The Minority Biomedical Research Support Program has three components:

1) Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE)
2) Support of Continuous Research Excellence (SCORE)
3) Initiative for Minority Student Development (IMSD)

Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) Program (R25)

RISE (R25) is a developmental program that seeks to increase the capacity of students underrepresented in the biomedical sciences (such as African Americans; Hispanic Americans; Native Americans, including Alaska Natives; natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands and students with disabilities) to complete Ph.D. degrees in these fields. The program provides grants to institutions with a commitment and history of developing students from populations underrepresented in biomedical sciences as defined by the National Science Foundation. By supporting institutions with well-integrated developmental activities designed to strengthen students’ academic preparation, research training and professional skills, the RISE Program aims to help reduce the existing gap in completion of Ph.D. degrees between underrepresented and non-underrepresented students. Applicant institutions must award the baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degree in biomedical science fields.

Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Program (R25)

IMSD (R25) is a student development program for institutions with research-intensive environments. The goal of the program is to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in biomedical research (such as African Americans; Hispanic Americans; Native Americans, including Alaska Natives; natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands and students with disabilities) who complete Ph.D. degrees in these fields. The program offers an opportunity to develop new or expand existing effective academic developmental programs, including student research internships, in order to prepare students from underrepresented groups for competitive research careers and leadership positions in the biomedical sciences. IMSD grants are institutional awards. Applications may be submitted by domestic public/state institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education that have a significant number of mentors with NIH or other extramural research support. The institution must award the baccalaureate and/or doctoral degree in the biomedical sciences with a significant number of full-time matriculated students from groups underrepresented in these fields.

Support of Competitive Research (SCORE) Program (SC1, SC2, SC3)

SCORE is a developmental program that seeks to increase the research competitiveness of faculty at institutions that have a historical mission focused on serving students from underrepresented groups. The National Science Foundation has defined the following groups as underrepresented in biomedical research: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, U.S. Pacific Islanders and persons with disabilities. The SCORE Program offers separate funding opportunities for individual investigator-initiated research awards. The mechanisms used for these funding opportunities are the SC1, SC2 and SC3 awards. Research proposed under any of the investigator-initiated SCORE award mechanisms must fall within the scope of the NIH mission.