Funding
4 awards available, pending budget availability. Awards are cost-reimbursable and are issued to the institution, not the individual.
Description of Award
The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 5, under cooperative agreement with the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), announces the availability of funding through its Technology Improvement Award to support infrastructure that improves equitable access to biomedical and health information.
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 Technology Improvement Award seeks to address one or more of the following aims from the NNLM Region 5 cooperative agreement:
- Support Digital Access, Digital Health Literacy, and Digital Health Equity ensuring that a variety of users, such as affiliated and unaffiliated health professionals, researchers, librarians and the public have equal access to, and the skills to benefit from, biomedical and health information
- Administer funding awards to support a highly trained workforce for biomedical and health information resources and data, improve health literacy, and increase health equity through information
Communities determined to be experiencing health disparities due to 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. (Please refer to the January 2019 Special Supplement by the American Journal of Public Health about health disparities research for more information).
Potential projects may include the following strategies (other creative ideas encouraged):
- Installing high speed or broadband access to the Internet in areas where Internet is not presently available
- Upgrading a slow Internet connection to a higher speed connection, or adding WiFi, mobile broadband or similar services
- Purchasing equipment to establish telehealth services within a library or community organization setting
- Establishing mobile digital access to be used to facilitate digital training or digital access to online health information when providing information services outside of the library (e.g. equipping a bookmobile with tablets and WiFi for public use)
- Using mobile devices to support access to health information at the point of need, such as for emergency responders or patient care teams on bedside rounds
- Purchase of Wi-Fi lendable hot spots or lendable routers
- Obtaining hardware or software to support virtual health programming
- Installing adaptive hardware and software to better enable individuals with disabilities to access computer-based health information
- Upgrading equipment in a computer lab or learning center to facilitate virtual reality instruction or hands-on computer-based instruction
- Implementing a digital peer navigator program to offer personalized assistance in learning how to use a variety of digital tools to access NLM’s health information resources (e.g. MedlinePlus.gov)
Generally, 501(c)(3) organizations, as well as local, county, or state funded entities, are eligible for funding from NNLM Region 5. Applicants must be from an institution that is a member of NNLM Region 5. Membership is free and open to institutions interested in improving equitable access to health information. To verify your membership and locate your institution’s NNLM ID, visit the NNLM Members Directory. If you have questions about your organization’s membership, or eligibility for funding, contact Emily Hamstra, Assistant Director via email: ehamstra@uw.edu.
Preference will be given to NNLM member organizations that have not already received an NNLM Region 5 funding award during the 2021-2026 NNLM cooperative agreement.
Prior to submitting an application, applicants are highly encouraged to meet with Region 5 staff to discuss the project idea and evaluation plan, and Region 5’s funding requirements. Contact Emily Hamstra (ehamstra@uw.edu) to schedule a meeting.
Disallowance of Human Subjects Research
Projects containing Human Subjects Research components will not be reviewed or considered for funding.
Applicants must submit documentation to their institutional IRB or a community IRB to request a determination letter stating that their project does not meet regulatory definitions of human subjects research.
Application Instructions
First, send a Letter of Intent to Apply via email to nnlm@uw.edu by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, February 14, 2024. Your letter of intent should include the name of your library/organization; the type of grant you intend to apply for (e .g. NNLM Region 5 Technology Improvement Award); the goal(s) of your project; the types of activities and strategies you plan to implement; the timeline for your project (start and end date); and the type of data you will collect to evaluate whether and how your project is successful. You will receive an email from nnlm@uw.edu to acknowledge receipt of your letter of intent.
Application Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, April 2, 2024
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 using the following outline to draft your proposal, and then submit online.
System Requirements
- Your organization must be a NNLM member to apply for funding. Confirm that your institution is a NNLM Member before applying for funding. If your organization is a member, it will be listed in the NNLM Members Directory.
