Program Update: Institutional Development Award IDeA

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National Center forResearch Resources
A c c e l e r a t i n g a n d e n h a n c i
n g r e s e a r c h f r o m b a s i c d i
s c o v e r y t o i m p r o v e d p a t I e
n t c a r e
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Program UpdateInstitutional Development Award
(IDeA) September 16, 2008
Barbara Alving, M.D., M.A.C.P. Director National
Center for Research Resources
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Institutional Development Award Program

• IDeA Program established in 1993
• Authorized in NIH Revitalization Act of 1993
• Congressional intent to enhance geographical
  distribution of research funds and increase
  research capacity
• Comparable to NSF Experimental Program to
  Stimulate Competitiveness in Research (EPSCoR),
  established in 1980

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Institutional Development Award (IDeA)Increasing
research capacity in 23 underserved states and
Puerto Rico
IDeA-eligible states
INBRE 23 statewide networks COBRE 83 thematic
research centers
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Institutional Development Award Program

• IDeA supports two specific programs
• Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE)
  
• 145 million (FY 2008)
• Strengthen institutional biomedical research
  capacity by expanding and developing biomedical
  faculty research capability and enhancing
  research infrastructure
• 83 active COBRE centers
• IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence
  (INBRE)
• 75 million (FY2008)
• Support networks of research and undergraduate
  institutions to enhance biomedical research
  capacity, expand and strengthen the research
  capabilities of biomedical faculty, and provides
  access to biomedical resources for promising
  undergraduate students
• One INBRE in every IDeA state except New Hampshire

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Current IDeA Eligibility Based On One of Two
Criteria

• A success rate for competing research projects
  and centers of less than 20 for obtaining NIH
  grant awards during 2001-2005
• We propose change to 18 or less (based on
  2003-2007 data)
• or
• less than 120 million average NIH funding during
  2001-2005 (equates to 0.6) regardless of success
  rate. (This excludes IDeA awards and RD
  contracts)
• We propose change to 0.6 or less NIH funding
  instead of constantly changing the numerical
  dollar figure

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Why Change the Success Rate?

• Success rates for NIH funding have been
  decreasing since the doubling of the budget. If
  we continue to use 20 as the cutoff for success
  rate, four states which already have
  significant NIH funding would become eligible for
  the program

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Effect of Proposed Changes

• These changes will provide for the present time
  stable reference points to determine IDeA
  eligibility
• These changes will have no effect on states
  currently in the IDeA program. There will be no
  additions and no deletions.

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Considerations for IDeA Eligibility

• Success rates are no longer valid indicators of
  needs of states (Maine has a success rate of gt
  30)
• Legislation indicates that success needs to be
  part of the eligibility criteria. Should this be
  removed? If so, new legislation is required.
• States are now on continuum with respect to NIH
  support (where should the cutoff be?)

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Proposal to Develop Solutions

• How should new legislation be crafted? How can
  flexibility be brought into those states that are
  on the borderline of eligibility? How can we
  ensure that we carry out the intent for which the
  IDeA program was established?
• Convene working group comprised of Council
  members, IDeA representatives, and NCRR staff to
  consider options for proposing new legislation
  that is in alignment with the intent of the IDeA
  program.