NIH Grant Cycle: Advice Index

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This page summarizes the advice in NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal. Go to the linked pages for our complete advice and explanation of NIH application and grants processes.

Start Here

Start Here gives you a framework for using the NIAID Grants Cycle.

• Get a Grip on Timing
  • Allow plenty of time to research your topic, write your application, incorporate input from colleagues, prepare a final draft, fill out forms, submit your application to Grants.gov, and get through NIH checks.
• Contact Staff for Help
  • Contact a program officer while you are early in the planning stage. Program staff can assess the Institute's enthusiasm about your research area and explain special application requirements.

Part 1. Qualifying for a Grant

Part 1. Qualifying for a Grant explains how to qualify for different grant types, fit in at NIH and elsewhere, and meet your institution's expectations.

• Where Does Your Research Belong?
  • Check Around NIH, NIAID, and Other Funding Sources to see where your research fits. Go to Institutes, Centers, and Offices, visit our List of Foundations and Other Funding Sources, and ask a program officer about high-priority areas of research.
  • It can be advantageous to do some homework and find an institute that is enthusiastic about your project before you apply.
• You and Your Institution
  • Get to Know Your Institution's Expectations and Contacts. Talk to people in your institution's business office to learn your institution's expectations and its key contacts. Find out the answers to the following questions:
    • What level of investigator may apply for independent funding?
    • What are the internal procedures and deadlines for applying?
    • What level of institutional support can you expect?
    • What types of resources does your institution have?

Part 2. Game Plan

Part 2. Game Plan gives you a strategy for pursuing your research and helps you decide whether to submit an investigator-initiated application or respond to an institute initiative.

• Start to Finish: How Long Will It Take?
  • Be Prepared for a Long Journey.
    • If you are a new investigator, plan to spend two months or more of dedicated time to prepare an R01 application.
    • It can take from 5 to 18 months after the receipt date to get an award, 3 months less for AIDS applications, assuming you succeed.
• What's Your Game Plan?
  • Look Way Down the Road, But Decide How Far to Go in the Next Few Years.
    • Based on the research you're doing, plan your goals for ten years or more.
    • Then split them into smaller projects that you could complete in three to five years.
    • Narrow the scope of each application so you can complete your project with the time and resources you request.
• Which Award Type Suits You Best?
  • Get Expert Guidance. Do not choose a grant type on your own. Talk to your program officer, experienced investigators in your institution, and your institution's sponsored research staff. Note the complexities involved in this decision:
    • Not all institutes participate in all grant mechanisms.
    • Different institutes or initiatives may have different requirements for the same mechanism.
    • Institutes might participate in a mechanism but only in certain areas of science.
    • With those caveats in mind, learn about the R01, R03, and R21.
• About Picking a Topic
  • Try This Approach When Choosing a Topic.
    • Have first-hand experience in the area of science and most methods (you can recruit collaborators to fill some gaps).
    • Take your scope and goals into consideration.
    • Make sure your topic is significant, and your hypothesis is testable.
    • Make sure your topic is unique.
    • Look at NIAID priorities.
    • Make sure your idea is not too broad.
    • Fit NIH's public health mission.
• Steps to Choose a Topic
  • Explore the Field, Ask Questions, Develop a Hypothesis.
    • Assess your field for gaps. Check the literature to see if the topic has already been done.
    • Contact an NIAID program officer in charge of your area of science for an opinion of your idea and get others.
    • Write a one-sentence hypothesis for a topic to explore.
    • Refine your hypotheses.
    • Assess what work is feasible for you to accomplish based on your experience and resources.
• Create a Solid Hypothesis
  • Keep Your Hypothesis Focused.
    • Narrow your idea down to one hypothesis.
    • Choose an important, testable, focused hypothesis that increases understanding of biologic processes, diseases, treatments, or preventions and is based on previous research.
    • See if your hypothesis matches any of NIAID's high-priority areas: go to our NIH Funding Opportunities Relevant to NIAID and Concepts: Potential Opportunities.
• Application Approach: What Are Your Choices?
  • Capitalize on Your Strengths.
    • Whatever approach you choose, stay within your area of expertise. Your chance of success depends on your proficiency in a research area.
    • Decide whether to apply with an investigator-initiated application or respond to an NIAID high-priority initiative.
    • If your expertise and plans cannot fit an institute initiative, blend the two approaches: use a high-priority topic as the basis for an investigator-initiated application.
    • Keep in mind that NIAID may have priorities that are not published initiatives -- find out what they are from your program officer.
    • Read this section for more information.
• When Will You Apply?
  • You may want to work backward to determine when you want to be funded, when you have to start preparing, and how long the process will take. Use NIAID R01 Application to Award Timeline to see time frames for each review cycle.

