Centers of Excellence

The goal of this program is to assist eligible schools in supporting programs of excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minority (URM) individuals. The Centers of Excellence (COE) program is a catalyst for institutionalizing

The goal of this program is to assist eligible schools in supporting programs of excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minority (URM) individuals. The Centers of Excellence (COE) program is a catalyst for institutionalizing a commitment to underrepresented minority (URM) students/faculty and to serve as a national resource and educational center for diversity and minority health issues. Additionally, the COE program will help to strengthen the national capacity to produce a culturally competent healthcare workforce whose diversity is representative of the United States population.

Eligible applicants include designated HBCUs and health professions schools that are accredited schools of allopathic medicine; osteopathic medicine; dentistry; pharmacy; or a graduate program in behavioral or mental health; or other public and nonprofit health or educational entities that meet the required conditions regarding: underrepresented minorities as described in Section 736 of the Public Health Service Act. Native American Centers of Excellence are eligible, as specified in statute. Eligible applicants must also have: (1) a significant number of underrepresented minority individuals enrolled in the schools; (2) been effective in assisting underrepresented minority students of the schools to complete the program of education and receive the degree involved; (3) been effective in recruiting underrepresented minority individuals to enroll in and graduate from the school, including providing scholarships and other financial assistance to such individuals and encouraging underrepresented minority students from all levels of the educational pipeline to pursue health professions careers; and (4) made significant recruitment efforts to increase the number of underrepresented minority individuals serving in faculty or administrative positions at the school.

Designated HBCUs and eligible health professions schools must recruit and train a significant number of underrepresented minority students in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy; recruit, train, and retain underrepresented minority faculty recruitment; and facilitate faculty and student research activities.

Health professions schools awarded a COE grant are required to use funds to offer programming that will meet the following seven legislative purposes of the program: (1) Increase the competitive applicant pool for health professions schools; (2) Expand programs to enhance underrepresented minority student academic performance; (3) Improve recruitment, training and retention of underrepresented minority faculty; (4) Improve information resources curriculum, clinical education and cultural competency of graduates as it relates to minority health issues; (5) Facilitate faculty and student research on health issues affecting underrepresented minority groups; (6) Engage students in practice-based training in community-based settings serving significant numbers of underrepresented minority individuals; and (7) Provide stipends, as appropriate. In addition, the four designated HBCU institutions must also propose activities to carry out the following purposes: (1) Develop a plan to achieve institutional improvements, including financial independence, to enable the school to support programs of excellence in health professions education for underrepresented minority individuals; and (2) Provide improved access to the library and informational resources of the school.

Indirect costs under training awards will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement, and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment.

This funding opportunity provides support for a 5-year project period. Recipients draw down funds, as necessary, from the Payment Management System, the centralized web-based payment system for HHS awards.

Procedures for assessing the technical merit of grant applications have been instituted to provide an objective review of applications and to assist the applicant in understanding the standards against which each application will be judged. Critical indicators have been developed for each review criterion to assist the applicant in presenting pertinent information related to that criterion and to provide the reviewer with a standard for evaluation. Competing applications are reviewed by nonfederal reviewers for technical merit recommendations. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated against the following criteria: (1) Purpose and Need; (2) Response to Program Purpose; (3) Impact; (4) Organizational Information, Resources and Capabilities; and (5) Support Requested. See the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed review criteria.

Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Award.

Approximately 120 to 180 days after receipt of applications.

Depending on Agency priorities and availability of funding, during the final budget year of the approved project period competing continuation applications may be solicited from interested applicants.