Health Equity Research Program

NIH Diversity Supplements Connection Program

In collaboration with Seattle Children’s Research Institute’s Science Education department, the Diversity Supplement Connections Program aims to increase the use of National Institutes of Health (NIH) Diversity Supplements, to diversify research faculty, trainees and staff at the research institute.

Program Information

  • What is a diversity supplement?

    The NIH Diversity Supplements is an administrative supplement that provides additional funding intended to enhance the diversity of the research workforce by supporting the training of students, post-doctorates and faculty, who have historically been underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences as defined by the National Institutes of Health.

  • Why should you apply for a diversity supplement?

    Principal investigators:

    • It shows a commitment to diversity in your research project.
    • It provides an opportunity to receive additional funding while supporting outstanding individuals to work on your project.
    • It is a short grant period.
    • It is quickly processed because full IRB review is not required.
    • It has a high funding rate.

    Candidates & trainees:

    • It provides a livable salary/stipend.
    • It can provide funding for summer internships, or for full-time 1-to-2–year projects, depending on the candidate’s level.
    • It includes a small stipend for manuscripts and travel to international meetings.
    • It is a great experience to prepare for graduate school.
  • Determine Your Eligibility | Principal Investigators

    Below is a high-level overview of the NIH Diversity Supplement eligibility criteria. Before submitting an application, we encourage you to reach out to your program officer to discuss your application further, as well as review the Funding Opportunity Announcement: PA-23-189, to confirm eligibility.

    • Eligible grant activity codes, as of June 29, 2023:
      • DP1, DP2, DP4, DP5
      • G12, G20
      • P01, P20, P2C, P30, P40, P41, P50, P51, P60, PM1, PN2
      • R00, R01, R03, R15, R16, R18, R21, R24, R33, R34, R35, R37, R41, R42, R43, R44, R49, R61, RC1, RC2, RC3, RC4, RF1, RL1, RM1
      • SC1, SC2, SC3, S06
      • UL1, U01, U10, U18, U19, U24, U34, U2C, U41, U42, U44, U54, U56, U60, UC2, UC4, UF1, UG1, UG3, UH2, UH3, UM1, UM2
    • Supplements should support aims within the scope of the original grant.
    • Budget requests for supplements must fall within the budget cycle of the existing grant and not extend beyond the grant’s project end date.
  • Determine Your Eligibility | Candidates and Trainees
    • Eligible Career Levels:
      • High school students
      • Undergraduate students
      • Graduate students
      • Post-baccalaureate graduates
      • Post-doctoral trainees
      • Junior faculty
    • Additional eligibility:
      • Citizen, non-citizen national or permanent resident of the United States
    • Candidates must meet at least one of the following criteria. Please see the NIH’s Notice of Interest in Diversity (NOT-OD-20-031) for more details.
    • Individuals who are already supported on research grants (especially the parent grant) are not typically eligible. Graduate students or individuals in postdoctoral training who are supported by an Institutional NRSA are eligible once they have completed the grant.
  • Getting Started | Principal Investigators

    We highly recommend PIs review the NIH Diversity Supplement Presentation by an NIH Program Director listed in the “Useful Links and Resources” section of this page for guidance on the application process.

    Step 1

    Contact your program officer to confirm your study’s eligibility. 

    Step 2

    Review contacts, submission dates and special instructions specific to your NIH institute or center.

    Step 3

    Complete and submit this Study Opt-In Form to indicate your interest in participating in the Diversity Supplement Connections Program.

    After completing step 3, your study will be reviewed and, if eligible, included in the external database of Eligible DS Grants. The DS Connections Program will contact you further once a candidate has indicated their interest in your study. Email [email protected] for any questions.

  • Getting Started | Candidates and Trainees

    Step 1

    Explore our database of grants eligible for NIH Diversity Supplements at Seattle Children's Research Institute.

    If you don’t see a project you’re interested in at Seattle Children’s, check out the Diversity Supplement programs from our partner institutions:

    Step 2

    Express your interest in a grant by completing the NIH Diversity Supplement Interest Form for any study at Seattle Children’s. You may submit an interest form for multiple studies.

    After completing Step 2, the DS Connections Program will contact the indicated principal investigator(s) for a potential match. Email [email protected] for any questions.

  • NIH Diversity Supplement Toolkit

    As Seattle Children’s works towards being an anti-racist institution, it seeks to lead the way in its equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts both locally and nationally. Seattle Children's NIH Diversity Supplement Program Toolkit is a step-by-step guide on how to build a connections program at your institution. The toolkit includes anecdotal examples of submitted grant applications, and best practice recommendations based on lessons learned. If you'd like access to download the toolkit, please fill out and submit the request form. You'll then receive a confirmation with a link to download the toolkit.

    NIH Diversity Supplement Program Toolkit Request Form

    If you have questions about the toolkit or our program, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Useful Links and Resources

Contact Us

If you’re a PI interested in matching with a candidate to apply for an NIH Diversity Supplement, please fill out this form to add your grant(s) to the repository of eligible grants, which is updated monthly.

If you're a candidate interested in working with a PI, please fill out this interest form.

If you have any additional questions, please email us.