National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Extramural Loan Repayment Programs

 

The mission of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) is to lead scientific research to improve minority health and eliminate health disparities. To accomplish this, NIMHD 1) Plans, reviews, coordinates, and evaluates all minority health and health disparities research and activities of the National Institutes of Health; 2) Conducts and supports research in minority health and health disparities; 3) Promotes and supports the training of a diverse research workforce; 4) Translates and disseminates research information; 5) Fosters innovative collaborations and partnerships. There are two separate types of loan repayment within NIMHD's Loan Repayment Program: (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR): recruits and retains qualified health professionals to research careers that focus on minority health disparities research or other health disparities research and the (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP? IDB), recruits and retains qualified health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds to conduct clinical research. The objective of these extramural loan repayment programs are to recruit and retain qualified health professionals including those from health disparity populations and those from disadvantaged backgrounds to conduct minority health disparities research, other health disparities research, and clinical research. (1) Health Disparities Research may pertain to basic, clinical, or behavioral research on health disparity populations (including individual members and communities of such populations), that relate to health disparities, including the causes of such disparities and methods to prevent, diagnose, and treat such disparities. (2) Clinical research consists of patient-oriented clinical research conducted with human subjects, or research on the causes and consequences of disease in human populations involving material of human origin (such as tissue specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which the investigator or colleague directly interacts with human subjects in an outpatient or inpatient setting to clarify a problem in human physiology, pathophysiology or disease, or epidemiologic or behavioral studies, outcomes research or health services research, or developing new technologies, therapeutic interventions, or clinical trials.

