Sponsored Programs Administration Development (SPAD) Program and DPC Dissemination and Translation Awards (DPC DaTA)
The Diversity Program Consortium, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded initiative, focuses on implementing and evaluating programs to enhance the training and mentoring of students and faculty while expanding the research capacity of institutions.
In the first five years (Phase 1), three major projects were funded: Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD), the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) and the Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC).
As part of Phase 2, two new initiatives were added: the Sponsored Programs Administration Development (SPAD) Program and the DPC Dissemination and Translation Awards (DPC DaTA).
SPAD
SPAD provides support to institutions to create Offices of Sponsored Programs or enhance existing offices, which increases opportunities for faculty at those schools to be trained and supported in submitting NIH biomedical research grants. The ultimate goal is that submissions from researchers at these institutions could lead to funding and broaden the diversity of the biomedical research workforce. Funded researchers could then provide student research opportunities.
There are currently 10 SPAD-funded institutions that measure a variety of outcomes, such as whether there is an increase in grant application submissions, awards and subcontracts, or if there is enhanced research activity and more students pursuing biomedical research careers:
- Alaska Pacific University
- Auburn University at Montgomery
- Bowie State University
- California State University, Dominguez Hills
- California State University, San Bernardino
- Kennesaw State University
- Midwestern State University
- Stillman College
- University of North Carolina Greensboro
- University of the Virgin Islands
DPC DaTA
DPC DaTA aims to expand the consortium’s impact by including additional institutions. Through a scientific approach, these sites will understand the effectiveness of biomedical research training and mentoring or research capacity building by implementing a variety of interventions intended to engage students, their families and faculty. These activities are similar to those developed by the BUILD sites.
There are currently seven DPC DaTA projects:
- Initiative to Enhance Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce at CSU Channel Islands (California State University, Channel Islands)
- Families for STEM Success (California State University, San Marcos)
- Investigating Family Support Interventions for Freshmen (Delaware State University)
- HU-CHEM: Deploying evidence-based interventions in Chemistry at Hampton University to plug leaks in the biomedical training pipeline (Hampton University)
- An Adaptation and Evaluation of an Entrepreneurial Research Training Model in Hawai’i: The HUI SRC (Hawai’i Pacific University)
- Enhancing Career Development of HBCU Biomedical Researchers: Extended Training in Grantsmanship and Mentoring (Savannah State University)
- The University of Puerto Rico at Cayey METAS+: Maintaining, Engaging, and Tracking Alumni in Science and Health Research (University of Puerto Rico Cayey University College)
The Diversity Program Consortium Coordination and Evaluation Center at UCLA is supported by Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health / National Institutes of General Medical Sciences under award number U54GM119024.
Grow Together.