Part 3. Define Your Project

• Think About Scope, Amount, and Effort
  • Less Is More.
    • Propose an amount of work you can accomplish within the time and resources you request. Think about overestimating time and underestimating work.
    • Know how to gauge your budget request.
    • Be careful not to spread yourself too thin in terms of level of effort.
• Will Your Research Have Special Requirements?
  • Try to Avoid Five Complicated Areas.
    • If possible, avoid using human subjects, vertebrate animals, select agents, stem cells, or rDNA.
    • These activities involve a host of application and reporting requirements.
• Decide the Involvement of Others
  • Find People to Lend Their Expertise.
    • Rely on consultants and collaborators.
    • A well-known, respected name will help you fill in gaps in your expertise and add credibility to your application.
• Take Heed -- You Might Want to Avoid a Multiple PI Application
  • Proceed With Caution!
    • Multiple PI applications are more complex.
    • Early evidence shows they are also less successful than single PI applications.
    • Use a multiple PI application only if you could not do your work without the other investigator.
    • Read this section for more information.

Part 4. Target Your Audience

• Write to Your Audience
  • Put the Primary Reviewer First, But Get Everyone's Attention.
    • Sell your application to reviewers. Convince reviewers that your proposal is important, your approach is logical and innovative, you have the resources to do the job, and you and your collaborators are qualified to accomplish the research.
    • Generate enthusiasm for your idea.
    • Win over the primary reviewer, who will act as your advocate in guiding the group's discussions.
    • Read Part 4. Target Your Audience and Part 5. Research Plan to learn how to write an application that will turn your assigned reviewers into your allies and advocates.
    • Capture reviewers' attention by making a strong case for why NIH should fund you.
    • Please reviewers by citing their work if it's relevant.
• Don't Propose Too Much or Be Too Innovative
  • Be Careful of How Much You Propose and How Innovative You Are.
    • Make sure the scope of your project matches the time and resources you request.
    • Beware of being too innovative. The "innovation" peer review criterion can be tricky to factor into your proposal.
• Balance the Technical and Nontechnical
  • Consider Our Two Approaches. Since not all reviewers will know your field as well as you, try one of two writing approaches:
    • Approach 1: Keep the Abstract, Background and Significance, and Specific Aims simple and nontechnical, but provide details in the Research Design and Methods -- Writing.
    • Approach 2: Include both technical and nontechnical information throughout your application.
• Plan and Organize Effectively
• Organize Sections.
  • Label your sections to follow the order described in the Grant Application Guide for your Grant Application Package.
  • Within that structure, pick one of several methods of organization for different sections of the application, or combine them effectively. You can organize by:
    • Order of your experiments in the methods section.
    • NIH review criteria.
    • More and less technical material.
• Write, Edit, and Proof Like a Pro
  • Keep Your Writing Streamlined.
    • Make it easy to read.
    • Prepare a well-organized, visually appealing application that builds on simple sentence structures (subject, verb, and object).
    • Keep related ideas together and use transitions to introduce new ideas.
    • If writing is not your forte, get help!
• Make Life Easy for Reviewers
  • Make Reviewers Want to Read Your Application.
    • Divide into sections with ample white space, clear headers, and short paragraphs.
    • Label all materials clearly.
    • Guide reviewers with graphics.
    • Edit and proof.
• Know These Review Problems and Solutions
  • Stay Free of Common Traps.
    • Write persuasively.
    • Assume your reviewers aren't familiar with your methods, don't get the significance of your research, and haven't seen the credentials of your lab.

