From Jim Oris, OARS:

You may not be aware that NIH recently updated criteria for NIH R15 AREA grants. These grants have always been focused on universities that have a relatively small profile at NIH and have an undergraduate component. The new change gives high priority for research with an undergraduate focus. We predicted that this will allow Miami proposals to be more competitive, and now, based on input from Gary Lorigan (who has served on these panels), it appears that our predictions are correct.

More information can be found here. Both Jim and Gary are willing to consult with faculty interested in pursuing this funding mechanism. I would encourage any of you who are considering options for external funding to take a look at this; the next deadline is June 25.