investigators is a fundamental part of building capacity and improving the future of mental health research. In addition, RWDEP sponsors workshops, activities, and programs that enhance research workforce diversity.
RWDEP uses a variety of mechanisms to help investigators gain and access:
- Research funding and training opportunities
- Mental health research mentors
- Mental health research networks
- Sustainable collaborative research activities
Funding opportunities that support diversity and career development
Learn about various funding opportunities designed to promote diversity, including awards for students, predoctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members, all contributing to a more diverse and inclusive research workforce.
- Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research
These are administrative supplements to active research grants to enhance the diversity of the research workforce by recruiting and supporting students, postdoctoral trainees, and eligible investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups shown to be underrepresented in health-related research. More information about NIMH diversity and re-entry supplements is available on our frequently asked questions page. - NIH BRAIN Initiative Research Supplements to Promote Diversity
These are administrative supplements to active BRAIN Initiative grants to enhance the diversity of the research workforce. Program directors/principal investigators of active grants are encouraged to identify eligible individuals throughout the continuum from high school to the faculty level for support and scientific mentorship.
- Individual NRSA for Diverse Ph.D. Students (F31)
These fellowships support the research training of predoctoral students from groups that have been shown to be underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce. - Mental Health Dissertation Research Grant to Increase Diversity (R36)
These grants are designed to facilitate the completion of the doctoral research project. Predoctoral students at the dissertation stage should have the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research. - NIH Blueprint D-SPAN Award (F99/K00)
This award supports a defined pathway across career stages for outstanding graduate students who are from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that are underrepresented in neuroscience research. This two-phase award will facilitate completion of the doctoral dissertation and transition of talented graduate students to strong neuroscience research postdoctoral positions and will provide career development opportunities relevant to their long-term career goal of becoming independent neuroscience researchers. - Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry, Re-integration into, and Re-training in Health-Related Research Careers (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
These are administrative supplements to provide full or part-time mentored research training experiences for individuals with high potential to re-enter, re-integrate into, or re-train in an active research career after an interruption for family responsibilities or other qualifying circumstances. More information about NIMH diversity and re-entry supplements is available on our frequently asked questions page.
- BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00)
This program is designed to facilitate a timely transition of outstanding postdoctoral researchers with a research and/or clinical doctorate from mentored postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track, or equivalent faculty positions. - Research Opportunities for New and “At-Risk” Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
The overarching goal of this program is to enhance the diversity of New Investigators and At-Risk Investigators conducting research within the mission of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. - Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity
The objective of this award is to facilitate a timely transition of promising postdoctoral researchers from diverse backgrounds from mentored, postdoctoral research positions to independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty positions at research-intensive institutions. This initiative includes Clinical Trial Not Allowed, Clinical Trial Required, and Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required (BESH) opportunities. - Administrative Supplements to Promote Research Continuity and Retention of NIH Mentored Career Development (K) Award Recipients and Scholars
The overarching goal of this program is to enhance the retention of investigators facing critical life events who are transitioning from mentored career development awards to research independence and to minimize departures from biomedical research workforce. - Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry, Re-integration into, and Re-training in Health-Related Research Careers (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
These are administrative supplements to provide full or part-time mentored research training experiences for individuals with high potential to re-enter, re-integrate into, or re-train in an active research career after an interruption for family responsibilities or other qualifying circumstances. More information about NIMH diversity and re-entry supplements is available on our frequently asked questions page.
- Research Opportunities for New and “At-Risk” Investigators to Promote Workforce Diversity (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
The overarching goal of this program is to enhance the diversity of new investigators and at-risk investigators conducting research within the mission of the participating NIH institutes and centers. - Administrative Supplement for Continuity of Biomedical and Behavioral Research Among First-Time Recipients of NIH Research Project Grant Awards The overarching goal of this program is to enhance the retention of investigators facing critical life events who are transitioning to the first renewal of their first independent research project grant award or to a second new NIH research project grant award.
- Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry, Re-integration into, and Re-training in Health-Related Research Careers (Admin Supp - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
These are administrative supplements to provide full or part-time mentored research training experiences for individuals with high potential to re-enter, re-integrate into, or re-train in an active research career after an interruption for family responsibilities or other qualifying circumstances. More information about NIMH diversity and re-entry supplements is available on our frequently asked questions page.
Explore awards for institutional programs supporting diversity and inclusion in neuroscience and mental health research.
- NIH Neuroscience Development for Advancing the Careers of a Diverse Research Workforce (R25)
This research education program supports NIMH mission-relevant programs to increase the pool of Ph.D.-level neuroscience researchers from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research. - NIMH Support for Conference Grants to Promote Inclusion in the Research Workforce (R13)
This opportunity supports conferences and workshops to promote inclusion within the neuroscience and mental health research workforce, with a particular focus on advancing the participation of women and individuals from underrepresented minority groups. - Administrative Supplements to Promote Diversity in Research and Development of Small Businesses-SBIR/STTR
Administrative supplements to active NIH SBIR/STTR grants to enhance the diversity of the research workforce and increase the participation of women and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in small businesses. - NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity Through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (BP BRAIN-ENDURE) (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This initiative will provide institutional awards to develop neuroscience research education programs comprised of collaborative partnerships integrated across different educational institution types. - Instrumentation Grant Program for Resource-Limited Institutions (S10 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This grant program supports the purchase of state-of-the-art scientific instruments to enhance the research and educational missions of resource-limited institutions. Requested instruments may support biomedical research and education. - STrengthening Research Opportunities for NIH Grants (STRONG): Structured Institutional Needs Assessment and Action Plan Development for Resource Limited Institutions (UC2 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed )
This program supports research capacity needs assessments by eligible Resource-Limited Institutions. The program will also support the recipient institutions to use the results of the assessments to develop action plans for how to meet the identified needs. - NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
This program supports research education activities that complement other formal training programs in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of the NIGMS Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage pre-college students (pre-kindergarten to grade 12) from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). - Assessment of Climate at Institutions (ACt) Award (RC2 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Solicits applications to conduct institutional climate assessments using validated survey instruments and to develop action plans for positive change in the recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of faculty, including those from groups underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral research.
Program director
Brittany Haynes, Ph.D.
Program Director, Research Workforce Diversity and Equity
Office for Disparities Research and Workforce Diversity
301-496-2767
brittany.haynes@nih.gov