Part 5. Research Plan

• Typical Order for Writing an Application
  • Think of Each Section as Part of an Integrated Whole.
    • As you design your project, continuously readjust other application sections.
    • For example, your Specific Aims, methods, personnel, and other sections tie into your budget, which must stay appropriate for your grant type and career stage.
• Design Your Research Plan
  • Convince Reviewers of Five Key Points.
    • Your hypothesis is sound and important.
    • Your Specific Aims are logical and feasible.
    • You understand potential problems.
    • You can analyze the data.
    • You are the ideal candidate to perform this research.
• General Tips for a Successful Research Plan
  • Think About Streamlining, Graphics, References, and More.
    • Streamline your research plan. Don't add anything you don't plan to do.
    • Include graphics and timetables.
    • Leave out confidential information unless you have submitted a patent application. Read more in this section.
    • Don't write an introduction for a new application.
    • Reference all relevant literature. Read more in this section.
• Start With Specific Aims
  • Know the Purpose, Scope, and Audience.
    • Your Specific Aims describe well-focused objectives and milestones and test your hypothesis.
    • You should probably limit your proposal to three or four Specific Aims.
    • Have no more than one or two sets of experiments for each aim. If you need more, reorganize.
    • Think of this section as an expanded table of contents for your methods.
      • List each Specific Aim as a bold header.
    • Under the header, list experiments you plan to accomplish, and briefly state how the aim will help prove your hypothesis.
    • Write this section for all peer reviewers. Use terms a broad audience can understand.
    • Rewrite your draft aims as you work out the details of your Research Plan.
    • If you are applying for more than one grant, make sure the Specific Aims differ.
• Preliminary Studies/Progress Report
  • Present Your Data, and Show You Know What They Mean.
    • Provide preliminary data and analysis that show you can handle the technologies, understand the methods, and interpret the results.
    • Read more in this section.
• Research Design and Methods -- Writing
  • Be Detailed, Provide a Timeline, and Use Consultants.
    • For each Specific Aim, spell out what you propose to do, how long it will take, and what resources you will need.
      • Include the results you expect and their significance.
      • Describe each method and experiment in detail.
      • Give criteria for success.
      • People or roles and staff hours needed.
    • Give a timeline that shows how and when you will accomplish your Specific Aims, including any overlap of experiments and alternative paths.
    • Consider relying on consultants to fill in needed expertise.
• Keep Track of People, Resources, and Timing
  • Note Who, What, and How Much Time. Keep a running tab of the following:
  • Who. A list of people will help you with your Key Personnel section later.
  • What. List equipment and supplies for the experiments you plan.
  • Time. Timing directly affects your budget as well as how many Specific Aims you can realistically achieve. Design your experiments, remembering the time required.
  • Use this information to justify your budget and create other sections.
• If Your Application Has Multiple PIs
  • Consider These Points About Multiple PI Applications.
    • Each PI must have a documented leadership role.
    • You must include a Multiple PI Leadership Plan. Read more in this section.
• Where to Add Consortium and Contractual Information
  • Get Help, Send a Sample Letter.
    • Ask your institution's grant office to help you determine whether you need a consortium or other agreement.
    • Send your consultants a sample letter they can return to you with their signature.
• Research Design and Methods -- Evaluating
  • Ask Yourself Some Key Questions. Review your application critically:
    • Do your Specific Aims address your hypothesis?
    • Did you convince reviewers you chose the right methods?
    • Did you comply with NIAID requirements?
    • Did you define the criteria for success or failure?
  • Read this section for a full list.
• Background and Significance
  • Put the significance of the research in context with the current state of the field and your long-term research plans.
  • Show That You're Qualified and Have an Innovative Idea.
    • Reveal that you are intimately familiar with the field and you are uniquely qualified to do the research.
    • If your project is highly innovative, state why you are challenging the existing paradigm.

