Health Information Outreach Award 2023-2024

Funding

Period of Performance
July 1, 2023 - April 30, 2024
Amount
$15,000
Number of Awards Available
minimum of 2
Application Deadline
April 1, 2023, 12:00 am EDT
Additional Funding Information

If you would like to discuss your project before submitting a proposal, contact Darlene Kaskie, darlene-kaskie@uiowa.edu.

Description of Award

The mission of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) is to advance the progress of medicine and improve the public's health by providing U.S. researchers, health professionals, the public health workforce, educators, and the public with equal access to biomedical and health information resources and data.

Background/Purpose

The Health Information Outreach Award is to improve health literacy and increase health equity through engagement and training for health information. The award can be used to support:

  • Instructional design and training of evidence-based health resources and information for workforce development
  • Public or consumer outreach and engagement for awareness, evaluation, use, and understanding of credible health information including MedlinePlus or PubMed but not limited to the National Institutes of Health and the National Library of Medicine resources
  • Online health information access and digital literacy skills training
Proposal Requirements and Preferences

Priority is given in consideration of:

  • Programs focused on the NNLM priorities for confronting health misinformation, bridging the digital divide, or recognizing environmental determinants of health.
  • Communities determined to be experiencing health disparities as a result of race and ethnicity; biological sex, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation; cognitive and physical abilities; religious background, or identification; socio-economic status (past and current); education level; geographic location or other factors or demographics that create unequal access to the highest level of health. (Refer to the January 2019 Special Supplement by the American Journal of Public Health about health disparities research for more information).
  • Collaboration or partnerships with public health departments, clinics and hospitals, libraries, and non-profit or faith-based organizations.
Potential Project Ideas

Potential projects might include but are not limited to this list:

To view previously funded projects, browse NNLM's Past Funded Projects.

If you would like to discuss your project before submitting a proposal, contact Darlene Kaskie, darlene-kaskie@uiowa.edu.

Eligibility

Network Member Organizations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply. NNLM membership is required to successfully apply. To become an NNLM member or to inquire about your NNLM ID, contact Region 6.

Application Instructions

Online Application Overview

You will submit your application using the NNLM online system.

In order to apply:

  1. Your institution must be a member of NNLM and have an NNLM ID
  2. You (the applicant) must have an NNLM User Account
  3. You must be signed on to the NNLM website with your NNLM User Account to access the Apply for this Grant button at the top of the funding page

If you are unsure if your institution is a member, do not know your institution's NNLM ID, or want to become an NNLM member, contact Region 6.


Project Proposal

IMPORTANT: Because the NNLM online application system has no “save feature” to pause and return later, it is recommended that you become familiar with all sections of the application and prepare your materials in advance.


Sections

Lead Organization: Select the institution that will lead and receive funding to conduct the proposed project. NOTE: If the drop-down list appears blank, confirm that your NNLM account is connected to the NNLM Member record for your institution. (See Eligibility above)

EIN/Tax ID: Enter the 9-digit tax identification number for your institution.

Unique Entity ID: Confirm your organization’s Unique Entity ID, a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned to an entity by SAM.gov. If your organization does not have a Unique Entity ID, register now. NOTE: You must have a Unique Entity ID number in order to complete and submit your application.

Has your institution already received NNLM funding in the current grant cycle (2012-2026)? From the pull-down menu, select Yes, No, or I don’t know.

Project Lead: If you are the Project Lead, select your own name from the drop-down list. If you are submitting this application on behalf of the Project Lead, select their name from the drop-down list. NOTE: If the name of the Project Lead does not appear in the drop-down list, confirm that their NNLM account is connected to the NNLM Member record for the institution. (See Eligibility above)

Partner Organization: If collaborating with another organization, use the autocomplete function to find and select up to three organizations that will partner with the Lead Organization to conduct/complete the project. If a record does not exist for a partner organization, click "Add a New Partner" and use the additional fields to provide an address for the institution. NOTE: You are required to submit as an attachment Letter(s) of Institutional Commitment of Support from each partnering institution (Accepted formats: DOC, DOCX, TXT, PDF)

Amount Requested: Enter the amount to the nearest whole dollar. The amount specified should not exceed the $15,000 limit established by NNLM Region 6. NOTE: This field will accept numbers only.

Project Title: Describe the project with an external audience in mind. Funded projects are displayed on the NNLM website and are provided by NLM in response to data calls from NIH, HHS, OMB, Congress, and the White House.

Project Summary: Provide a one-paragraph description that summarizes the proposed project. Funded projects are displayed on the NNLM website and are provided by NLM in response to requests from NIH, HHS, OMB, Congress, and the White House.

