Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to share the CFAR Africure Program with my friends and colleagues. Is there a flyer with information?

  • Yes
  • Click here to download a copy of CFAR Africure Fact Sheet
  • Click here to download a copy of the full CFAR Africure RFA

May I include more than the required two mentors in my application?

  • Yes. However, please note that in any situation in which the CFAR Africure program provides funding for Scholar mentors that funding will only be available to the two required mentors: CFAR Mentor and Local Mentor.

Are post-doctoral fellows eligible to apply for a CFAR Africure grant as a Scholar/PI?

  • No, unless they have a full-time faculty appointment in place by the time the CFAR Africure project funding begins (March 1, 2024). A letter from the applicant’s future department chair, verifying their faculty position and starting date, must be included in the application package.

Are African investigators with appointments at a U.S. institution eligible to apply for a CFAR Africure grant?

  • No, unless you also hold a full-time faculty appointment at an African academic institution or equivalent organization.

Am I required to have a CFAR Mentor in place before submitting a Concept Proposal?

  • Yes. An applicant is required to have both a CFAR Mentor and a Local Mentor in place before submitting a Concept Proposal.

Can you send me a list of CFAR Mentors?

  • Unfortunately, no. There is no single list of senior CFAR-affiliated faculty across the country who are available to be mentors for CFAR Adelante projects
  • Click here to see a list of currently funded CFARs. Each CFAR has a Developmental Core that is tasked with helping to build the HIV research careers of junior faculty at their institution. As a result, Developmental Core staff are familiar with the senior faculty at their institution and may be able to help you identify an appropriate mentor. The CFAR Africure Program Administrator, Anne Efron (aefron1@jhmi.edu) may also be able to help you identify a CFAR Mentor.

Must a CFAR Mentor have current U.S. NIH funding?

  • No. A Team’s CFAR Mentor must have a history of NIH HIV funding as an “independent investigator” (defined by NIH as having been PI on any of these “R01-equivalent” mechanisms: DP1, DP2, DP5, R01, R37, R56, RF1, RL1, U01 and R35) at some point in the past but they do not need to have a current NIH R01-equivalent grant.

Do I need to include letters of support from both the CFAR and Local Mentors in my application?

  • Yes. Those letters let the reviewers know that Mentors are enthusiastic about the project and are aware of what their role in it will be.
  • NOTE: If you have added additional, optional Mentors, you will need Letters of Support from them as well.

If I added an optional Mentor in my application, do I need to include a biosketch for them in addition to the letter of support?

  • No. A biosketch is only required for the you and your two required Mentors: The Scholar, the CFAR Mentor, and the Local Mentor.

Application Budget Questions:

When preparing the application budget, is it permitted that an appreciable amount of the direct costs to go towards Scholar/PI mentorship and training (or should this be largely delivered via structured, in-kind support from the mentorship team)?

  • Yes. It is perfectly fine for the PI* to use Africure budget funds for trainings and workshops — the Africure mechanism is a training grant so using the funds for training purposes is well within its scope.

Can I add CFAR and local mentors in the list of personnel? 

  • You may add your local mentor to the list of personnel and provide salary support if you like, however the CFAR mentor should not receive salary support. 

In the column of "cal. months", "Acad months" and "Summer months", am I supposed to enter the number of months? 

  • Please see this LINK to convert effort percentage into calendar months. You can leave the Academic months and summer months blank

The "resquested salary" is for the overall number of months that I will enter in the column of cal. months?

  • The requested salary is the amount/year of salary support you are requesting 

What are "fringe benefits"?

  • Fringe benefits is the amount of money that the employer pays towards health insurance, retirement savings, and other “perks” for their employees. This may not apply to your institution, and if not, you may leave the column blank.

How do I submit my Concept Proposal/Application packet