Part 6. Other Application Sections

• Tips for Other Form Components
  • Our Advice: Make Sure Your Application Is Consistent.
    • Some information, such as key personnel, appears on more than one form.
    • Make sure all information is consistent with your Research Plan.
    • Learn how to keep a running tab as you create your Research Plan in Keep Track of People, Resources, and Timing.
• Other Project Information Form: Bibliography and References Cited
  • Your list should probably have fewer than around 100 citations, but keep in mind that this section helps show your breadth of knowledge in the field.
• Other Project Information Form: Facilities, Resources, and Equipment
  • Make a Case for Your Resources.
    • Convince reviewers you have the equipment, space, staff, facilities, time, and institutional support necessary to conduct your research.
    • Show that your institution provides the support you need, and your project does not demand excessive amounts of your time.
• Strategy for Planning a Budget
  • Know How Much Money to Request.
    • Request only enough money to do the work.
    • Salaries will be about 60 to 80 percent of the total request.
• Develop a Modular Budget
  • If you've never done this before, get help. Reviewers will judge your competence partly by how well your funding request matches the scope of the project.
• Create Your Budget
  • If your budget is ballooning out of scale for your grant type and career stage, consider cutting back experiments or Specific Aims to trim costs.
  • Steer Clear of Asking Money for Equipment at Hand.
    • Justify all equipment costs.
    • Unless you explain why, don't request funds for equipment or resources you've listed as available.
• SF 424 (Cover Page)
  • Contact Your Business Office Early; Choose the Right Title.
    • Visit the people in your business office early.
    • See what information they need and how much time they'll need to review, add information to, and sign your application.
  • Your title and Abstract affect how NIH will assign your application and report your research dollars to Congress.
    • Make your title specific, detailed, and unique.
    • Make sure your title has proper keywords so NIH referral staff will assign your application appropriately.
    • For a renewal application, you usually keep the same title. But you may want to change it if your research is going in a new direction or has a significant change in scope. Read more in Part 12. Renewal Application.
    • If your application is a revision (competing supplement), keep the same title.
• Project Summary/Abstract and Project Narrative
  • Be Brief, Pick Proper Keywords, and Use Lay Language. You can affect the assignment to an institute and peer review study section or integrated review group with the keywords you use in this section.
  • For your Project Summary/Abstract, follow this advice:
    • Write a succinct summary of your project that both a scientist and a lay person can understand.
    • Describe the importance of your research to your field and relevance to NIAID's mission.
    • State your hypothesis, Specific Aims, design and methods, and long-term objectives.
    • Don't include confidential or proprietary information in the abstract.
    • Include keywords that will get your application assigned to the appropriate institute and peer review group.
  • For your Project Narrative, use lay language to describe your project's potential to improve public health.
• Last Steps After You Finish Writing
  • Allow Time For Checks, Get Help to Make It Perfect.
    • Ask the following questions to determine if you should revise:
      • Is the budget within an appropriate range for your career stage, grant type, and research?
      • Can you realistically achieve the Specific Aims proposed within the budget and timeframe?
      • Do you have a strong Research Plan?
    • Look at your application from the perspective of a peer reviewer.
    • Take a break, then perform a substantive edit.
    • Get help from others -- have your peers review the application.
    • Perform a final edit -- make it letter perfect.
• Do You Need a Cover Letter?
  • Know What a Cover Letter Can Do for You. A cover letter helps do the following:
    • Exclude people who should not review your application, and give the reason why.
    • Request assignment from the Center for Scientific Review to a study section and institute.
    • List expertise needed to understand and review your application.
    • Note approval letters.
    • State that you are an appointed (not ad hoc) member of an NIH study section submitting at a nonstandard time.
    • Point out RFAs and PAs.
    • Note areas with additional requirements, such as human subjects or select agents.
• Consider Requesting an Institute and Study Section
  • Tell NIH Where You Want Your Application to Go. Think about requesting assignment to an institute and study section or integrated review group.
• Requesting an Institute
• Check Around to See Where Your Application Might Fit.
  • Check the areas in which institutes are participating in requests for applications and program announcements.
  • Talk to a program officer before requesting assignment to an institute.
• Requesting a Study Section
  • Get to Know Study Sections.
    • Try to get your application assigned to a study section where some members know your or a collaborator's work and potential.
    • Look up study section members at CSR Study Section Roster Index, and cite their work if relevant.
• You Will Send Some Materials "Just-in-Time"
  • Prepare Your Just-in-Time Information Early.
    • Have your information ready well before we make the award.
    • You may want to start preparing it when writing the application.
    • Do not submit other support (called current and pending support in the Grant Application Package) with your application.
    • Don't confuse research support with other support.

