Modified Abstract Section: FIU-RCMI Administrative Core (AC) ABSTRACT The Administrative Core is designed to maximize the rigor, significance, innovation, collaboration, and productivity of our proposed Center’s research, training, and community endeavors, and will provide essential infrastructure for: (a) establishing a nurturing a community of health disparities scholarship focused on the growth of early stage investigators (ESIs) and community-partnerships; (b) cross-core collaboration within our Center; (c) intra- and inter-institutional collaboration and support; (d) a point of entry for community-university partnered research and resources; and (e) working with NIMHD and other RCMIs. Through the Administrative Core, Center leaders will come together to implement the Center’s plan and harmonize our efforts, track and evaluate our progress and outcomes, and seek and follow the guidance of our Advisory Committee and Community Advisory Board (CAB) to achieve optimum efficiency and results. The Administrative Core will lead the proposed Center’s efforts in: (a) building upon our achievements during our initial funding cycle; (b) broadening our scope in regard to health research; (c) refining our approach to ESI mentoring; and (d) expanding our research partnerships with communities in South Florida. The Administrative Core’s programmatic activities will include cross-trainings, joint events, and incentives for involvement in health disparities research, in collaboration with the Investigator Development and Research Capacity Cores, and facilitated by collaborative connections in the community through the Community Engagement Core, which oversees our CAB. The Administrative Core also will provide oversight and support for both of our R01- equivalent studies. Moreover, the Administrative Core will be home to our Evaluation Team, who are founding members of the RCMI Evaluators’ Workgroup and co-authors of the RCMI Evaluation Conceptual Model (RCMI-ECM). Evaluation will be guided by our Center’s Logic Model and the RCMI-ECM, with metrics including number of: peer-reviewed publications; peer-reviewed conference presentations; postdoctoral trainees; ESIs; investigator-focused research workshops, seminars, and trainings; community-focused workshops, seminars, and trainings; and, external grant applications. We also will evaluate mentorship quality and satisfaction among ESIs, and will participate in the overall evaluation of RCMIs by the NIMHD.