Prepare to Apply
Know Your Role
Select Approach
• Forms-based Submission
• System-to-System
• Service Provider
Obtain Software
• Software FAQ
Register IMPORTANT!
• eRA Commons Registration
• Grants.gov registration
• International Applicants
• Registration FAQ
• Important Tips
Know Your Role
- Definitions of roles in eRA Commons and Grants.gov
- Chart showing Roles of AOR/SO and PI in electronic submission process
Select Approach
An applicant organization will determine how best to submit its application(s) to NIH via Grants.gov. Applicant organizations can choose from one of these three options:
- Grants.gov Forms-based
Submission
Organizations using forms-based submission will rely on the PureEdge forms viewer provided free of charge by Grants.gov.
- System-to-System
Organizations desiring a systems-to-systems approach can work with Grants.gov to develop their own data exchange system (XML datastream)
- Service Provider
Applicant organizations or individuals may choose to establish an agreement with an established commercial company (known as a Service Provider) that has a system-to-system interface with Grants.gov to submit applications on their behalf. Service Providers offer a wide range of platform independent services — from low-cost, single transaction options through full scale, end-to-end grants management solutions. These solutions are an alternative to using Grants.gov’s forms-based approach and offer many benefits including error-checking based on NIH business rules prior to submission and the ability to print the entire application before submission. For information, click on the link below.
Obtain Software
PureEdge
In order to access, complete and submit grant applications, applicants need to download the PureEdge Viewer from Grants.gov.Creating PDFs
NIH requires all text attachments to the PureEdge forms to be submitted as PDF files.
Some type of PDF creation software is needed to create the PDF (the free Adobe Reader will NOT create an Adobe file). Grants.gov has published a list of some available tools and software to assist you http://www.grants.gov/agencies/software.jsp#3.
Note: Attachments generated from PureEdge forms, such as the R&R SubAward Budget Attachment Form, should not be converted to PDF.
Note: To avoid PDF problems, keep these guidelines in mind.Options for Macintosh users
We are anticipating the arrival of the new Grants.gov 2007 solution that is based on Adobe forms and is platform independent. In the meantime, please continue to use the following proven options for Macintosh users:
- NIH-hosted Citrix® servers: allow non-PC users to prepare and submit applications using the PureEdge forms viewer. This service has been used successfully by many applicants over the past year and has the capacity to handle the anticipated load for the electronic submission of R01s in February 2007.
- IBM Workplace Forms (PureEdge) Viewer for Macintosh: Grants.gov provides access to an IBM PureEdge viewer that is compatible with Macs. There are some limitations to the viewer, so we strongly suggest that you read the available documentation carefully before deciding whether using the viewer is a good option for your specific circumstances.
- PC-emulation software: commercially available products allow Mac users to run the PureEdge viewer.
- Commercial Service Providers: offer a wide range of platform independent services - from low-cost, single transaction options through full scale, end-to-end grants management solutions. You should coordinate with your institutions’ grants office to explore these options further.
• Software FAQs
Link to Software FAQs
Register
Prior to submitting a grant application online through Grants.gov to NIH, an applicant organization must complete a one-time registration both at Grants.gov and eRA Commons. Principal Investigators do not have to register at Grants.gov, but must register with Commons.
Registration Requirements for Electronic Submission
DON’T DELAY, REGISTER NOW! Grants.gov eRA Commons CCR 4 registration (requires DUNS #) Obtain and register Grants.gov credentials Authorize Organization Rep. eRA Commons Registration (Org. registration requires DUNS #) Principal Investigators 1, 2, 3 Institutions/ Organizations
1 Principal Investigators (PI) must be affiliated with applicant organization
2 PIs and Signing Officials (SO) need separate accounts in eRA Commons (even if the same person has both roles) because if an SO is given a PI’s role, it overrides the SO’s privileges such as the ability to reject an application, submit Just-In-Time information, etc.
3 Internet Assisted Review (IAR) registration is not enough. PIs must work through their institutions for full eRA Commons registration.
4 New organizations should allow extra time to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Each registration is a multi-step process. Allow for 2-4 weeks to complete these registrations.
New businesses [i.e. those applying to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to complete the CCR registration] should start the process at least two months (eight weeks) prior to the grant submission date.• eRA Commons Registration
The applicant organization registers in Commons. The Principal Investigator registers in Commons through the organization’s Authorized Organizational Representative (also known as the Signing Official).
- Register in Commons
- Detailed steps for Commons registration (PDF - 48 KB)
- NIH demo on registering in Commons
- To check if the organization is already registered, go to the List of Commons Registered Organizations
- eRA Commons Help Desk
Web: http://ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eRA/ (Preferred method of contact)
Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552
Phone: 301-402-7469
TTY: 301-451-5939
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time• Grants.gov registration
Grants.gov requires a one-time registration by the applicant organization.
Note: Special instructions for foreign organizations are denoted by a globe icon.
- Grants.gov Registration Instructions for Domestic and Foreign Organizations
- Link to Get Registered (Grants.gov website)
- Flow chart of Grants.gov Registration Process (PDF - 25 KB)
- Grants.gov Contact Center
Toll-free: 1-800-518-4726
Hours : Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
Email:support@grants.gov• International Applicants
- Common Questions & Answers for International Applicants (PDF - 36 KB)
- Contact Support for International Applicants (PDF - 30 KB)
• Registration FAQs
Link to Registration FAQs
• Important tips
- All Applicant Organizations need to be registered in Grants.gov and the NIH Commons well in advance of the submission date.
- If an applicant has started the eRA Commons registration process at least two weeks in advance of the submission date, NIH will consider it a “good faith” effort to prepare for electronic submission and the applicant will not be penalized for any NIH-caused registration processing delay.
- If an applicant organization does not have a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN), allow for extra time to complete registration with Grants.gov. Since Oct. 30, 2005, the CCR also validates the EIN against Internal Revenue Service records [See http://www.bpn.gov/]. In such instances, start the registration process at least two months (eight weeks) before the grant submission date.
- Applicant Organizations need to obtain a DUNS number and register with the Central Contract Registration before they can register with Grants.gov.
- Principal Investigators do NOT need to register in Grants.gov but MUST be registered in the NIH eRA Commons prior to electronic submission of an application.
- SOs must update their Institutional Profile in Commons
- PIs must update their Personal Profile in Commons
- The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Institutional Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov.
- NIH requires the Principal Investigator to fill in his or her Commons User ID in the PD/PI section Credential log-in field on the Senior/Key Person Profile Component.