The NIH recognizes a unique and compelling need to promote diversity in the NIH­funded biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences workforce. The NHLBI, part of the NIH, expects efforts to diversify the workforce to lead to the recruitment of the most talented researchers from all groups, improve the quality of the educational and training environment, balance and broaden the perspective in setting research priorities, improve the ability to recruit subjects from diverse backgrounds into clinical research protocols, and improve the Nation’s capacity to address and eliminate health disparities. The NHLBI provides global leadership for research, training, and education programs to promote the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or hematologic diseases and sleep disorders and enhance the health of all individuals so that they can live longer and more fulfilling lives. The NHLBI recognizes a critical need to address national and global health disparities that disproportionately burden racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and disadvantaged populations. The Institute also has a long history of supporting biomedical, behavioral, and clinical and social sciences research and training to address cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases and sleep disorders in these communities. Significant progress has been made in health outcomes. Recent years have also brought improvements in health disparities, although racial and ethnic minorities still lag in many areas including overall life expectancy. The health disparity populations are more likely to suffer from a host of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, asthma, and kidney disease. Thus, the NHLBI remains committed to addressing health disparity gaps in areas critical to the NHLBI scientific mission.