Region 4 Year 2 Professional Development Award

Getting Started

NOTICES:

All research activities included in project proposals must fall into the category of Exempt Research, which is defined in the Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects §46.104(d). Additional human subjects research requirements may apply.
Funded projects are displayed on the NNLM website and are provided by NLM in response to data requests from NIH, HHS, OMB, Congress, and the White House.

Funding Summary

Period of Performance: June 1, 2022 - April 30, 2023
Amount: Up to $2,000
Number of Awards Available: 14
Application Deadline: Applications accepted and awarded on a rolling basis until February 15, 2023, at 5:00 pm MT (Applications accepted and awarded on a rolling basis until the deadline)
Eligibility: These awards are intended for use by NNLM Region 4 member institutions

Important Information:

Awards are cost-reimbursable and:
a. May be issued to NNLM member institutions or individuals affiliated with a member institution within Region 4. Check to see if your institution is a member.
b. Awardees are encouraged to have their expenses purchased directly by the University of Utah (airfare, registrations, etc.)
This award is administered through the University of Utah under a Cooperative Agreement with the National Library of Medicine Award Number UG4LM013732
Applicants are not required to budget to the maximum amount if the project cannot justify it.
The RML/Office will provide a sub-award agreement or a memorandum of agreement for all approved projects.
Sub-awardees may not begin their project until the University of Utah has completed and signed all necessary documentation.

Pre-Award Support - We want to learn about your professional development ideas!

You are strongly encouraged to contact john.bramble@utah.edu, NNLM Region 4 Executive Director or your state primary point of contact, to discuss your professional development activity’s: 1) learning objective(s), 2) expenses, 3) timeline, and 4) short and long term beneficiaries of new knowledge or skill.

Proposal Writing Support

Grant writing aids and tips are available at NNLM Grants and Proposal Writing Course
Evaluation design aids and tips are available at the National Evaluation Center
Funding FAQs

Purpose of this Award

The purpose of this funding is to strengthen the professional knowledge and experience of individual network members within Region 4 in data science or health information access/delivery, build professional capacity in support of the mission of the NNLM, and enable libraries and other organizations to train staff in skills needed to deliver reliable health information.

Professional development awards are intended to expand beyond the organizations you associate with as a normal part of your profession. For example: MLA and MLA Chapter meetings will not be considered for health science librarians.

NOTE: If your application is for an online professional development activity costing $200 or less, please go directly to the Express Application instructions tab.

Potential Project Ideas

Professional development opportunities such as classes, conferences, or workshops for individuals or groups of individuals associated with NNLM institutional members. Ideas include:

Introduce students to the health sciences, trusted National Library of Medicine (NLM) resources, and develop their professional skills.
Prepare individuals for a leadership position in a hospital or academic health sciences library.
Host a reading club with learning outcomes focusing on health information access issues that can be used to improve library programming that are more impactful to your underrepresented communities.
Costs associated with arranging for an expert speaker to give a talk, workshop, class, or lecture.
Educational activities that relate to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility and prepare professionals to better serve underserved, minority, and underrepresented communities.

Focus & Impact

Notice:

Applicants should plan to align their proposal with 1) the mission of the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) 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 and 2) should demonstrated how it supports the NLM 2017-2027 Strategic Plan.

Award Focus & Impact

Applicants should plan to describe how their professional development activity will improve their ability to provide improved health information access related library services to their communities.

Applicants should consider submitting proposals that support:

1) An INDIVIDUAL to attend a workshop, conference, or meeting (example topics - patient safety, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, health information access, data services, etc.).

2) NETWORK MEMBER INSTITUTIONS to host a CE event, workshop, or speaker (example expenses - speaker fees. reading club materials, funding licenses to online training services, hosting a virtual book club discussing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, etc.)

3) STUDENTS currently enrolled in a library and information science, iSchool, or health occupations program (this funding is ideal for students interested in exploring health information as a career path or the role that information plays in improving the knowledge of health care providers).

4) ONLINE CONFERENCES EXPRESS APPLICATION (click here) registration costs (under $200) for individuals interested in attending an online workshop, conference, or meeting that meets the purpose and alignment with NNLM and NLM mission and strategic plan.

Commitment to Improve Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

Successful applications will demonstrate how community-based health organizations, public health organizations, and libraries work together in addressing the health information needs of NNLM priority populations (see NNLM Overview, section "Underrepresented Populations" for details).

