Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Grant Program

The Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Grant Program, funded by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, offers $60,000 over three years to support underrepresented postdoctoral fellows in the U.S. and Canada. This initiative aims to enhance their career development through mentorship and networking opportunities. Since its inception in 2013, the program has awarded over 150 fellowships, investing more than $9 million to promote diversity in biomedical research and foster an inclusive scientific community.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund serves and strengthens society by nurturing a diverse group of leaders in biomedical sciences to improve human health through education and powering discovery in frontiers of greatest need.
BWF’s financial support is channeled primarily through competitive peer-reviewed award programs.
BWF makes grants primarily to degree-granting institutions on behalf of individual researchers. To complement these competitive award programs, BWF also makes grants to nonprofit organizations conducting activities intended to improve the general environment for science.
BWF believes that a diverse scientific workforce is essential to the process and advancement of research innovation, academic discovery, and public service.
About The Award
The Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program (PDEP) provides $60,000 over three years to support the career development activities and success of underrepresented postdoctoral fellows in a degree-granting institution or affiliate in the United States or Canada whose training and professional development are guided by mentors committed to helping them advance to stellar careers in biomedical or medical research.
Established in 2013, with an initial 10 awards, more than 150 postdoctoral fellows have received the PDEP award to date. BWF has invested more than $9 million dollars in diversity enrichment programming and continues to provide support through a vast network of former and current grant recipients.
Beginning with the 2023-2024 grant cycle, BWF and the Charles H. This partnership supports underrepresented scientists' advancement and enhances their contributions to various fields of research.
Through PDEP, the Charles H. Revson Foundation will fund up to five additional fellowships to postdoctoral researchers at institutions located within the New York Metro area. PDEP award recipients being supported by the Charles H. Revson Foundation will be recognized as BWF PDEP/Revson Scholars.
Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Application Details

PROGRAM (PDEP)
Proposal deadline:

• January 20, 2025 (3:00 pm ET)
• 1 POSTDOCTORAL DIVERSITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (PDEP)

PROGRAM BACKGROUND
The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is committed to fostering For this reason, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund created
the development of the next generation of biomedical the Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program in 2012.
scientists and is strongly committed to supporting only BWF is committed to funding the next generation of
degree-granting institutions to achieve this goal.
career development of young scientists has been a advancing the careers of minority postdoctoral fellows
major funding theme at BWF. The continuing lag in the within underrepresented groups. The primary goal of
advancement of scientists from within underrepresented the Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program (PDEP)
groups is a significant problem for the scientific community. is to substantially enhance the postdoctoral training and
Despite several decades of federally supported programs, experience of underrepresented junior scientists. Funds will
Americans from these minority populations continue to be provided to support the following enrichment activities:

• be underrepresented among Ph.D. recipients and in the

1. Activities for the postdoctoral fellow to enhance

Science & Engineering workforce. Contrary to popular belief,
collaborations, and training in new techniques
including people of Latino, Native-American, Pacific Island,
and African-American descent—are interested in pursuing

1. Activities for the postdoctoral mentor to increase

scientific or engineering careers. Many students with strong
SAT scores, impressive grades, and success in high school
programs:

• honors math and science courses leave the college science
• n Career guidance of the underrepresented minority
• pipeline, but the loss is disproportionately among women
• postdoctoral fellow

and minorities. Thus, factors other than school preparation,
science aptitude, and interest must be responsible for the n Research guidance that increases the productivity
low achievement and low persistence of these subgroups of the PDEP fellow
of undergraduate and graduate Science & Engineering n Attendance at one annual meeting of mentors
students. Identifying and mitigating these negative factors, hosted and/or sponsored by the Burroughs
then retaining well-educated students with Science & Wellcome Fund (BWF)
Engineering interests would improve the United States’
ability to compete in today’s global scientific community. 3. Participation in a peer network system of
(SCIENCE, 31 March 2006, Preparing Minority Scientists underrepresented minority postdoctoral scholars
and Engineers, Michael Summers and Freeman Hrabowski).

ENRICHMENT AWARD
The Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program (PDEP) The program provides a total of $60,000 over three years
provides a total of $60,000 over three years to support the as follows:

• career development activities for postdoctoral fellows within
• Year one: $20,000 will be granted to support enrichment
• underrepresented groups at a degree-granting institution in
• activities of the postdoctoral fellow ($10,000 for research
• the United States or Canada whose training and professional
• supplies or equipment uniquely required to enhance the
• development are guided by mentors committed to helping
• postdoctoral fellow’s research and $10,000 for education
• them advance to stellar careers in biomedical or medical
• and training, including for mentors in the research lab where
• research. This year, up to 25 awards will be granted for
• the postdoctoral fellow is assigned.) The PDEP award
• enrichment activities annually. This grant is meant to
• cannot be used to support salary expenses or indirect
• supplement the training of postdocs whose research

costs. (Refer to “Terms of Grant” for information on indirect
activities are already supported. It is not a research grant.
collaboration aimed at expanding diversity and inclusion
Year three: $20,000 will be granted to help the postdoctoral
in the scientific research community. This partnership
fellow advance research efforts towards the professoriate.
The funds must be used to develop independent, innovative
their contributions to various fields of research.
areas of research.
Through PDEP, the Charles H. Revson Foundation will fund
up to five additional fellowships to postdoctoral researchers
at institutions located within the New York Metro area.
H. Revson Foundation will be recognized as BWF PDEP/
Revson Scholars.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for the Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Award: In addition to the PDEP awards funded by the Burroughs
time of application and not be more than 5 years from
Scholars. This designation is in recognition of postdoctoral
his/her Ph.D.
ALL PDEP awardees except in the case of some additional
conduct the postdoctoral/fellowship training.
Applications must be approved by an official
H. Revson Foundation.
Individuals identified as underrepresented postdoctoral
sponsored programs) at the degree-granting institution.
n must have secured a postdoctoral position with
fellows with Ph.D.s in the biomedical or medical sciences.
DVM, and PharmD candidates may be eligible, but should
commencement date.
contact BWF prior to applying. Proposals in health services
n must be within an underrepresented group (i.e. research or involving large-scale clinical trials are ineligible.
American, Hispanic, or Native Hawaiian or other
Pacific Islander).
n must be citizens of the United States or Canada
(at the time of application).
n must devote at least 75% of time to research.

