Funding
Letter of Intent to Apply (optional but encouraged)
Deadline: September 17, 2021
All applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a letter of intent to apply to: John Bramble (john.bramble@utah.edu), NNLM R4 Executive Director (See Appendix A in the application document below).
Description of Award
The purpose of this award is to fund a community engagement ambassador who is able to assist and advise the NNLM Region 4 team design strategies that increase our ability to develop meaningful connections with various priority populations within the region. Ambassadors with community engagement expertise working with underserved and underrepresented populations will collaborate in developing NNLM Region 4 strategies designed to engage with priority populations and health and/or information professionals(e.g. libraries, public health, community-based health organizations, etc.)serving in these areas. Example strategies include assisting the RML 4 team in the planning, implementation and evaluation of meaningful programs designed to help enhance the quality of life of our priority populations. NNLM Region 4 priority populations include Native Americans, English as a second language speakers, immigrants, refugees and traditionally marginalized ethnicities.
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, public health workforce, educators, and the public with equal access to biomedical and health information resources and data.
The Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library (EHSL) at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah is the designated Regional Medical Library (RML) for Region 4 of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) serving the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
The mission of the NNLM is to provide U.S. researchers, health professionals, public health workforce, educators, and the public with equal access to biomedical and health information resources and data.
NNLM Region 4 offers funding for projects that improve access to health information, increase engagement with research and data, expand professional knowledge, and support outreach that promotes awareness and use of NLM resources in local communities.
Through partnerships with regional members and other organizations with aligning missions,the NNLM Region 4 works toward ensuring continuity for essential programs of the NNLM, and cooperatively designing, implementing and evaluating innovative approaches to serving the biomedical and health information needs of researchers, health professionals, public health workforce, educators and the public in communities across the U.S., including persons who experience health disparities and populations underrepresented in biomedical research.
NNLM Region 4 commits to prioritizing support for underrepresented populations through meaningful engagement, which requires the support from all of our regional members and partners. Underrepresented populations are determined to be those experiencing health disparities as a result of their: 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, health literacy, and linguistic needs; geographic location including underrepresented populations from medically underserved areas; or other factors or demographics that create unequal access to the highest level of health (please refer to the January 2019 Special Supplement by the American Journal of Public Health about health disparities research for more information).
The purpose of this award is to fund a community engagement ambassador who is able to assist and advise the NNLM Region 4 team design strategies that increase our ability to develop meaningful connections with various priority populations within the region. Ambassadors with community engagement expertise working with underserved and underrepresented populations will collaborate in developing NNLM Region 4 strategies designed to engage with priority populations and health and/or information professionals(e.g. libraries, public health, community-based health organizations, etc.)serving in these areas. Example strategies include assisting the RML 4 team in the planning, implementation and evaluation of meaningful programs designed to help enhance the quality of life of our priority populations. NNLM Region 4 priority populations include Native Americans, English as a second language speakers, immigrants, refugees and traditionally marginalized ethnicities.
Specifically, the Engagement and Outreach Award –NNLM Community Engagement Ambassador program seeks to address the following aims and intended outcomes of NNLM Region 4:
Administrative Core Aim 2: Construct a rich culture built on a foundation of inclusive programming designed to attract and engage a diverse regional network through effective membership management.
Program Core Aim 1: Use community-driven approaches to increase access to health information.
Program Core Aim 2: Work through libraries and other members to support a highly trained workforce in biomedical, health information, and data science resources.
There are two individual awards available at $50,000 (includes direct and indirect costs) each. The funding amount for this award category is an approximate. Applicants are not required to budget to the maximum amount if the approach(s)cannot justify it.
To qualify for funding, your organization MUST meet the requirements of NNLM Region 4 membership. Membership may be confirmed by visiting the NNLM Member Directory and physically operate within the state boundaries of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, or South Dakota.
The NNLM Region 4 Community Ambassador program will be composed of individuals with expertise working with traditionally marginalized communities working to improve health information access in our six new states (Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, & South Dakota) and/or health or information professionals working with these same communities. One award will be made for NNLM member institutions operating in Arizona or New Mexico and one award for those operating in Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, or South Dakota.Ambassadors will work directly with the Region 4 team in developing strategies designed to develop connections with priority populations in Region 4.
Ambassadors will share their expertise in community engagement with underserved and underrepresented populations in access to health information with the Region 4 team including assisting in the development of strategies designed to engage with priority populations and the health and/or information professionals serving in these areas.The primary function of the person filling the role of the NNLM Region 4 Community Ambassador is to assist in establishing valuable connections between members of the Region 4 Engagement Coordinator team and key stakeholder groups operating in Region 4.
