The NIH just released a new funding opportunity RFA-RM-20-022 (clinical trials optional) targeted at enhancing and sustaining cultures of inclusive excellence in the biomedical research community called the NIH Faculty Institutional Recruitment for Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) Program: FIRST Cohort. This opportunity has been added in our limited submission portal. As indicated in the full FOA, “The FIRST program goals are to: (1) foster sustainable institutional culture change; (2) promote institutional inclusive excellence by hiring a diverse cohort of new faculty; and (3) support faculty development, mentoring, sponsorship, and promotion.” Through this U54 mechanism, awardee institutions can obtain up to $10.3 million in direct cost over 5 years to support recruitment of a cohort of underrepresented faculty members. “The new faculty hires comprising a FIRST Cohort are expected to be clusters of scientists (no fewer than three scientists per cluster) within several scientific areas. For example, an institutional cohort might be comprised of multiple smaller clusters of scientists within various scientific disciplines, such as neuroscience, cardiovascular disease, cancer, minority health, health disparities, community-based participatory research, behavioral, social, population science, or other research areas within the NIH mission.” Since this is a limited submission application (one (1) application per institution) and the timelines for the application are very short – LOI (optional) due January 30, 2021 and full application due March 1, 2021. Interested investigators should submit interest through the limited submission portal no later than Monday January 4, 2021 at the close of business. As we anticipate more interest than spots available, it is encouraged that interested parties provide a 1-page outline with bullet points highlighting how their proposed cluster cohort (minimum of 3 faculty) would support the goals of the FIRST program along with their recruitment strategy at the college level. Please submit your 1-page letter of interest to ucreslimsub@ucmail.uc.edu, by the close of business January 4, 2021. We will then have an open discussion with all interested parties Tuesday January 5, 2021 from 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm to determine if we have some overlap in interest areas and to evaluate opportunities for cross campus synergies. |