- Not sure if your institution is a Member? Contact Emily Hamstra, Assistant Director at ehamstra@uw.edu If your institution is not a NNLM Member, join the Network at least 3 weeks prior to the application deadline.
- You must be logged in to your NNLM account to successfully submit an application. Confirm that you (the applicant) have an NNLM User Account. Here is a step by step guide to setting up a new user account.
- Confirm that your NNLM account is connected to the NNLM Member record for your institution. To connect, fill in the “Organization” field on your NNLM account using the autocomplete function. When correctly filled, you will see a 5-digit NNLM ID in parenthesis beside the institution name.
- If you are submitting an application on behalf of the Project Lead, the Project Lead must also be connected to the NNLM Member record for your institution prior to submission.
Please note: you cannot successfully submit an application without these system requirements. If you have questions, please contact Emily Hamstra (ehamstra@uw.edu) in advance of the application deadline.
Online Application Sections
- Lead Organization: Select the institution that will lead and receive funding to conduct the proposed project. If the drop-down list appears blank, confirm that your NNLM account is connected to the NNLM Member record for your institution. (See System Requirements above)
- Institution Tax ID: Enter the 9-digit tax identification number for your institution
- Institution Unique Entity Identification (UEI): Required. Enter your organization’s UEI number. UEIs are available through SAM Directory. If your organization does not have a UEI number, create an account for SAM Directory and follow the process for registering for a UEI.
- Have you/your institution previously received NNLM funding in the current grant cycle (2021 – 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 System Requirements 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: The amount specified should not exceed the $5,000 limit. Enter the amount to the nearest whole dollar. NOTE: This field will accept numbers only.
It is recommended that you use the following outline to draft your proposal, and then submit online.
Lead Organization: Select the institution that will lead and receive funding to conduct the proposed project.
- If the drop-down list appears blank, confirm that your NNLM account is connected to the NNLM Member record for your institution. (See System Requirements above)
Institution Tax ID Number (TIN): Enter the 9-digit Tax Identification Number (TIN) for your institution
Institution Unique Entity Identification (UEI): Required. Enter your organization’s UEI number. UEIs are available through SAM Directory. If your organization does not have a UEI number, create an account for SAM Directory and follow the process for registering for a UEI.
Have you/your institution previously received NNLM funding in the 2021-2026 NNLM cooperative agreement: 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.
- 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 System Requirements above)
Partner Organization: If partner organizations are proposed, 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.
Amount Requested: The amount specified should not exceed the $5,000 limit. This field will accept numbers only. Enter the amount to the nearest whole dollar.
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 Start and End Dates for the Project: Select the appropriate dates. Contact Emily Hamstra (ehamstra@uw.edu) before applying if your project will extend more than one year.
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, per population(s) selected in the Demographics section, below. 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
Project goals and objectives: State the goal(s) and specific objectives(s) of the proposed project. Goals should align to NNLM Goals and Objectives, and/or the NLM Strategic Plan.
Implementation: Describe what will be done to meet project objectives and its rationale. Include tasks to be performed and who will perform them.
Schedule/Timeline: In order to meet your 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: Describe how the project will measure success. Include data collection frequency, type of data to be collected, tools, and how data will be used or disseminated.
- Limit your evaluation plan to collecting descriptive or process data such as: Did the purchase process and setup go smoothly? Is the new product being used, as measured by counts? Did the organization publicize the new product as planned? The evaluation plan should not include surveys, interviews or focus groups. (See “Disallowance of Human Subjects Research” above.)
Publicity/Promotion: Briefly describe how you intend to promote your project to the target population.
Continuity/Sustainability Plan: Describe the activities that will sustain project services and/or communication to the targeted community beyond the funding period.
Personnel Qualifications: List the project personnel who will be involved in the project and include their role(s) and applicable experience. Attach resumes for key personnel when submitting your application.
Prepare the budget using the budget table and narrative justification. The completed budget table must be uploaded in the attachments section of the online application.