NNLM Region 4 Core Aims

Project proposals are intended to support the following core aims of NNLM Region 4 program:

Construct a rich culture built on a foundation of inclusive programming designed to attract and engage a diverse regional network through effective membership management.
Use community-driven approaches to increase access to health information.
Work through libraries and other members to support a highly trained workforce in biomedical, health information, and data science resources

For professional development activities that include an evaluation, the assessment tool/instrument must fall into the category of Exempt Research, which is defined in the Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects §46.104(d). Additional human subjects research requirements may apply.

Constructing Your Application

NOTICE:

ONLINE CONFERENCES EXPRESS APPLICATION (click here) registration costs (under $500) for individuals interested in attending an online workshop, conference, or meeting that meets the purpose and alignment with NNLM and NLM mission and strategic plan.

Application Format

Applicants are required to use the following proposal outline and submit as a Microsoft Word Document. You may use this Application Template.

Submit your Application

Please submit your application: reg4_funding@lists.utah.edu.

Application Summary

Program/Event Name: Provide the name of the event, program, or educational activity.
Program/Event Dates: Provide the appropriate dates.
Professional Development URL: URL for the exhibit, conference, or professional development you would like to attend or hold, if available.
Amount Requested: The amount specified should not exceed the limit established by the RML/Office. Contact your Region 4 Medical Library if you have questions about the funding amount. Enter the amount to the nearest whole dollar.
Reimbursement: Indicate if we will be reimbursing your expenses as an individual OR if through your organization.
Significance/Objectives: Provide a short 2-3 paragraph description that summarizes the proposed professional development related program/event. Please describe 1) the primary learning objectives and how you think they tie into improving health information access and/or how they align to the goal of the NNLM, and 3) who do you think will benefit from the knowledge gained by attending the PD program/event.

Agreement to comply with required tasks

Include in your application that you acknowledge and agree to:

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, and final reports, as requested by the funding agency and 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 john.bramble@utah.edu.

Member Information

Member Organization: If the reimbursement is NOT going to an individual, identify the institution that will receive funding.
- Primary Contact: If you are the primary contact, list your own name.
- Institution Tax ID: Enter the 9-digit tax identification number for your institution. Check with your Region 4 Medical Library to see if this is a requirement.
- Institution Unique Entity ID: Please confirm your organization’s Unique Entity ID (UEI) with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). If your organization does not have a UEI, register for one as soon as possible.. Check with your Region 4 Medical Library to see if this is a requirement.
- Have you/your institution previously received NNLM funding in the current grant cycle? Select Yes, No, or I don’t know.
Populations Served: These should be the primary populations served by the funded activity.
Participant’s Roles: These are the primary roles of the participants of the program/event/educational activity.
Personnel Qualifications: Submit resumes or CVs for personnel listed as attachments with your completed application if appropriate.

Schedule / Timeline

Include a timeline for implementing the plan to meet objectives if appropriate. Use monthly segments of time in your table or description

Your Budget

Reporting Requirements

NIH Requirements

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.

508 Compliance (aka Accessibility)

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.

Data Sharing and Development of Training Materials

To facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and information associated with the NNLM Cooperative Agreement Award, all sub-awardees 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.

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 sub-awardees/consortium participants and consultants are also subject to this policy.

NIH Acknowledgement

Any resources developed with project funds must include an acknowledgement of NIH grant support and a disclaimer.

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Cooperative Agreement Number UG4LM013732 with the University of Utah.

Scoring

Express Application

Print Full App

Professional Development Award

NOTICES:

All research activities included in project proposals must fall into the category of Exempt Research, which is defined in the Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects §46.104(d). Additional human subjects research requirements may apply.
Funded projects are displayed on the NNLM website and are provided by NLM in response to data requests from NIH, HHS, OMB, Congress, and the White House.

Funding Summary

Period of Performance: June 1, 2022 - April 30, 2023
Amount: Up to $2,000
Number of Awards Available: 14
Application Deadline: Applications accepted and awarded on a rolling basis until February 15, 2023, at 5:00 pm MT (Applications accepted and awarded on a rolling basis until the deadline)
Eligibility: These awards are intended for use by NNLM Region 4 member institutions

Important Information:

Awards are cost-reimbursable and:
a. May be issued to NNLM member institutions or individuals affiliated with a member institution within Region 4. Check to see if your institution is a member.
b. Awardees are encouraged to have their expenses purchased directly by the University of Utah (airfare, registrations, etc.)
This award is administered through the University of Utah under a Cooperative Agreement with the National Library of Medicine Award Number UG4LM013732
Applicants are not required to budget to the maximum amount if the project cannot justify it.
The RML/Office will provide a sub-award agreement or a memorandum of agreement for all approved projects.
Sub-awardees may not begin their project until the University of Utah has completed and signed all necessary documentation.

