Maximizing Access to Research Careers (T34) | PAR 19 219

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 219

The Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program (T34) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity, administered through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), designed to strengthen the pipeline of undergraduate students who go on to complete research-focused biomedical doctoral training. The core aim is to build and sustain a diverse pool of trainees who finish a bachelors degree and successfully transition into, and complete, advanced biomedical research degrees such as a Ph.D. or an M.D./Ph.D. In practice, this FOA is about supporting institutions in building structured undergraduate research training programs that combine strong mentoring with modern, evidence-based training approaches that match how quickly the biomedical research enterprise is changing.

The funding supports institutions in developing and implementing comprehensive undergraduate training programs rather than isolated research experiences. NIGMS expects proposals to integrate multiple components that together prepare students to be competitive and resilient applicants for research-intensive graduate programs. These components typically include didactic elements (such as coursework, seminars, or skills workshops), hands-on research experiences, organized mentoring and advising structures, and career development programming. The overall emphasis is on intentional training design: programs should be coherent, grounded in evidence about what helps students persist and succeed, and focused on preparing trainees for the expectations of rigorous research-focused higher degree programs in biomedical fields.

Eligibility is primarily focused on domestic, research-intensive institutions. A key restriction is that the program is limited to applications from training programs at institutions that meet an NIH research funding threshold: a 3-year average of NIH Research Project Grant funding at or above 7.5 million in total costs. While the opportunity is centered on institutions of higher education, the FOA also lists a broad range of eligible applicant types across government and nonprofit sectors, including state, county, and city or township governments; 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; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities. The FOA also explicitly highlights participation from a number of institution types that often serve historically underrepresented or underserved communities, 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), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, there are clear geographic and organizational limits. The FOA specifies that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions or foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply. It also states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. In other words, the program is intended to build U.S.-based undergraduate biomedical research training capacity and does not support foreign applicants or foreign-based project components, even when associated with a U.S. institution.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the health funding category, under CFDA number 93.859, offered by the NIH. The funding opportunity title is "Maximizing Access to Research Careers (T34)" and the opportunity number is PAR-19-219. The opportunity record indicates an original closing date of 2021-02-23, and while the award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, the central program purpose remains clear: to fund structured, mentored, evidence-informed undergraduate research training programs that increase the likelihood that participating students will complete their bachelors degrees and move into, and finish, biomedical research doctoral pathways.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Maximizing Access to Research Careers (T34)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-03-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 19 219

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