Questions and Answers Table of Contents
Which form do I use to apply for
an NIH research grant?
Depending
on whether the grant type you are applying for has made the transition
to electronic submission, use either the PHS
398 or PHS
416-1 paper application or the Grant Application Package in a funding opportunity announcement.
Most grant types -- including research grants such as the R01 and Exploratory/Developmental Grant R21 -- use the electronic application. Eventually, you will apply electronically for all. Go to NIH's Electronic
Submission Timeline for the transition plan. For more on applying, see Applying
for a Grant questions
and answers.
How do I apply for an investigator-initiated
clinical trial grant?
NIAID uses a mandatory, two-step approach to funding
investigator-initiated clinical trials: a Clinical Trial Planning Grant (R34), followed by a
Clinical Trial Implementation Cooperative Agreement (U01). For more information, go to Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials Resources.
Always call an NIAID program
officer before planning a human subjects research application. You'll also have to fulfill Institute-specific
requirements in the NIAID Clinical Terms of Award.
Should I include a cover letter?
Yes. A cover
letter helps the NIH Center
for Scientific Review (CSR) assign your
application to a study
section for initial
peer review and an institute for possible funding. You also can
request these assignments. Go to CSR's Descriptions of Integrated Review Groups, and find advice in Consider Requesting an Institute and Study Section in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
Your cover letter can also provide names of people you don't want to
review your application, e.g., a competitor or someone with whom you
have a long-standing scientific disagreement. Read Do You Need a Cover Letter? in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal for more information.
A cover letter is required for some applications -- read more at the link above.
Where do I send my paper application?
For investigator-initiated applications,
including some program announcements (read the NIH Guide notice
for specifics), send the original plus five copies in one package to:
Center for Scientific Review
National Institutes of Health
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040 - MSC 7710
Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 (Use this ZIP code for the U.S. Postal Service, including express mail.)
Bethesda, MD 20817 (Use this ZIP code for commercial carriers such as FedEx and UPS.)
You cannot hand deliver it; send it by mail
or commercial courier.
How do I send my electronic application?
Read Part 7. Applying in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
When is my application due?
NIH accepts investigator-initiated grants on three receipt dates.
Each request for applications has its own, one-time receipt date.
Be aware that the deadline for T32 and T35 training grants is September 25. This is NIAID's only annual submission date.
Also see How to Submit Electronically on Time and Rules for Late Applications in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
I've heard that NIH doesn't require
PI signatures. Is this true?
Yes. A principal investigator
signature assurance replaces the signature.
See SF 424 (Cover Page) in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
What does CSR do with my application after receiving it?
CSR assigns your application to an integrated review group for initial peer review and an institute or center for funding.
For more information, go to Applications Are Assigned to an Institute and Integrated Review Group in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal, and read CSR's The
Peer Review Process.
How do I know if CSR or an IC will review my application?
NIAID reviews applications for program
projects, cooperative
agreements, career
awards, institutional training
awards, conference
grants, Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trial Planning and Implementation Grants, and applications responding to requests for applications.
CSR reviews investigator-initiated grant applications for all award types except those reviewed in NIAID.
See Who Peer Reviews Your Application? in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
How long will I have to wait for notification
of assignment?
Log in to
the eRA Commons to get this information, which should be ready within seven to ten days after you apply. For more information, go to Applications Are Assigned to an Institute and Integrated Review Group in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
What if I don't like the assignments?
If you are not satisfied with your application's assignments, you can request a change. See Call If You Are Not Satisfied With a CSR Assignment in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
How long will I have to wait for my summary statement?
You will receive a summary
statement through the eRA Commons roughly six to eight weeks after the review meeting, earlier for new investigators. Read When You Can Expect to Hear Back in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
Whom do I contact at NIAID before the initial review of my application?
Call the scientific
review officer of the scientific
review group reviewing your application. For a CSR study section,
go to the Study
Section Roster Index; for an NIAID review group, go to our Scientific
Review Program staff list.
Whom do I contact at NIAID after the review of my application?
Call the program
officer listed on your summary
statement. See When to
Contact an NIAID Program Officer.
What happens if my application receives a fundable score?
NIAID's main advisory Council performs second-level
review and makes a funding recommendation to NIAID. For fundable applications, NIAID's Grants Management Program sends you a Notice of Award. Go to Outcomes of Second-Level Review and read Part 10. Funding Decisions in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
How long will I have to wait for my Notice of Award?
For an R01 application, you will receive your Notice of Award within six to eight weeks of the Council meeting or earlier if it underwent expedited second-level review. Other grant types may take longer. See the NIAID R01 Application to Award Timeline for more timing information, and go to How Long to Get the Grant? in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
You can check for your notice of award in the Status module of the eRA Commons, or you can search Issued Notice of Award.
What should I do if there is a code 44 bar to award?
If you see a code 44 indicating a bar
to award on your summary
statement, contact your program
officer immediately. Read the Bars to Grant Awards SOP for more information on what to do and what you should expect.
What should I do if my application is deferred for funding?
We suggest that you revise and resubmit based on your summary statement and feedback from your program
officer. Go to Is Your Application Deferred for a Funding Decision? in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
What should I do if my application does not receive a fundable score?
Various approaches work best in different situations. Go to Part 11b. Not Funded, Reapply in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal to
determine whether your application's issues are correctable, and what to do next. Also call your program
officer for advice.
How do I submit my noncompeting application?
For either a nonstreamlined or a streamlined noncompeting award, you may submit your application electronically or on paper. Go to Send Us an Annual Progress Report, Submit Your Report Electronically, and Submit Your Report on Paper in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.
What if my question wasn't answered here, or I'd like to suggest a question?
See our main Grants and Contracts page and our All About Grants tutorials.
If you still can't find the answer, email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. We answer questions by email and post them here. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base. |
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