Pre-Award Support - We want to learn about your professional development ideas!

Proposal Writing Support

Grant writing aids and tips are available at NNLM Grants and Proposal Writing Course
Evaluation design aids and tips are available at the National Evaluation Center
Funding FAQs

Purpose of this Award

NOTE: If your application is for an online professional development activity costing $200 or less, please go directly to the Express Application instructions tab.

Potential Project Ideas

Professional development opportunities such as classes, conferences, or workshops for individuals or groups of individuals associated with NNLM institutional members. Ideas include:

Introduce students to the health sciences, trusted National Library of Medicine (NLM) resources, and develop their professional skills.
Prepare individuals for a leadership position in a hospital or academic health sciences library.
Host a reading club with learning outcomes focusing on health information access issues that can be used to improve library programming that are more impactful to your underrepresented communities.
Costs associated with arranging for an expert speaker to give a talk, workshop, class, or lecture.
Educational activities that relate to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility and prepare professionals to better serve underserved, minority, and underrepresented communities.

Focus and Impact

Notice:

Award Focus & Impact

Applicants should plan to describe how their professional development activity will improve their ability to provide improved health information access related library services to their communities.

Applicants should consider submitting proposals that support:

1) An INDIVIDUAL to attend a workshop, conference, or meeting (example topics - patient safety, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, health information access, data services, etc.).

Commitment to Improve Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

NNLM Region 4 Core Aims

Project proposals are intended to support the following core aims of NNLM Region 4 program:

Construct a rich culture built on a foundation of inclusive programming designed to attract and engage a diverse regional network through effective membership management.
Use community-driven approaches to increase access to health information.
Work through libraries and other members to support a highly trained workforce in biomedical, health information, and data science resources

Constructing Your Application

NOTICE:

ONLINE CONFERENCES EXPRESS APPLICATION (click here) registration costs (under $200) for individuals interested in attending an online workshop, conference, or meeting that meets the purpose and alignment with NNLM and NLM mission and strategic plan.

Application Format

Applicants are required to use the following proposal outline and submit as a Microsoft Word Document. You may use this Application Template.

Submit your Application

Please submit your application: reg4_funding@lists.utah.edu.

Application Summary

Program/Event Name: Provide the name of the event, program, or educational activity.
Program/Event Dates: Provide the appropriate dates.
Professional Development URL: URL for the exhibit, conference, or professional development you would like to attend or hold, if available.
Amount Requested: The amount specified should not exceed the limit established by the RML/Office. Contact your Region 4 Medical Library if you have questions about the funding amount. Enter the amount to the nearest whole dollar.
Significance/Objectives: Provide a short 1-2 paragraph description that summarizes the proposed program/event. State the goal(s) of the proposed program/event or educational activity and how they align to the NNLM Goals and Objectives. Discuss why this program/event would be necessary or useful for the intended beneficiary.

Agreement to comply with required tasks

Include in your application that you acknowledge and agree to:

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, and final reports, as requested by the funding agency and 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 john.bramble@utah.edu.

Member Information

Member Organization: If the reimbursement is NOT going to an individual, identify the institution that will receive funding.
- Primary Contact: If you are the primary contact, list your own name.
- Institution Tax ID: Enter the 9-digit tax identification number for your institution. Check with your Region 4 Medical Library to see if this is a requirement.
- Institution Unique Entity ID: Please confirm your organization’s Unique Entity ID (UEI) with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). If your organization does not have a UEI, register for one as soon as possible.. Check with your Region 4 Medical Library to see if this is a requirement.
- Have you/your institution previously received NNLM funding in the current grant cycle? Select Yes, No, or I don’t know.
Populations Served: These should be the primary populations served by the funded activity.
Participant’s Roles: These are the primary roles of the participants of the program/event/educational activity.
Personnel Qualifications: Submit resumes or CVs for personnel listed as attachments with your completed application if appropriate.

Schedule / Timeline

Include a timeline for implementing the plan to meet objectives if appropriate. Use monthly segments of time in your table or description

Your Budget

Funding restrictions notification:

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 Policy on Allowability of Costs/Activities.