Proposed Project Start Date: Your project starts no earlier than July 1, 2023. NOTE: If starting at a later date, confirm with NNLM Region 6.

Proposed Project End Date: Your project ends no later than April 30, 2024.

Will training be provided as part of this award? Select Yes or No

Evidence of Need: Provide a statement of how the project proposed will support the mission of NNLM, explain the need for the project, and describe the audience or population that will be reached through this project. Please clearly document if this project will engage traditionally underrepresented populations and/or involve medically underserved areas. When possible, support the stated need using data such as known needs assessments or statistics. NOTE: A Medically Underserved Area (MUA) or a population Underrepresented in Biomedical Research (UBR) may include but is not limited to:

  • Racial and ethnic minority populations
  • Sexual and gender minority populations
  • Populations reported below the Federal Poverty Level
  • Populations with limited access to medical care
  • Populations with physical and/or mental disabilities
  • Soldiers, Veterans, and Military Families
  • Rural Populations

Consider reviewing NNLM Region 6 Community Guide to Advance Health Information Equity to identify a community or population using evidence-based data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Communications Commission, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and other secondary resources.

Project Goals and Objectives: State the goal(s) and specific objectives(s) of the proposed project. Consider process objectives about what will be done (outputs) and outcomes-based objectives that specify what will happen or change as a result. Indicate the rationale for the plan. NOTE: Consider using a Logic Model.

Implementation: Describe what will be done to meet project objectives including the people and materials that we help achieve goals. For example, describe the specific NIH, NLM, or NNLM resources that will be shared; describe any external resources or partnerships and their level of involvement.

Schedule/Timeline: Include a timeline for implementing the plan to meet objectives.

Evaluation Plan: Describe how the project will be measured and the methods used to measure success. The evaluation should be tied to project goals and objectives. Describe the measure of success for each objective. NOTE: If you are providing training to health professionals and library staff, it is recommended that you use the NNLM Subaward Evaluation Training Form, developed by the National Evaluation Office and IRB approved. Consult with your ROC.

Publicity/Promotion: Describe how you intend to promote your project or program to the target population. Detail the anticipated number of activities or participants.

Continuity/Sustainability Plan: Describe the activities that will sustain project services and/or communication to the targeted community and be of benefit beyond the cooperative agreement period.


Budget

IMPORTANT: Use the Region 6 Budget Spreadsheet to prepare budget information in advance. Enter budget amounts to the nearest whole dollar for the following categories, if they apply. Note: Include the Budget Spreadsheet as an attachment.

The award is up to $15,000. Applicants are not required to budget for the maximum amount. You can request less. 

Applicants can not exceed the award amount.

All sub-awards are cost-reimbursable. Reimbursements are issued to the institution, not the individual.

Only expenses incurred and invoiced within the performance period are eligible for reimbursement. 

Food, promotional items, and furniture are not allowable expenses. Promotional items include but are not limited to clothing and commemorative items such as pens, mugs/cups, folders/folios, lanyards, and conference bags that are sometimes provided to visitors, employees, grantees, or conference attendees. Refer to the NIH Grants Policy.


Sections

Personnel: Include (hourly rate X estimated hours) or (% time X annual salary) in the budget justification attachments or descriptions.

Consultant Costs: Estimated expenses from consultants, such as marketing firms or other agencies. Prior to hiring Consultants, submit the following information to Region 6: name of the consultant, description of work, hourly rate, total amount/not to exceed the amount, and period of performance.

Equipment: Quotes for specialized equipment that cost more than $5,000. Include quotes received or other pricing information in the budget justification.

Supplies: Quotes for computers, printing, software, and other materials or supplies to be used specifically for this project.

Communications: 

Reproduction:

Travel: Estimates for travel. Include a description and any quotes in the attached budget or as other attachments.

Other: Include description and any quotes in the attached budget or as other attachments.

Indirect Costs (IDC) or Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs: Apply at your institution’s non-research rate (or if your institution has no negotiated rate, a 10% Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) can be applied if you wish to claim it). Indirect Costs need to be factored into your overall budget. The total budget cannot exceed the limit of $15,000, including Indirect Costs. NOTE: If you choose to waive Indirect Costs, please state this in your budget justification.

Other Funding if Applicable: Other funds that will be used to support the project should be specified. This includes matching funds, other grants, etc. Accessible virtual programs and projects are encouraged. Allowable related costs may include social media campaigns, digital library collections (e-books/audio), speaker fees, closed captioning, American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, language translation, and digital platform subscriptions.

Budget Justification: Use the Region 6 Budget Justification as a template.


Demographics

Identify specific demographic(s) this project plans to reach/benefit. If no specific demographic(s) are targeted, leave this field blank. Do NOT identify demographics that MAY participate in or benefit from this project.


