Independent academic researchers must obtain outside funding to progress their research programs. Looking at NIH application and award rates for investigators not previously supported by NIH, more than twice as many men as women applied for NIH First Awards (R29 awards) between 1988 and 1997. However, women competed as well as their male counterparts in obtaining these awards. The average award rate for both women and men over the 10-year period, 1988 to 1997, was 26 percent.

The number of competing Individual Investigator Research Project Grant (R01) applications submitted by women grew from 2,401 in 1988 to 3,172 by 1997. In 1988, men were submitting more than four times as many competing applications to NIH as were women. By 1997, men were submitting only a little more than three times as many applications as women.

In terms of competing R01 awards made, women have been as successful as men in obtaining funding. Women averaged an 18 percent award rate for competing NIH R01 applications from 1988 to 1997, while men averaged a 17.8 percent award rate.

Similarly, for competitive renewals of existing NIH R01 awards over the period 1988 to 1997, women have been only slightly less successful than their male counterparts in renewing their awards. During the 10-year time period of 1988 to 1997, women averaged a 35 percent success rate for competing R01 applications, compared to a 36 percent success rate for men over the same time.

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation. Dr. James Onken, Chief, provided data on the demographics of NIH awards.