Postdoctoral Enrichment Program (PDEP)

Individual underrepresented minority postdoctoral fellows conducting biomedical or medical research are eligible to apply. The program targets postdoctoral fellows with Ph.D.s in the biomedical or medical sciences. Applicants with M.D. degrees who have secured a postdoctoral research appointment beyond clinical fellowship will be considered for this program.

The PDEP award supports the development of a PDEP fellow at a degree-granting institution. Applicants at affiliated graduate and medical schools, hospitals and research institutions in the United States or Canada must apply through the degree-granting institution.

Applicants for the Postdoctoral Enrichment Award:
- Must have no more than 36 months of postdoctoral research experience (in a research laboratory) at the time of application and not be more than 5 years from his/her Ph.D.
- Must be nominated by a qualified mentor at the degree-granting institution where the applicant will conduct the postdoctoral/fellowship training. Applications must be approved by an official responsible for sponsored programs (generally from the grants office, office of research, or office of sponsored programs) at the degree-granting institution
- Must have secured a postdoctoral position with funding (including support by the mentor’s existing research grants) at a degree-granting institution in the United States or Canada and must begin the postdoctoral position on or by the designated award commencement date
- Must be underrepresented minorities (i.e. American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic, or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander)
- Must be citizens of the United States or Canada (at the time of application)
- Must devote at least 75% of time to research

DDS, DVM, and PharmD candidates may be eligible, but should contact BWF prior to applying.

Applicants must have a mentor at a degree-granting institution in the United States or Canada where they will conduct the postdoctoral training. The mentor is an important part of the applicant's application. The applicant should hold a position in their mentor’s lab at a degree granting institution in the U.S. or Canada. The mentor may be requested to participate in a mentoring workshop. The mentor is expected to provide a letter of nomination and the mentor’s commitment to the applicant’s career is important.

Applicants must be approved by an official responsible for sponsored programs at the degree-granting institution.

Proposals in health services research or involving large-scale clinical trials are ineligible.

This award cannot be used to provide the postdoctoral fellow’s salary or to purchase reagents or equipment commonly found in the mentor’s laboratory, nor may it be used for indirect costs..

Key Dates:
- Grant application portal available: October 15, 2020
- Application deadline: January 14, 2021 (4:00 pm ET)
- Notice of award: By end of June 2021
- Award start date: September 1, 2021
- Award end date: August 30, 2024

Awards are made to the degree-granting institutions on behalf of the award recipients.

A qualified mentor is required for this program. The mentor must submit a mentor letter in support of the applicant's application for a grant. An application cannot be submitted until the mentor letter has been uploaded and attached to the application.

BWF acknowledges that postdoctoral fellows may move to new institutions. Requests must be received well in advance of the move. Award recipients who change institutions for another postdoctoral position at another institution may take with them any equipment or supplies purchased under the award, as well as the balance of any unused award funds. The new host institution must enter into a new agreement with BWF.

Awardees should follow their institutions’ patent, copyright, and intellectual property policies regarding discoveries that result from research conducted under these awards.

Award recipients may obtain funds from other sources for research in the same or similar areas as that conducted under these grants, so long as there is no conflict with meeting the terms of BWF's award.

Terms of Grant/Use of Funds:
https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/diversity-science/underrepresented-minority-postdoctoral-enrichment/terms-grant

Forms and Resources:
https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/diversity-science/underrepresented-minority-postdoctoral-enrichment/forms-and-0

Application Instructions to Request Mentor Letter:
https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/diversity-science/postdoctoral-enrichment-program/application-instructions-request

Mentor Instructions to Upload Letter:
https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/diversity-science/postdoctoral-enrichment-program/mentor-instructions-upload-letter

FAQs:
https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/diversity-science/postdoctoral-enrichment-program/frequently-asked-questions