We were recently asked when the widespread implementation of PEDP at NIH might be.
For those who don’t know, PEDP stands for Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives. The earliest reference to the PEDP we could find at NIH is by the BRAIN Initiative (Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) in 2021.
Applications submitted in response to many BRAIN initiative NOFOs must include a PEDP. It’s submitted as a 1-page document in Other Attachments. The PEDP requirement has subsequently been adopted by other ICs for some NOFOs. BRAIN and NIH’s grants policy and compliance provide guidelines of what an effective PEDP should include.
BRAIN defines PEDP as, “a summary of strategies to advance the scientific and technical merit of the proposed project through inclusivity.” The BRAIN Initiative is committed to “fostering diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility in the research community.” This also aligns with NIH’s mission of inclusivity. “Diverse perspectives” refers to all of the following:
- who does the research
- where the research is done, and
- who participates in the research.
At this time, we do not see that NIH has an institute-wide requirement that PEDPs be included with every application. The NIH Grants Policy Statement and the Research Instructions (SF 424 R&R) are silent on PEDP. We recommend that you read your specific NOFO carefully to determine if a PEDP is required for your submission.
