SUMMARY – ADMINISTRATIVE CORE The Administrative Core (AC) will manage, coordinate, and support RCMI program activities. Working closely with the RCMI Coordinating Center and directed by three MPIs, the AC will provide administrative and logistical support to assure core directors and faculty are fully engaged in communicating and building strategic partnerships. The integrative leadership structure is purposely designed to ensure that core activities are successfully implemented in a seamless and cohesive manner. This is accomplished by identifying and deploying relevant resources and implementing common metrics all focused on optimizing the institutional research infrastructure that drives PI productivity. The AC will accomplish the following aims: Aim 1. To provide effective leadership in managing the key activities of the RCMI program. The AC management team will consist of three MPIs, Core Directors, and Program Managers. The AC will have monthly meetings to review progress, identify problems, discuss and implement solutions and improvement plans to ensure that each program goal is achieved as measured by assessment milestones; In addition, working with Xavier’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), the AC will manage, review and approve all human subjects research conducted within RCMI. Aim 2. To implement processes for efficient use of the research capacity core facilities. The AC will have regular meetings with the core faculty expertise group to review core operations, policies and procedures. Quarterly core service surveys and quarterly core service reports will be collected which track user satisfaction, core efficiency, and outcomes as measured by core-citing publications and grant applications with core participation. Aim 3. To provide administrative assistance in developing successful grant proposals for external support. The AC will work collaboratively with Xavier’s ORSP to provide a unified research faculty support mechanism focused on increasing the volume of extramural grants and contracts applications. In a highly coordinated effort, ORSP and AC staff will identify potential funding sources, provide professional proposal review, provide financial and logistic support to a network of mentors for pilot projects and early-stage investigators in developing grantsmanship, and assist faculty in the administration of their grants; Aim 4. To promote and facilitate the recruitment, development and retention of a diverse pool of investigators actively engaged in health disparities research. The AC will work with academic administrators to promote the recruitment of minority faculty and through the Investigator Development Core, assist in acquiring the resources early-stage faculty need and finding for them collaborators and mentors. Aim 5. To implement the RCMI Program evaluation plan. The AC will coordinate with the RCMI Advisory Committee, the Community Advisory Board, and the Independent Evaluator to implement the compreh...