Complete the budget section in the online application using the numbers and narrative justification from your completed budget table. Enter each amount to the nearest whole dollar. If a budget category is not applicable for your project, you may leave it blank. The online application includes a field for inserting the narrative budget justification concisely describing the purpose of each budgeted item.
Allowable expenses: Personnel, equipment, supplies, travel and other costs such as reproduction of materials, software, Internet service provider fees. These are examples only and are not meant to be all-inclusive. Expenses are also allowed to publicize a health information service, event or resource, including National Library of Medicine (NLM) or Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) resources or services, but the allowable costs are limited to educational materials or publicity, such as posters, displays, flyers, bookmarks, or brochures.
Non-allowable expenses: Furniture, food, clothing, commemorative items such as pens, mugs/ cups, folders/ folios, lanyards, and conference tote bags
Indirect Costs (IDC) or Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Costs: Indirect cost (IDC)/F&A can be included based on your institution's federally approved IDC agreement (non-research rates apply). A 10% MTDC rate may be used if no IDC agreement exists.
Populations Served: Select all that apply, but these should be the primary populations targeted in your project. If not explicitly identified in the proposal section, please do not select it here.
Participant’s Roles: Select all that apply. These are the primary roles of the participants of your project. These should be explicitly identified in the proposal section.
You are required to acknowledge the following statements before submitting an application:
- You will share the information gained with colleagues in your institution/Regional Medical Library (Region 5)/Office, as required by the Request for Proposal.
- You will submit an interim & final report, 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.
You will need to apply online using the button at the top of this page that says "Apply for this Grant." You must be logged in with your NNLM account to begin the application and submission process.
Need Assistance? Contact Emily Hamstra, Assistant Director, ehamstra@uw.edu
Additional Information
For support in grant writing, please see the NNLM Grants and Proposal Writing Course for tips on award applications.
Please refer to the NNLM Resource Guides:
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.
For any classes, training sessions, presentations, exhibits and/or site visits conducted as part of this project, an NNLM Activity Report and a Participant Information Sheet are required and must be submitted to NNLM Region 5 staff within 14 days of the activity. NNLM Region 5 staff will provide access to the report templates to awardees.
A progress report summarizing activities and evaluation completed to date is due to the NNLM Region 5 staff no later than November 1, 2024. NNLM Region 5 staff will provide access to the report template to awardees.
A final report is required to be submitted to NNLM Region 5 staff no later than May 26, 2025. NNLM Region 5 staff will provide access to the report template to awardees.
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 Regional Medical Library (Region 5)/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 resource developed with project funds must include an acknowledgment of NIH grant support and a disclaimer stating the following:
“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 UG4LM013725 with the University of Washington. 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
- Significance (10 points max)
- Application clearly explains the need for the project including demographic information about the target population or geographic area. (5 points)
- Application contributes to NNLM goals and objectives. See NNLM goals and objectives. (5 points)
- Methodology/ Approach (20 points max)
- Application proposes an approach that is suitable for the target population and geographic area and includes data to support this. (5 points)
- Application clearly outlines activities, milestones, and methods that are feasible and relevant to the project. (5 points)
- Application provides a rationale for selecting the proposed approach(es) and includes the use of NLM products where appropriate. (5 points)
- Application provides an effective plan to promote the project. (5 points)
- Evaluation (5 points max)
- Evaluation plan is well aligned with the project goals and objectives and clearly indicates how to measure success and project outcomes. (5 points)
- Project Staff (5 points max)
- Application clearly explains qualifications, roles and time commitment of the project staff. (5 points)
- Budget (5 points max)
- Proposed budget is appropriate with a budget narrative that justifies expenses. (5 points)
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (5 points if met, 0 points if not met)
- Project promotes diversity, equity and inclusion or applicant is a first-time applicant within the five-year funding period. (5 points)
Reviewer score sheets and comments will be shared with the applicant. If further clarification is needed, the applicant will be given 1 week to submit more information.