Part 7. Applying

• How to Submit Electronically on Time
  • Get Your Application in Early.
    • Avoid crunch times -- apply at least two days before the deadline. You may want to plan for more time to pass validations.
    • NIH applicants and those from other agencies can bog down Grants.gov's resources. There may be overlapping submission dates you don't know about.
• About Validations
  • Don't expect a validation to spot content issues, for example, a missing data table from your Research Plan. To bypass problems, plan ahead.
• If Your Application Doesn't Pass Grants.gov Validation
  • Look at the Deadline When Deciding What to Do.
    • Before the deadline: correct the issues and have your AOR submit a new application at least two days before the deadline.
    • After the deadline: unless you can get an exception (which is very rare), correct the issues and apply for the next receipt date, if any.
• Next Step: eRA Commons Validation
  • Check Application Status, Know What Errors and Warnings Mean for You.
    • Don't wait for the confirmation email Commons sends you when you get through validation.
    • You, your signing official, or any assistants should check the application's status in the Commons.
    • Review NIH's Errors and Warnings (Validations).
• If Commons Validation Returns an Error
  • Ask Yourself, "To Send or Not to Send" a Corrected Version. Send a corrected application only in the following situations:
    • The deadline hasn't passed, and you have time to get it through Grants.gov validations before the deadline.
    • The deadline has passed, and you wish to take advantage of the two-business-day correction window to make corrections that address validation errors or warnings.
    • After end of correction window, if you qualify for a rare exception under the Rules for Late Applications.
• If Your Application Passes Commons Validation
  • No Matter What, Check the Image to Determine If You Want to Correct.
    • Don't assume your application is in good shape.
    • Commons creates an image even if your application has warnings -- and that image may have other problems you'll need to correct.
• If You Want to Correct After Passing Commons Validation
  • If You Plan to Correct, Consider the Timing and Severity of the Issue.
    • Timing corrections can be tricky.
    • Read more in If You Want to Correct After Passing Commons Validation.
• Should You Withdraw the Application?
  • Consider Withdrawing.
    • Balance the severity of the problems with the amount of time you have to fix them or with time lost if you wait four months for the next receipt date.
    • If your application is not up to snuff, withdraw it.
  • Proceed With Caution When Deadline Is Imminent.
    • After your application is withdrawn, you no longer have an active application in the system.
    • You have the same disadvantages as anyone who applies at the last minute.
    • Allow at least two days to get your corrected application back through the system.

Part 8. Assignment and Review

• Call If You Are Not Satisfied With a CSR Assignment
  • Change an Assignment You Don't Like. If you spot conflicts of interest or other issues, contact the scientific review officer (SRO) promptly to discuss.
• You May Be Able to Send in Additional Data
  • Address Issues With Your SRO.
    • Contact the SRO if you discover your application has content issues, such as missing pages.
    • If you've gathered additional data between the time you submitted and the review, you may be allowed to send it.
• Who Peer Reviews Your Application?
  • Know Who's Who in Peer Review.
    • Know the key people involved in the peer review.
    • If you're in a sizable research institution, find out which people are active or former reviewers. You may want to ask them for advice about writing your application.
• Basic Layout of Initial Peer Review
  • Know What Happens During Peer Review.
    • Learn about the initial peer review from our site and CSR.
    • Find out if your program officer plans to attend the meeting.
• If Your Application Scores Above the Payline or Is Unscored
  • If Problems Are Fixable, Start Revising Quickly.
    • If your application missed the payline or is unscored and its faults are fixable, we advise you to start revising as soon as you can. You may not have much time left to revise after you get the summary statement.
    • Before you can decide whether to revise, you need to determine if the problems are fixable -- read Part 11b. Not Funded, Reapply.
• Know What a Summary Statement Means
• Contact the NIAID program officer listed on the summary statement. Ask whether your application is likely to be funded and whether he or she can give you more feedback from the review if funding is not on the horizon.
• Prepare Your Other Just-in-Time Information
  • Get Other Support Information Ready Well Before We Make the Award.

Part 9. Second-Level Review

Part 10. Funding Decisions

• NIAID May Approve Special Funding
  • Don't Bet on Selective Pay.
    • Even if your application is nominated, Council may not approve it.
    • Even if Council approves it, we may not fund it right away.
    • Even if we might pay it at the end of the fiscal year.
• Is Your Application Deferred for a Funding Decision?
  • Move Ahead, Don't Wait for Possible Year-End Funding.
    • If your application is deferred for potential funding at the end of the fiscal year, don't wait for that possibility.
    • Revise and resubmit based on review feedback; add more preliminary data if you have it.
    • Make sure your just-in-time information is ready.

