John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program
NIMHD Director Dr. Pérez-Stable, NIH Acting Director Dr. Tabak, HHS Secretary Becerra, and Congressional leaders joined President Biden when he signed the "John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021."
The John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program seeks to strengthen the research infrastructure and training capacity at eligible institutions of higher education to facilitate minority health and health disparities research and enhance the diversity of the scientific workforce.
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John Lewis Research Endowment Program grants awarded to six institutions to expand minority health and health disparities research infrastructure and training. The institutional endowments will also support research education for students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those from underrepresented groups, and encourage faculty members to pursue minority health and health disparities research in basic biomedical, behavioral, population, and clinical/health services fields. |
The John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-104) expanded eligibility of this program to public/private institutions of higher education with current or former Health Services and Resources Administration (HRSA) or NIMHD Centers of Excellence awards. These institutions are uniquely positioned to engage populations that experience health disparities in research and in translating research advances into culturally competent interventions leading to measurable and sustained improvements in health outcomes.
The John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Program provides annual funding for up to 5 years. Awards are made to institutional endowments; thus, they do not directly fund research projects. Endowment funds must be invested and maintained for at least 20 years after the award period ends.
Goals
- Promote minority health and health disparities research capacity and infrastructure at institutions uniquely positioned to serve communities that experience health disparities.
- Enhance the recruitment and retention of individuals from populations that are underrepresented in the scientific workforce.
- Promote training in the science of minority health and health disparities research.
Program Requirements
Grantees must provide a 5-year strategic plan that establishes priorities for the use and growth of endowment fund income. Capacity- and infrastructure-building activities include but are not limited to the following:
- Enhance facilities through minor renovations and alterations, acquiring instruments and equipment, or administrative research stewardship.
- Develop resources such as faculty-level expertise in research methodology, study design, specialized laboratory techniques, biostatistics, data science, health informatics, research ethics, and/or community-engaged research methods.
- Enhance the academic environment and curriculum by creating challenging courses or programs in topics such as research methodology, grant writing, and health disparities science.
- Engage scientists with communities to foster structured participation in minority health and health disparities research.
- Implement institutional efforts to support individuals underrepresented in the scientific workforce.
- Recruit and provide career development for established scientific faculty with exceptional expertise in the clinical, behavioral, social, and population sciences or recruit new scientists in these disciplines.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a John Lewis Research Endowment Program award, an institution of higher education must have an endowment that is less than or equal to half of the national median of endowments at institutions that conduct similar biomedical research or training of health professionals. Eligible institutions must also be a current or former site of a HRSA or NIMHD Center of Excellence.
Program Chronology
- The Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-525) authorized the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) Research Endowment Program to facilitate minority health and health disparities research through the creation of an endowment fund in institutions with Centers of Excellence funded by the Health Services and Resources Administration (HRSA) under sections 736 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. The initial awards were issued in Fiscal Year 2001.
- On March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) re-designated NCMHD as NIMHD and expanded eligibility for research endowment grants to include institutions with Centers of Excellence funded by NIMHD under sections 464z-4 of the PHS Act.
- In March 2022, the John Lewis NIMHD Research Endowment Revitalization Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-104) expanded eligibility of this program to public/private institutions of higher education with current or former HRSA Centers of Excellence awards and current or former NIMHD Centers of Excellence awards.
Page updated August 1, 2023