The primary outcomes of the program are to:
- Support the NNLM Region 4 team strengthen collaborations between key stakeholder groups, local community organizations (libraries, public health, and community-based organizations).
- Support the NNLM Region 4 team develop strategies designed to improve key stake holder groups’ access to reliable health information.
To accomplish these outcomes, the community ambassador will:
- Work closely with the Region 4 team to learn engagement strategies that are effective with connecting with traditionally marginalized communities’ organizations or community leaders.The ambassador will advise the NNLM Region 4 team on effective communication and outreach strategies for bi-directional communications with community leaders.
- Commit to participate in regularly reoccurring meetings with appropriate Region 4 team members and contribute in a collaborative team environment.
- Share their progress, contributions,challenges, successes, etc.in various forms (writing, presentations, project reports, etc.), as they work with the Region 4 team explore the health information needs of traditionally marginalized communities.
- The ambassador will coordinate activities with the Region 4 executive director.
Network Member organizations in Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, and South Dakota are eligible to apply. Membership is free, and open to organizations that provide or promotes health information. If your institution is not an NNLM Member, apply for Membership at least 2 weeks prior to the funding deadline. Membership is not automatic. A Member record is required to successfully apply.
Application Instructions
Applicants are required to confirm the following:
1. Applicant institution is a NNLM Member with a NNLM Member record.
- Not sure if your institution is a Member or has a Member record? Search the NNLM Membership Directory or contact John Bramble, (john.bramble@utah.edu.)
- -If your institution is not a NNLM Member, submit an application for membership at least 2 weeks prior to the funding deadline. Membership is not automatic. A Member record is required to successfully apply.
2. Individuals from the applicant institution need to have a NNLM Account.
3. Individuals applying on behalf of the Project Lead, the Project Lead must also have an NNLM account prior to submission.
4. Applicant institution must have a 9-digit Tax ID
5. Applicant institution must have a DUNS Number: Please confirm your organization’s DUNS number. If you do not have a DUNS number, apply for one as soon as possible.
6. Applicant institutions should NOT exceed the limit established by the RML. Contact the RML if you have questions about the funding amount.
The NNLM has developed a proposal writing toolkit that has helpful guides, check it out here.
Proposal shall provide the following information:
- Title: Use a descriptive title while keeping an external audience in mind. These titles are oftentimes provided by NLM in response to data calls from NIH, HHS, OMB, Congress, and the White House.
- Proposal Summary: Provide a one-paragraph description summarizing activities related to how the ambassador will assist and advise the RML 4 team in support of the described Aims. Funded programs are displayed on the NNLM website and are provided by NLM in response to requests from NIH, HHS, OMB, Congress and the White House
- Partner Organizations:If your approach includes partner organizations, provide details describing what role each will be playing.
- Proposed Start and End Dates for Assisting and Advising: Select the appropriate dates. All activities must be completed prior to April 30, 2022.
- Evidence of Need: Provide a statement of how approaches will support the mission of NNLM, explain the need for proposed activities, and describe the audience or population that can be reached through the proposed approach.Please clearly document how the approach(s) 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.
- Approach Goals and Objectives: State the goal(s) and specific objectives(s) of the proposed approach(s). Goals or outcomes should align to the NNLM Goals and Objectives as well as the Region 4 Aims described above. Please review the National Evaluation Center (NEC) resources for information on how to create evaluation plans and objectives.
- Implementation: Describe what will be done to meet the approach(s)’s objectives and its rationale. Include tasks to be performed and who will perform them.
- Schedule/Timeline: In order to meet your goals/objectives, include a detailed timeline that outlines when tasks will be completed, how long it is anticipated to take, and who will do the work.
- Evaluation Plan: Incorporating evaluation into approach design and implementation is essential for understanding how well the project achieves its goals or objectives. See the“Evaluation” tab in the NNLM Proposal Writing Toolkit for tips on how to formulate an effective evaluation plan
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Explain how this project prioritizes support for underrepresented populations through meaningful engagement that will build or enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the applicant’s community.
- *Projects with effective efforts that address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues are essential to a successful application.
- Community Engagement: Briefly describe how you intend to connect with populations specifically described by this funding announcement.
- Personnel Qualifications: List the ambassador personnel who will be involved in the project and include their role(s) and applicable expertise. Submit current resumes or CVs for personnel listed as attachments with your completed application.
Awards are cost-reimbursable and are issued to the institution, not the individual. The budget needs to be filled out in the online application system. Additionally, proposals must include a budget spreadsheet and budget narrative justification, explaining the purpose of each item in the project. This can be uploaded in the attachments section of the online application. Budget fields will accept numbers only. Enter each amount to the nearest whole dollar. If a budget line is not applicable for your project, you may leave it blank. The budget estimate should be categorized by the following, as they apply:
- Personnel: Include (hourly rate x estimated hours) or (% time x (annual salary + benefits) in the budget justification attachments or descriptions. Check with the RML for specifics on personnel.
