Research Supplements to Promote Diversity

To be eligible to apply for a diversity supplement, you must meet one or more of the following criteria:

A. Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the NSF to be underrepresented in
health-related sciences on a national basis (see data at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/showpub.cfm?
TopID=2&SubID=27) and the report Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and
Engineering). The following racial and ethnic groups have been shown to be underrepresented in biomedical research:

• Blacks or African Americans,
• Hispanics or Latinos,
• American Indians or
• Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders.

In addition, it is recognized that underrepresentation can vary from setting to setting; individuals from racial or ethnic groups that can be demonstrated convincingly to be underrepresented by the grantee institution should be encouraged to participate in this program. For more information on racial and ethnic categories and definitions, see the OMB Revisions to the Standards for Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity (https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1997-10- 30/html/97-28653.htm).

B. Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, as amended. 

C. Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the following
criteria:

• Were or currently are homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act;
• Were or currently are in the foster care system, as defined by the Administration for Children
  and Families;
• Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years;
• Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor's degree;
• Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants;
• Received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and
  Children (WIC) as a parent or child 
• Grew up in one of the following areas:
  • a) a U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer, or
  • b) a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Areas (qualifying zipcodes are included in the file).

D. Literature shows that women from the above backgrounds (categories A, B, and C) face particular
challenges at the graduate level and beyond in scientific fields. (See, e.g., From the NIH: A Systems
Approach to Increasing the Diversity of Biomedical Research Workforce).

Women have been shown to be underrepresented in doctorate-granting research institutions at senior faculty levels in most biomedical-relevant disciplines, and may also be underrepresented at other faculty levels in some scientific disciplines (See data from the National Science Foundation National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics: Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, special report available at https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/, especially Table 9-23, describing science, engineering, and health doctorate holders employed in universities and 4-year colleges, by broad occupation, sex, years since doctorate, and faculty rank).

Upon review of NSF data, and scientific discipline or field related data, NIH encourages institutions to consider women for faculty-level, diversity-targeted programs to address faculty recruitment, appointment, retention or advancement.