IMPORTANT NOTES SELECTION PROCESS
A person with more than 48 months of postdoctoral Selection of award recipients is made by a scientific advisory
experience (in a research laboratory) at the time of committee with final approval by the Burroughs Wellcome
application or with more than five years from his/her Ph.D. Fund Board of Directors. Generally, up to 25 Postdoctoral
is not eligible for this award. Diversity Enrichment Program (PDEP) awards will be made
may be requested by BWF staff if said letter is not on file
the vision and philosophy of advancing his/her career.
n PDEP fellows with strong Ph.D. achievement and
been documented that minorities are less likely to enter and
remain in science and engineering when they lack mentors
medical areas.
and role models. Mentors are expected to provide a letter of
PDEP awardees are strongly encouraged to attend a
the careers of young scientists.
mentoring workshop during the Fall of the year that the
award is made. The mentor must explicitly state how the n Willingness to participate in workshops to understand
postdoctoral fellow’s stipend is being supported since the expectations of the award and a commitment to its
PDEP award cannot be used to support salary expenses. goals (see Eligibility and Terms of the Award).
Please see the characteristics of a qualified mentor under
“Selection Process” and expectations of mentors under n Publications, training, and research background.
classroom, and residential spaces where the PDEP
fellow is assigned.
equipment is being requested, an explanation of why
the equipment is required.
6 POSTDOCTORAL DIVERSITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (PDEP)

The PDEP program prioritizes groups in the US shown to be n Native American refers to US or Canadian citizens who
underrepresented in the sciences and historically excluded are descendants from the indigenous peoples of North
because of race/ethnicity: Native American, Native Pacific America. US Natives eligible for this program need to
Islander, Black/African American, Latinx. For the purpose of be accepted members of any of the 573 recognized
this program, these groups are defined as follows: Nations or tribes as listed by the US Bureau of Indian
n Black/African American refers to US citizens of
the First Nations, or Inuit, or Métis.
African descent who have been raised in the United
States and who are descendants from families of the n Native Pacific Islander refers to: a) Native Hawaiians,
American South or Deep South, or descendants of who are the indigenous Polynesian people of Hawaii;
families who migrated from the American south to b) Indigenous peoples of Oceania who are citizens of
urban areas in the north, Midwest and southwest; any of the islands served by the US Office of Insular
Black Americans exposed to US discriminatory laws Affairs.
of the US Civil Rights Act by Congress in 1964, such
as redlining, Jim Crow laws, and enslavement.
from Mexico, Central America, or Puerto Rico. Puerto
Rican residents and citizens are eligible to apply.

TERMS OF THE GRANT/USE OF GRANT FUNDS
Indirect costs may not be charged against BWF grants. Year one: $20,000 will be granted to support enrichment
Enrichment Program (PDEP) award provides a total of
and training, including for mentors in the research lab where
the development of a PDEP fellow at a degree-granting
institution. Applicants at affiliated graduate and medical Year two: $20,000 (same allocation as year one)
schools, hospitals and research institutions in the United
Year three: $20,000 will be granted to help the postdoctoral
States or Canada must apply through the degree-granting
fellow advance research efforts towards the professoriate.
or medical research are eligible to apply. Award recipients
areas of research.
must commit 75% of their time to research.
BWF acknowledges that postdoctoral fellows may move
The institutions are responsible for disbursing the funds and
change institutions for another postdoctoral position may
the awards.
take with them any equipment or supplies purchased under
Award recipients must provide BWF with an annual progress the award.
report detailing their progress. Institutions must provide an
other publications should be sent to BWF along with the
BWF and its program advisory committee.
annual progress report.
Award recipients may obtain funds from other sources for
Awardees should follow their institutions’ patent, copyright,
research in the same or similar areas as that conducted
and intellectual property policies regarding discoveries that
result from research conducted under these awards. BWF
meeting the terms of BWF’s award.
expects the appropriate federal, state, and local guidelines
This award cannot be used to provide the postdoctoral with regard to scientific misconduct are in place and
fellow’s salary or to purchase reagents or equipment enforced at all institutions with which BWF awardees are
commonly found in the mentor’s laboratory. The award is affiliated.
under the control of the award recipient and may be used
Awardees should share scientific findings in a timely manner
flexibly for career development activities as outlined below.
forums. BWF will not retain any rights to published results
or patents that result from the research.
8 POSTDOCTORAL DIVERSITY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (PDEP)

Expectations for Mentors Questions?
A qualified mentor is required for the PDEP. It has been Alfred Mays, Senior Program Officer
documented that members of underrepresented groups are amays@bwfund.org, 919-991-5103
less likely to enter and remain in science and engineering
when they lack mentors and role models. In most science Samantha Moore, Program Associate
and engineering disciplines, the percentage of those smoore@bwfund.org, 919-917-5137
within underrepresented groups to act as role models
for minority students. (A National Analysis of Minorities in
sciences and with experiences in working with postdoctoral
fellows to consider serving as mentors.
the first two years of the active award period. Discussions
and topics will include considerations of the cultural barriers
mentoring can have on mentee career development and
progression.