Substance Abuse Policy Research Program (SAPRP)
Diversity Partnership Application Guidelines

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OVERVIEW
The Substance Abuse Policy Research Program (SAPRP) has funds available so that existing SAPRP grantees can attract promising, highly motivated investigators who are at early stages of their research careers, are strong advocates for diversity, and/or come from groups that are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented in research. The goal of the Diversity Partnership Grants is to attract and encourage such individuals to enter and pursue substance abuse policy research careers, while at the same time enhancing existing SAPRP research projects. We also envision that these grants will help contribute to the pool of researchers who can bring varied perspectives and interests to the study of substance abuse policy, particularly to issues of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in policies and services.

The proposed Diversity Partnership Grant must be an integral addition to the approved ongoing research of the existing SAPRP grant but should involve additional analyses and preferably additional data collection. As part of this research experience, the proposed grantee must be given the opportunity to interact with investigators on the existing SAPRP grant, to contribute intellectually to the research, and to enhance her/his research skills and knowledge regarding substance abuse policy research. Furthermore, the principal investigator for the existing grant will act as mentor to the proposed grantee and must demonstrate a willingness and understanding that the purpose of the Diversity Partnership Grant is to enhance the research capacity of the grantee, and that the research experience is intended to provide opportunities for that individual to develop as an independent, competitive research investigator.

This funding opportunity is intended for investigators who are strong advocates for diversity and/or come from groups that are historically disadvantaged (e.g., educationally, economically, or racially/ethnically) or underrepresented in research. All investigators who demonstrate a commitment to diversity—in the widest and most inclusive sense of the word—are welcome to apply for the partnership grants. Individuals may participate who have an advanced degree and hold a position as a postdoctoral researcher, faculty member, or other research position in a university setting; or who have an advanced degree and hold an equivalent position in a non-university setting (such as an independent research organization). Among faculty members or other mid-career individuals, preference will be given to those who are interested in shifting a substantial portion of their work to focus on substance abuse policy research and have never before received a grant in this area.

Diversity Partnership Grants will consist of up to $40,000 per year for up to the total remaining duration of the existing SAPRP grant.

ELIGIBILITY
Research projects and their principal investigators are eligible to apply for SAPRP Diversity Partnership Grant funding if the following conditions are met:

1. The proposed project would supplement the work of an existing SAPRP- project.
2. The existing SAPRP project has at least 12 months left before funding expires, and preferably more than 12 months (so that there is sufficient time for the applicant to have a meaningful research experience).
3. The existing SAPRP project has not previously sponsored a Diversity Partnership Grant.

SAPRP Diversity Partnership Grants are not intended to provide an alternative means of supporting individuals who already receive support from a research grant, research training grant, or any other Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding mechanism. Individuals may not be transferred from an existing SAPRP grant to Diversity Partnership Grant support to increase the availability of funds for the existing grant, nor may funds be used to extend the tenure of someone currently funded under the principal investigator on the existing grant. The award may not be split among more than one individual.

Because the focus of this program is the United States, studies of policies in other countries will be considered only to the extent they may directly affect U.S. policy.

LEGAL STATUS
Diversity Partnership Grants are stand-alone grants requiring a proposal, budget, project support form, and reporting separate from the existing SAPRP grant.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
SAPRP Diversity Partnership Grant applications are submitted electronically via the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Grantmaking Online application system at http://grantmaking.rwjf.org/sprdpg. (See the Proposal Components Overview below.) Decisions about awards will be announced approximately eight weeks after receipt of the proposal.

PROPOSAL COMPONENTS OVERVIEW
The request for a Diversity Partnership Grant award must make a clear case for the nature of the project, ways in which it would complement the existing SAPRP grant, the suitability of the applicant, and the strength of the mentoring plan and learning experience. The following proposal components are required and can be found in the Grantmaking Online application site for this opportunity (http://grantmaking.rwjf.org/sprdpg). Please note that the page count ranges listed for the proposal narrative sections are not prescriptive but can serve as approximate guidelines to help you in writing your proposal.

• Executive Summary of the Existing SAPRP Project (1 page, single-spaced)
• Executive Summary of the Proposed Diversity Partnership Grant (1 page, single-spaced)
• Proposal Narrative (25 pages, double-spaced) including the following sections:
o Applicant Research Career Goals, Capabilities, and Objectives for Professional Development via this Grant (2-3 pages)
o Project Significance, Specific Aims, Policy Implications, and Contribution to Existing SAPRP Grant Goals (3-4 pages)
o Literature Review (5-6 pages)
o Preliminary Studies/Relevant Research Experiences (2-4 pages)
o Methodology (7-9 pages)
o Dissemination (1-2 pages)
o Human Subjects (Does not count toward 25-page limit.)
o References/Bibliography (Does not count toward 25-page limit.)
• Applicant Curriculum Vitae
• Work Plan
• Two Letters of Support
o A letter from the existing SAPRP grant principal investigator (the mentor) in support of the applicant and outlining a mentoring plan that describes the focus, objectives, and mechanisms for mentoring that individual.
o A letter of support from a relevant colleague or supervisor. If the applicant is employed at an organization other than the organization that employs the principal investigator of the existing SAPRP grant, the letter should come from applicant’s supervisor.

• Appendices (Optional)
• Budget and Budget Narrative
o Foundation budget guidelines can be found in the Grantmaking Online application system as well as at http://www.rwjf.org/applying/budgetPrepGuideinesNov03.pdf (on the Foundation Web site). Please note that indirect costs for all SAPRP projects are at the uniform Robert Wood Johnson Foundation rate.

REVIEW CRITERIA
Proposals are reviewed by SAPRP National Program Office staff, senior program consultants, and Foundation staff according to the follow criteria:

1. The qualifications of the applicant including career goals, prior research training, research potential, and any relevant experience

2. The plan for the proposed research component in the diversity partnership request and its scientific merits, relationship to the existing SAPRP grant, and alignment with the goal that Diversity Partnership Grants promote diversity and inform policy research

3. Evidence that the activities of the proposed grantee are an integral part of the existing SAPRP project

4. Evidence that mentoring and the rest of the research experience will enhance the research potential, knowledge, and/or skills of the proposed grantee

Additionally, preference will be given first to individuals employed at the same organization as the principal investigator for the existing project, secondly to individuals employed at an organization in the same locale as the principal investigator for the existing project, and thirdly to individuals employed in another locale from the principal investigator for the existing project. If the proposed Diversity Partnership Grantee is not at the same organization or in the same locale as the principal investigator for the existing project, special efforts should be made in the application to demonstrate how mentoring and involvement in the project will occur despite geographic distance.

PRODUCTS/DELIVERABLES
All Diversity Partnership Grants are expected to produce at least one scientific paper submitted to a peer-reviewed journal or a proposal submitted for a further study in the realm of substance abuse policy research, or preferably both.

REPORTING/REVISIONS
If the applicant is funded and subsequently has to withdraw from the Diversity Partnership Grant project before the project is completed, he or she must notify the National Program Office. Replacement of this individual in this event and continuation of the partnership award are not automatic and must be discussed with and approved by the National Program Office.

Diversity Partnership Grants are subject to the same monitoring and reporting requirements as any other Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant.

Please refer questions to SAPRP Deputy Director Andrea Williams at 336-286-4414 or williamsa@ccl.org.