Part 11a. Managing Your Grant

Part 11b. Not Funded, Reapply

Part 12. Renewal Application

• Renewal Strategy
  • Have a Plan Well Before Your Grant Ends. When developing a strategy to continue funding, answer these questions:
    • Will I continue the current project at roughly the same level of resources?
    • When should I apply?
    • How will I maintain funding if I don't succeed on the first try?
• Renewal or New Application?
• Ponder Several Points. When deciding, consider your situation and the science; then contact your program officer for advice.
• Apply with a renewal if you . . .
• Plan a logical continuation of the previous project using the same funding mechanism. Make sure the Specific Aims of your next application differ from those of your current grant.
• Have made progress and accomplished some of your Specific Aims.
• Submitted under a request for applications and the bullets above apply.
• Apply with a new application if you . . .
• Want to significantly change or expand the scope of your research. See next section.
• Want to start over with a new idea.
• Want to use a new funding mechanism.
• Applied under a request for applications and the bullets above apply.
• Some applicants subdivide their project into two applications: one for the new work and a renewal to continue the existing research. State in your cover letter that you are using that approach.
• Read What Qualifies as a New Application?
• Timing Your Application

• Apply When Truly Ready, Plan for a Resubmission.
• Gain Time to Revise and Resubmit. Applying early gives you time to revise and resubmit if you do not get a fundable score.
• Apply When Truly Ready. If you are comfortable with your data and progress and the complexity of the project, submit your application one or more review cycles earlier than the last possible receipt date to continue funding without a break.
• When to Consider a Delay. In some cases, waiting to apply so you can spend more time polishing your application is a better strategy than rushing to meet a receipt date, and the delay may have a small impact on timing. Read this section for details.
• Considerations for Applying Early
  • Weigh the Pros and Cons of Applying Early. Your choice depends on your situation. Weigh the pros and cons, and contact your program officer for advice.
  • If your grant ends in the next fiscal year, we will make the award at that time if it is within the next fiscal year’s payline. We cannot fund the new grant until shortly before the old one ends.
    • Pros
      • If you apply early, you can get earlier feedback on your application.
      • You can gain time to revise and resubmit if you do not get a fundable score.
    • Cons
      • If you apply before your research has yielded significant results, you could use up the initial goodwill of the reviewers.
      • Your application will be affected by the next fiscal year's payline. You have no budget information for the year in which your application would be funded.
• No Time Limits . . . But

• Prepare a New Application If Your Research Is No Longer Current, when you have a gap between projects.
• If the research is still current with the latest science, include the following points:
  • Explain that your planned research is in sync with the science of your field.
  • State what you have done during the hiatus.
  • Highlight any new preliminary data.
• Renewal How To
  • Know These Do's and Don'ts.
    • Avoid a gap. Apply early enough before the end of your grant so you have no break in funding.
    • Get preliminary data.
    • Revisit the science. Make sure it reflects the latest research in your field. Review your Research Plan, especially Background and Significance.
    • Show progress, keeping in mind that you don't have to do everything you promised.
    • Revise even if your R01 application is nominated for selective pay.
    • Keep up with your peers. Assess what the outside world (including the reviewers) thinks of your research.
    • Publish before you apply.
• How to Fill Out the Forms for a Renewal
  • Change Title If Needed, But Let NIH Know You're Submitting a Renewal.
    • You may use a different title if it's a better fit.
    • Check the renewal box in the checklist and enter your grant number.
• Planning a Budget
  • Factor in the budget cap when planning your budget. NIAID rarely makes exceptions to the cap, and you are taking a risk if you expect that to happen.
• Strategies for Dealing With a Budget Cap
  • Ask for Enough Money.
    • Always request a budget level needed to adequately fund the science.
    • If you can't get the funding level you need, submit a second application to fund the rest of your work. Talk to your program officer, and read about your options in this section.
• When Funding Is Tight
  • Be Prepared.
  • Keep expectations modest. Scale back plans.
    • Don't increase your budget by more than 20 percent of the direct costs of the preceding award, since it's very unlikely that you will get more. If that strategy can meet your needs, you won't waste time planning a big expansion.
    • If you need more funds for your research, write another application.
    • Call your program officer for advice.
  • Keep the ball moving. Try to apply in plenty of time to resubmit if you need to, and most people do. Read How should I time the preparation of my renewal application? and subsequent questions in Renewal Application questions and answers.
  • Stay real. Funding is always dependent on budget constraints, so keep your budgets trim and awards at a reasonable number. If you already have a lot of funding, some peer reviewers may factor that into the review.
• Staying Funded
  • Take Our Tips and Get More Ideas From Other Researchers.
    • Renewing a grant is a big challenge for many first-time PIs who often find themselves running out of money as they revise and resubmit a renewal application.
    • Experienced investigators can suggest different approaches to staying funded.
    • Learn our Strategy to Keep Funds Flowing.