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Questions and Answers Table of Contents

What does "resetting a grant start date" mean?
Is shortening the grant year NIH-wide or only for NIAID?

Why does NIAID reset grant start dates?

When NIAID resets grant start dates, which grants are affected?
What is the budget impact of resetting grant start dates?
Can you give me an example of how this will affect due dates for progress reports and for reapplying?
What are the advantages of applying earlier?
How does NIAID announce this policy?
How will this policy affect a two-year grant?
What if my question wasn't answered here, or I'd like to suggest a question?

What does "resetting a grant start date" mean?

Resetting a grant's start date means NIAID shortens the duration of the first year of your grant. The date for the beginning of year two then becomes your new anniversary date for future events, such as the due date for your progress report and time to resubmit your renewal application.

Is shortening the grant year NIH-wide or only for NIAID?

Resetting grant start dates is an NIAID policy. To find out how other institutes manage their grants, contact your grants management specialist there.

Why does NIAID reset grant start dates?

NIAID may reset start dates for competing applications to help correct an imbalance in the number of grants awarded in the third and fourth quarters of the fiscal year.

This move ensures that we have the staff to handle the grants workload by avoiding an end-of-fiscal-year crunch. It also lets us address Congress's concerns about grant numbers, costs, and outlay rates.

Because we award only 20 to 25 percent of competing grants in any fiscal year, it takes four to five years to redistribute the portfolio.

When NIAID resets grant start dates, which grants are affected?

It can vary, but in FY 2005, we reset start dates for R01, MERIT award, program project, and cooperative agreement applications approved for four or five years.

What is the budget impact of resetting grant start dates?

If your grant is one of those affected, you will be subject to one of two procedures, depending on the start date of your award.

Three-Month Rollback

  • Awards with start dates of April 1 through July 1.
  • Applies to unsolicited and PA/PAR R01, MERIT award, program project, and cooperative agreement applications.
  • Anniversary date set back three months.
  • Three-month reduction in first year for personnel costs only.

Six-Month Rollback

  • Awards with start dates of mid-July or later.
  • Applies to unsolicited and PA/PAR R01, MERIT award, program project, and cooperative agreement applications and those responding to an RFA.
  • Anniversary date set back six months.
  • Six-month reduction in first year affecting all recurring cost budget categories except travel, equipment, and alterations and renovations. Equipment and A&R will be fully funded at the scientific review group-recommended level. Travel will be reduced; please discuss with your grants management specialist.

Can you give me an example of how this will affect due dates for progress reports and for reapplying?

If your new anniversary date is reset to March 1, your progress report will be due on January 15 if it's eSNAP or January 2 for non-eSNAP. (Progress reports are due 45 days before a grant's anniversary date for eSNAP applications, 60 days for non-eSNAP.)

To renew a four-year grant ending on February 28, submit your renewal application for the July 1 renewal submission deadline at the latest. But earlier is better -- see the next question.

What are the advantages of applying earlier?

You can mitigate some of the effects of having your anniversary date reset by applying earlier. Submitting your application to NIH earlier is a good strategy in general, one that has long been used by savvy investigators. See our Early Grant Awards questions and answers for more information.

How does NIAID announce this policy?

For years we reset grant start dates, we announce the policy in a NIAID Funding News article. We will also contact you if your grant is affected.

Will this policy affect a two-year grant?

No. NIAID resets start dates for grants awarded for four and five years only.

What if my question wasn't answered here, or I'd like to suggest a question?

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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