NIDCR Mentoring Network to Promote a Diverse Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research Workforce (UE5 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 24 104

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 104

The NIDCR Mentoring Network to Promote a Diverse Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research Workforce (PAR-24-104) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Education Program award using the UE5 cooperative agreement mechanism, and it is specifically focused on building research education and mentoring infrastructure rather than funding clinical trials. The central purpose is workforce development: strengthening and diversifying the pipeline of investigators who conduct biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research in dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) science. In practical terms, the program is meant to help early career researchers gain the mentoring, professional networks, and grant-writing capability needed to progress from postdoctoral or junior faculty stages into independent research careers aligned with the NIDCR Strategic Plan.

The funding opportunity emphasizes two main types of supported activities: structured mentoring activities and courses for skills development, with a clear spotlight on grant writing as a core competency. The intent is to create a coordinated mentoring network led by experienced senior faculty mentors and established researchers who can provide consistent guidance, career development support, and opportunities for early career investigators to strengthen their competitiveness for NIH and other research funding. A major priority is supporting investigators from groups that are underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research, as referenced in NIH’s diversity guidance (NOT-OD-20-031), so applicants are expected to design programs that are realistic, intentional, and measurable in how they broaden participation and support sustained career advancement.

Because this is a cooperative agreement (as opposed to a standard grant), recipients should expect substantial NIH involvement in the program’s direction and oversight. Cooperative agreements are typically used when the agency anticipates a more active partnership in shaping the project, which fits a mentoring network model where NIH may want to ensure best practices, coordination, and alignment with broader workforce goals. The opportunity is categorized under Health, with CFDA (Assistance Listing) number 93.121, and it is explicitly marked “Clinical Trial Not Allowed,” meaning applicants should not propose studies that meet NIH’s definition of a clinical trial. The emphasis is education, mentoring, and career development infrastructure, not hypothesis-driven clinical intervention research.

Eligible applicants are broad and include many types of U.S.-based organizations and governments. Eligible entities listed include state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The announcement also highlights categories of institutions and organizations that are strongly relevant to the diversity mission, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, foreign organizations are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, reinforcing that this network is intended to be built and operated within the U.S. context.

The intended participants of the mentoring network are early career investigators, specifically postdoctoral trainees and junior faculty, who are positioned to become independent DOC researchers but need structured mentorship, targeted training, and practical support to compete successfully for grants and establish research programs. The most competitive applications are likely to be those that show a well-thought-out mentoring structure (for example, mentor matching, mentor training, milestone-based career planning, and ongoing evaluation), a strong curriculum for skills development (especially grantsmanship and research leadership), and a clear plan to recruit, retain, and advance investigators from underrepresented backgrounds. Programs are expected to produce a “skilled cadre” of investigators in scientific areas that matter to NIDCR, meaning applicants should connect their training and mentoring content to the DOC research priorities in the NIDCR Strategic Plan and show how the network will help participants build fundable research trajectories in those areas.

Key logistical details provided include an original closing date of May 30, 2024, and an award ceiling listed at $250,000. The FOA was created on March 12, 2024. While the expected number of awards is not specified in the provided text, applicants should treat the budget cap as a signal that NIDCR expects focused, efficient programming with clear deliverables, leveraging existing institutional strengths and, where appropriate, existing federally funded programs and partnerships. Overall, the opportunity is designed to create a durable, high-quality mentoring and grantsmanship ecosystem that expands diversity in the DOC research workforce and accelerates the transition of promising early career investigators into independent, funded researchers.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIDCR Mentoring Network to Promote a Diverse Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research Workforce (UE5 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-03-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 24 104

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