What do I need to know before submitting a clinical research application?

Information in the remainder of this section should help to answer many of your questions about submitting a clinical research application.  NHLBI staff are available to speak with you about your ideas or to guide you through policies or processes that may be confusing.  Feel free to contact any staff member.  This is not an imposition – it is part of our mission to help facilitate research of all kinds.  If the person that you originally contacted cannot help you, he or she will connect you with someone who can.  (See “Which NHLBI staff can help me?")

In general, it takes sufficient time and organization to write a grant application. Writing can take 3-6 months depending on many factors. From the time it is received at NIH, it can take approximately 9 more months until you get funded. NIAID has prepared a Timeline to help you in your preparations.

Information on general grants issues and clinical research can be found on various NIH and NHLBI websites.  Here are a few to help you get started:

The NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) provides information on funding opportunities, grants policy, forms and deadlines. The OER Human Subjects Web Site: FAQs from Applicants is another good source of information.   

NHLBI provides additional information on Funding, Training and Policies that may be applicable to NHLBI-funded research.