Attachments

Upload the following forms and documents  including personnel CVs/resumes and Letters of Institutional Commitment or Support.

  • Region 6 Budget Spreadsheet
  • Funding Form I University of Iowa Subaward Initiation Form
  • Funding Form B Outgoing Subaward Conflict of Interest Questionnaire
  • UI Vendor Application (If you are a new to working with the University of Iowa)
  • Primary Project Staff Resumes/CVs (Accepted formats: DOC, DOCX, TXT, PDF)
  • Letter(s) of Institutional Commitment or Support, if applicable (Accepted formats: DOC, DOCX, TXT, PDF)

You may only upload one file. If you have more than one document, it is recommended that you combine all documents into one attachment and upload as a single file. NOTE: The file size limit is 40 MB. If your file is larger, contact Region6-RML@uiowa.edu


Acknowledgements

You are required to acknowledge the following statements before submitting an application:

  • You will share the information gained with colleagues in your institution/RML/Office, as required by the Request for Proposal.
  • You will submit regular, interim & final reports, as requested by the funding agency & stipulated in the Request for Proposal.
  • Any web-based resources developed for this project will ensure accessibility to the greatest possible number of people.
  • Additional documentation will need to be completed should your project be awarded. Please consult with your RML/Office for details.

Proposal Submission

When ready to submit, check Yes.

Click the green Submit button.


Additional Information

508 Compliance

Section 508 requires that all website content be accessible to people with disabilities. This applies to web applications, web pages and all attached files on the intranet, as well as, internet. The National Library of Medicine is a part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Recipients of National Library of Medicine funding through the NNLM must meet all requirements under Section 508. Information on 508 Compliance.

Reporting Requirements

The following reports are required for NNLM subawardees. All reports will be submitted through the NNLM Data Reporting System (DRS).

  • Within the first five days of the month following an activity or exhibit, subawardees are required to submit an Activity Report, including participant data.
  • Subawardees are required to submit a Final Report within 30 days after completing a project or period of performance.
  • If technology is purchased or provided as part of the project, subawardees are required to submit a Technology Report.
  • If funds are included for librarian professional development as part of the project, subawardees are required to submit a Professional Development Report within 30 days after completing the professional development.

The following may be required, depending on the project:

  • If training is provided to librarians or other information or health professionals as part of the project, subawardees can utilize the NNLM Training Evaluation Form to collect and share feedback on their training activities with NNLM NOTE: Consult with your ROC for accessing the NNLM Training Evaluation Form.
  • If programming is provided to patrons or community members, and the subawardee is a public library, you may use Project Outcome from the Public Library Association to collect and share feedback.
NIH Public Access Policy

Recipients of NNLM funding are required to deposit any peer-reviewed manuscript upon acceptance for publication in PubMed Central in accordance with the NIH Public Access Policy.

Data Sharing and Development of Training Materials

To facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and information associated with the NNLM Cooperative Agreement Award, all subawardees are required to share any data or training material resulting from funding. This information must be submitted to the following collection sites as applicable:

  • Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) website;
  • Other websites specifically designated by the NLM as part of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (considering changes in the project and data repositories required to maintain sharing within the Network).

In addition, recipients of funding are expected to use or adapt existing training materials before developing new materials. Consult with your ROC prior to developing materials.

Publication and Copyrighting

Per Section 8.2.1. - Right in Data (Publication and Copyrighting) of the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The NIH must be given a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license for the Federal government to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use any materials developed as a result of funding and to authorize others to do so for Federal purposes, i.e. the ongoing development of the Network of the National Library of Medicine. Data developed by a subawardees/consortium participants and consultants are also subject to this policy.

NIH Acknowledgement

Any resources developed with project funds must include an acknowledgment of NIH grant support and a disclaimer. Consult with your ROC for the specific acknowledgment statement to be used for your project award.

Application Review and Scoring Criteria

  • Complete applications will be reviewed by the staff of the NNLM Region 6.
  • Reviewers will use the standardized Health Information Outreach Request for Proposal (RFP) Scorecard developed by the NNLM National Evaluation Center.
  • If further clarification is needed, the applicant will be given one week to submit additional or revised information.
  • Applicants will be notified of the funding decision and will receive a copy of reviewer score sheets and comments.
  • NNLM Region 6 will initiate a sub-award agreement for all approved projects.
  • All sub-awards are cost-reimbursable. Reimbursements are issued to the institution, not the individual. Line-item invoices must be submitted for reimbursement of expenditures. Only expenses incurred and invoiced within the performance period are eligible for reimbursement. Invoices may be submitted as frequently as monthly.
On this Page