Budget & Justification Instructions

Applications must include 3-column budget table (or spreadsheet) that includes detailed budget Expense Categories described below, explaining the purpose of each item in the project. You may use the table in this Application Template.
- Column 1 will contain the expense title (e.g. Personnel, Consultant Costs, Fees, Travel, Hotel, etc.).
- Column 2 will contain a bulleted list that briefly (1 sentence) describes each item and costs (e.g. under the Equipment category…1) List each equipment item being requested, 2) How it will be used to support the project, and 3) costs per unit multiplied by number of units).
- Column 3 will contain a total cost for item category (e.g. Personnel, Consultant Costs, Fees, Travel, Hotel, etc.).
If a budget line is not applicable for your project, leave it blank.
Enter each amount to the nearest whole dollar.

Expense Categories

The budget estimate should be categorized by the following, as they apply:

Fees: Any fees associated with the educational activity/program or event.
Travel: Estimates for travel. Include description and any quotes in the budget table and narrative justification attachments.
Hotel: Costs associated with lodging.
Per Diem: Costs associated with meals and incidental expenses.
Other: Include description and any quotes in the attached budget or as other attachment.
Indirect Costs (IDC) or Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs: Apply 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). Organizations may factor indirect costs into their overall budget. The total budget cannot exceed the limit defined by the Regional Medical Library you are applying to, including indirect costs.
Other Funding if Applicable: Other funds that will be used to support the project should be specified. This includes matching funds, other grants, etc.

Reporting Requirements

The following reporting requirements are mandatory of award recipients.

For Awards to Organizations:
Activity Reports: Activities held in support of the professional development must be submitted before the 10th day of each month following the end of the activity. This is only applicable for organizations, not individuals.

For Awards to Individuals:
NNLM Evaluation Office Professional Development Award Report (link to be provided upon award approval) must be submitted before the 10th day of each month following the end of the activity.

Generally, awardees will be responsible for sharing their experiences of the professional development activity through a newsletter article, presentation, or a mutually agreed upon method with the RML. Please check with Region 4 Medical Library to confirm.

NIH Requirements

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.

508 Compliance (aka Accessibility)

Data Sharing and Development of Training Materials

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).

Publication and Copyrighting

NIH Acknowledgement

Any resources developed with project funds must include an acknowledgement of NIH grant support and a disclaimer.

Application Review and Scoring Criteria

Reviewers are selected by the RML/Office that is made up of Network members who may represent the Region, public libraries, health sciences libraries, or community organizations.

Reviewers use a standardized RFP scorecard Professional Development Application Scorecard

Reviewers make recommendations for funding to the Executive Director of the RML. Applicants will receive a copy of reviewer comments along with a final decision regarding funding.

Applicants will receive a copy of reviewer comments along with a final decision regarding funding.

Scored Review Criteria

Scale: 1-25

The application will be scored in the following areas:

Significance (15 points max): Does the proposed program/event/educational activity align well with NNLM Goals and Objectives? Does the proposal provide a justification for why the activity is needed? Is the proposal appropriate for the intended beneficiary/beneficiaries?
Budget (5 points max): Is the proposed budget within funding limits? Is the budget justification sound? 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 educational activity promote diversity, equity and inclusion or is the applicant a first-time applicant in the five-year funding period?

Express Application Instructions

If your proposal is for an online professional development activity costing $200 or less, you may use a streamlined process to apply

Prepare your proposal with the following information:

What are the primary learning objectives of the activity you hope to meet?

PRO TIP: Find on conference website.

How do you think the learning objectives will tie into improving access to health information?

PRO TIP: Describe activity’s connection to the provision of health information in about 40-50 words.

Who will benefit after the knowledge gained by attending the professional development experience?

PRO TIP: Describe how you and your key stakeholders will benefit in about 40-50 words.

When is the activity?
What is the registration cost being requested?
When is it due?

Understanding of Agreement

You are an employee or student of an NNLM Region 4 member institution?
What is the name of your institution?
You will work with the NNLM Region 4 staff to register and pay the registration?
You will attend the event?
You will allow the NNLM Region 4 to promote your award?
You will report on your experience in the required NLM reporting system?

PRO TIP: These are "yes" or "no" responses. If you respond with a "no" response, please explain why.

Email the above to the Region 4 Medical Library by February 15, 2023 or earlier. Awards are made on a rolling basis until funds are depleted.

PRO TIP: Contact john.bramble@utah.edu if you would like to discuss your proposal idea.

The purpose of this funding is to support short-term projects that involve program improvement to advance access to health information resources. Projects should be in support of the NLM 2017-2027 Strategic Plan