Research Enhancement Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

September 2020

Division of Extramural Activities (DEA)

Goals

The objective of the NIH Research Enhancement Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is to stimulate research in educational institutions that offer baccalaureate or advanced degrees, but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. REAP grants create opportunities for scientists and institutions, otherwise unlikely to participate extensively in NIH research programs, to contribute to the Nation’s biomedical and behavioral research effort. REAP grants are intended to support small-scale research projects proposed by faculty members at eligible, domestic health professional schools or graduate schools, to engage undergraduate and/or graduate students in meritorious projects in biomedical or behavioral research, and to strengthen the research environment of the applicant institution.

Background

Beginning in fiscal year 1985, Congressional appropriations for the NIH have included funds for the Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA, R15) program with the intention of supporting research at primarily undergraduate institutions. Over time, the AREA program expanded to include institutions that focus on health professional and graduate student education. In 2018, NIH decided to return to the original intent of the program to support institutions with majority undergraduate enrollment (PAR-18-714). To complement the revised AREA program, the Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools was developed to support meritorious research at accredited eligible institutions that provide education and training leading to a health professional degree, including but not limited to: BSN, MSN, DNP, MD, DDS, DO, PharmD, DVM, OD, DPT, DC, ND, DPM, MOT, OTD, DPT, BME, MSEE, MS-SLP, CScD, SLPD, AuD, MSPO, MSAT, and MPH. Eligible health professional schools include schools or colleges of nursing, medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, public health, optometry, allied health, chiropractic, naturopathy, podiatry, rehabilitation medicine, physical therapy, orthotics & prosthetics, kinesiology, biomedical engineering, occupational therapy and psychology. The first REAP Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) were published in 2018, comprising a clinical trial not allowed version, and a clinical trial required version.

The REAP enables qualified scientists to receive support for small-scale research projects that address the missions and research interests of participating NIH Institutes and Centers. Proposed studies should be hypothesis-driven and produce research data that informs the core scientific postulate and advances scientific knowledge. This program supports basic and/or human subjects research, but not research meeting the NIH definition of a clinical trial. A separate REAP supports research involving clinical trials.

It is anticipated that investigators supported under the REAP will benefit from the opportunity to conduct independent research; that the grantee institution will benefit from a research environment strengthened through REAP grants, and that undergraduate and/or graduate students at recipient institutions will benefit from exposure to and participation in scientific research.

Student involvement in the research may include participation in the design of experiments, collection and analysis of data, execution and troubleshooting of experiments, participation in lab meetings, collaborative interactions, presentations at meetings, and drafting journal articles. The REAP is a research grant program, not a training or fellowship program, thus it does not support didactic training plans or non-research activities relating to professional development. Other investigators, such as collaborators or consultants, high school students, post baccalaureate participants, postdoctoral fellows, or clinical fellows may be included. However, their involvement does not fulfill the goal to engage undergraduate and/or graduate students in research.

Previous FOA: PAR-19-134, published December 21, 2018, expires January 8, 2022.
Companion FOA: PAR-19-135, Research Enhancement Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Required).

Key Features and Requirements

• Eligible institutions must be accredited public or non-profit private schools that award NIH-relevant baccalaureate or advanced degrees in health professions, have received no more than $6 million per year of NIH support in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years, and have a unique NIH Institutional Profile File (IPF) number. For institutions composed of multiple schools or colleges, the $6 million limit is based on the NIH funding received by the entire institution including health professional schools, graduate schools, and all non-health professional schools, unless possessing a unique IPF.
• The PD/PI must have a primary appointment at an eligible institution and may not be the PD/PI of another active NIH research grant at the time of award.
• The PD/PI should have experience supervising undergraduate/graduate students in research.
• PD/PI eligibility applies to all multiple PD/PIs, not to collaborators, consultants, or sub awardees.
• Subcontracts to REAP-ineligible institutions are allowed.
• Foreign institutions are not eligible, but foreign collaborations, components, or consortiums are allowed.
• Budgets are limited to $300,000 in direct costs for the entire project period of up to 3 years.
• Awards can be competitively renewed.
• Specific Research Strategy application requirements:
  • Description of how undergraduate/graduate students will be engaged in and supervised conducting hands-on research, including how students will participate in research activities such as planning, execution and/or analysis of data and results. Formal training plans should not be provided, although a brief description of activities related to enhancing the research capabilities and progress of students (e.g., individual development plans) is permitted.
  • A sound rationale should be offered as to why the approach and the research team, including undergraduate/ graduate students, are appropriate to accomplish the specific aims and to make an important scientific contribution to the field of study.
• Specific Facilities and Other Resources application requirements:
  • Information should be provided on students who have obtained undergraduate or advance degrees in a health profession or graduate discipline and gone on to obtain an academic/professional position in health-related sciences during the past five years.
  • Description of the characteristics of the institution that make it appropriate for a REAP grant.
  • Description of the likely impact of a REAP grant on the PD/PI, research environment at the institution, and on the ability of students to gain meaningful experience conducting research.

Program-to-Date

• 4 receipt dates
• NIH: 35 awards, 9% funding rate
• NIDCR: all applications from dental schools or schools of dental hygiene, 1 award, 6.7% funding rate