(NOTE: We anticipate most of the funds will be used for personnel) - Other Costs:Include supplies, communications, printing, travel,
- 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 defined by the RML/Office you are applying to, including Indirect Costs
FUNDING RESTRICTIONS:
Food, promotional items and furniture are NOT allowable expenses.
Refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
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.
Before you formally submit your application, make sure you have consulted with your institution to determine you have all of the documentation they require.
Submit your application and all supporting documents to John Bramble (john.bramble@utah.edu)
Additional Information
For support in grant writing, please see:
NNLM Grants and Proposal Writing Course- designed for beginning grant proposal writers, this class presents a general overview of the grant and funding processes as well as the level of detail required in a successful proposal.
NNLM Proposal Writing Toolkit- provides tips, tricks and resources you can use while developing your application.
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.
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 as part of the project, subawardees can utilize the NNLM Training Evaluation Form to collect and share feedback on their training activities with NNLM
- If programming is provided to patrons or community members, subawardees can utilize Project Outcome resources from the Public Library Association to collect and share feedback on their program activities with NNLM.
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.
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 RML/Office and the NNLM Training Office (NTO) prior to developing materials.
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.
Any resources developed with project funds must include an acknowledgment of NIH grant support and a disclaimer.
Developed resources reported in this [publications, press releases, internet sites] are supported by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH) under cooperative agreement number UG4LM013729. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Application Review and Scoring Criteria
RML staff and Network members who represent the Region (i.e., public libraries, health science libraries, or community organizations) may be asked to review and score applications. Selected reviewers use a standardized RFP scorecard.
For more information, please review the RFP scorecard.
You also can find examples of Exemplary RFP Application Sections, which may inform your planning and writing process.
Scored Review Criteria: Scale: 1-100
The application will be scored in the following areas:
- Significance (15 points max): Does the proposal make a significant contribution to the mission of NNLM. Is there information on the target population provided? Are there estimates of the potential population and the portion expected to be reached? Is the target group or population described and the actual or perceived need for the proposed program discussed?
- Methodology/Approach (40 points max): Does the statement show the logic and feasibility of the technical approach to reaching the target group or community? Are the types of outreach services provided for the target population appropriate, creative and cost-effective? Does the project plan demonstrate sustainability or the ability to provide lessons learned for future programs? Does the proposed project add value to other initiatives? Does the project use local partners? Does the proposal include a timeline or implementation schedule for major events and activities? Does the program specify what NLM resources or NNLM national initiatives will be promoted and how they will be utilized throughout the project?
- Evaluation (15 points max): Is there an evaluation plan? Does the plan make sense given the goals and objectives? Is there a timeline and are individuals assigned responsibility for milestones or tasks? Are there other forms of evaluation that the project should consider or add? Is the plan thorough enough or feasible for the project?
- Project Staff (15 points max):Does the proposed personnel have experience in developing and conducting outreach and/or training programs in health information for patients, the public or health professionals. Do the proposed personnel have prior experience working with the target group? Is there evidence of institutional facilities and resources adequate to support the proposed programs. If applicable, do project partners bring experience to the project team?
- Budget (10 points max): Is the proposed budget within funding limits? Is the budget justification sound? Could budget items be eliminated or reduced without jeopardizing the project? Does it include money within allowable line items? Do they have line items that account for all the requested money?
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (5 points max): Does the application identify inequities and disparities or target underserved populations? Is the organization using an inclusive, community-engaged process for planning and implementation if they are proposing community-based programming?
- NIH-designated U.S. health disparity populations include Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, underserved rural populations, individuals witha physical or mental disability, sexual and gender minorities, individuals under 18 or over 65, and individuals with less than a high school degree.
The Review Committee will submit RFP scorecard and comments for funding to the Associate Director of the RML. If further clarification is needed, the applicant will be given one week to submit additional or revised information.
Reviewers will provide an overall impact assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained influence on the population targeted. Final recommendations will include at least:
- Excellent Application. Will have major impact on NNLM goals.
- Has strong potential.
- Limited impact, or there are concerns about the proposed plan or quality.
- The project will not advance the goals of NNLM.
- Application does not fit in the NNLM mission.
Applicants will be notified of the funding decision and will receive a copy of reviewer score sheets and comments.
The RML will provide a subaward agreement for all approved projects. All sub-awards are cost reimbursement. Line-item invoices must be submitted for reimbursement of expenditures. Invoices may be submitted as frequently as monthly.