Deleted 03/27/2024 (Archived.) 93.308 National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services C - Direct Payments For Specified Use Fiscal Year 2016 FY16 estimates are not available. FY16: (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR): A total of 512 applications were received and out of those, 111 were awarded; with a success rate of 22%. (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB): A total of 40 new applications were received and out of those, 10 were awarded; with a success rate of 25%.
Fiscal Year 2017 FY17 estimates are not available
Fiscal Year 2018 FY18: (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR): A total of 454 applications were received and out of those, 67 were awarded; with a success rate of 15%. (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB): A total of 40 applications were received and out of those, 10 were awarded; with a success rate of 25%. FY19 and FY20 estimates are not available. Public Health Service Act; Title IV, Subtitle D, Part G, Section 487E, as amended; Public Law 106-554; 42 U.S.C. 288-5., Title IV, Part G, Section 487E, Public Law 106-554, 42 U.S.C 288-5, Title IV, Part G, Section 487E, Public Law 106-554, 42 U.S.C. 288-5 The following eligibility requirements apply to both: (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR): and (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB) An applicant must: (1) be a United States citizen, national, or permanent resident; (2) have an M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.C., N.D., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited institution; (3) conduct research that is supported by a non-profit institution, foundation, professional society or U.S. government entity; (4) commit 50 percent or more of his/her time to clinical research; (5) have total qualifying educational debt greater than or equal to 20 percent of his/her institutional base salary at the time of award; (6) conduct research in accordance with applicable Federal, state and local law; (7) not be under any existing service obligations to Federal, State, or other entities, unless and until the existing service obligation is discharged or deferred during the period of program service; (8) not have Federal judgment liens against their property arising from a Federal debt from receiving Federal funds until all judgments have been paid in full or otherwise satisfied; (9) not be a full- time employee of a Federal government agency. Part-time Federal employees who engage in qualifying research as part of their non-Federal duties are eligible to apply for loan repayment if they meet all other eligibility requirements; and (10) have the institution provide an assurance that the applicant will be provided research support for two years, that the applicant will engage in qualified clinical research for 50 percent of his/her time, that the funding foundation, professional society, or institution is considered to be non-profit pursuant to Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code or is a U.S. government entity, and certify the applicant's annual institutional base salary. There are additional requirements for the Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB). Eligible applicants must come from a disadvantaged background and adhere to the following guidelines relating to the definition of a disadvantaged background: An Individual from disadvantaged background means an individual who: (1) Comes from an environment that inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skill and ability required to enroll in and graduate from a health professions school; or (2) Comes from a family with an annual income below a level based on low-income thresholds according to family size published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index, and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health professions programs. The Secretary periodically publishes these income levels in the Federal Register. (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR), and (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB) contracts: Qualified health professionals who conduct minority health or other health disparities research or highly qualified health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds who will conduct clinical research and who possess substantial unpaid educational debt relative to income. An applicant to either NIMHD extramural LRP programs must submit the following documentation electronically: (1) Applicant Information Statement; (2) Biosketch; (3) Personal Statement, which includes a discussion of career goals and academic objectives; (4) Description of Research Activities; (5) Contact Information of Three Recommenders; (6) Contact Information of Institution Official able to serve as the Institutional Contact; (7) On-line Certification; (8) Loan Information; (9) Notice of Grant/Award (or PHS 2271 for T32 recipients), if applying based on NIH support; and in addition for those applying to the Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB) applicants must submit a Certification of Disadvantaged Background [see Federal Register: April24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 78)]. The Research supervisor or mentor of applicants to both NIMHD extramural LRP programs must electronically submit the following: (1) Recommendation; (2) Biosketch; (3) Assessment of the Research Activities Statement submitted by the applicant; (4) Description of the Research Environment; and (5) Training or Mentoring Plan. Recommenders must submit their recommendations electronically. Institutional Contacts must electronically submit a certification that: (1) assures the applicant will be provided the necessary time and resources to engage in the research project for two years from the date a Loan Repayment Program Contract is executed; (2) assures that the applicant is or will be engaged in qualifying research for 50 percent of his/her time, i.e., not less than 20 hours per week; (3) certifies that the funding foundation, professional society, or institution is considered to be non-profit as provided under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 501) or is a U.S. government entity (Federal, state or local); and (4) provides the applicant's institutional base salary. Requirements for the loan repayment application, OMB Approval No. 0925-0361, are specified in the electronic application form located at www.lrp.nih.gov. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. An application for participation in the program can be obtained from www.lrp.nih.gov and should be submitted to the NIH office, which is responsible for the receipt of applications, in such form and manner as the Secretary or the authorized designee may prescribe. Each eligible application will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate Scientific Review Group in accordance with NIH policies and procedures. Awards will be made to meritorious applications, subject to the receipt of an appropriation and/or allocation of funds from the United States Congress, the NIH and/or NIMHD. All selections are subject to final approval by the Secretary or the authorized designee, the Director of NIMHD. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines More than 180 days. The approximate time for approval/disapproval is 6-8 months. Not applicable. (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR) and (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB) contracts: Prior to the expiration of a participant's current award, the participant may apply for a one- or two-year extension provided the participant continues to engage in qualified clinical research or minority health or other health disparities research and has outstanding repayable debt remaining. Health Disparities Loan Repayment and Disadvantaged Individuals Loan Repayment contracts renewal applications are reviewed and selected for funding on a competitive basis. The major elements in evaluating applications/proposals include the assessment of the following: (1) personal statement; (2) proposed research project and its scientific merit (priority will be given to biomedical and behavioral researchers); (3) training plan and environment (which includes the research program, the facilities/environment, the mentor/advisor's training, the applicant's training); (4) loan debt ratio and any associated impediments that may affect the applicant's decision to pursue a research career; and (5) references. To provide repayment of existing educational loan debt incurred by health professionals including those from health disparity populations and those from disadvantaged backgrounds to conduct minority health disparities or other health disparities research and clinical research. Recipients must execute a written contract agreeing to engage in such research for a minimum of two years. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, or the Secretary's designee, may grant extension contracts for a one-year or two-year period after the completion of the initial two­ year contract, provided that the participant applies for an extension, continues to engage in qualified research, and there is sufficient repayable debt remaining. The maximum program benefit is $35,000 per year in loan repayment. Program payments are made directly to the participants' lenders following each quarter and a verification of satisfactory research service, unless otherwise agreed upon by the participant and the Director, NIMHD. Performance Reports: Participants must be periodically certified to have satisfactorily performed the duties of their positions. Not applicable. The NIMHD will retain applicant records for three years after rejection and participant records for six years after completion of final service obligation. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. An initial contract provides assistance for a two-year period, and an extension contract provides assistance for a one-year or two-year period. Program payments will be made directly to lenders following each quarter of the participant’s satisfactory service, unless otherwise agreed upon by the participant and Secretary or authorized designee. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Quarterly. None/Not specified. Thomas M. Vollberg, Sr., PhD
7301 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 533, Mail Stop Code 9206
Bethesda, MD 20892 US
vollbert@mail.nih.gov
Phone: 3015948770 http://www.nimhd.nih.gov 75-0897-0-1-552 (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 18$4,999,922.00; FY 19 Estimate Not Available FY 20 Estimate Not Available FY 17$6,579,794.00; FY 16$13,655,192.00; - (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 18 $4,999,922; FY 19 Estimate Not Available; FY 20 Estimate Not Available ; (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR) contracts: FY18: $4,262,603; FY19 and FY20 estimates not reported. (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB) contracts: FY18: $737,320; FY19 and FY20 estimates not reported. FY18: (1) Extramural Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (LRP-HDR) contracts: total awards made by the NIMHD ranged from $5,407 to $70,000; average $45,770. (2) Extramural Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds (LRP-IDB) contracts: total awards made by the NIMHD ranged from $7,413 to $70,000; average $53,045. FY19 and FY20 estimates not available. Pertinent information is contained in Public Law 106-554; Section 487E of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 288-5). Not applicable.