|
National Institutes of Health |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Quick Links
|
CTSA Funding Guidelines: Questions and Answers - September 18, 2007CTSA Links Take Note Q: Should FY 2008 CTSA applicants change anything in their applications between now and the application receipt date, November 7, 2007, based on this information? A: FY 2008 CTSA applicants should continue with their current plans for their applications. The review of each application will be based on the criteria published in the Funding Opportunity Announcement, and consistent with overall CTSA program goals. Program staff will review scope and budgetary issues with successful applicants. In the future, these funding guidelines will be reflected in the CTSA Funding Opportunity Announcements, the first of which will be released in January 2008. Q: Is more support needed to transform clinical and translational research? A: NCRR expects to fulfill the charge to transform clinical and translational research within the current overall budget for the program. At $500 million per year in 2012, the CTSA program represents a significant increase in infrastructure support over the $340 million allocated to pre-existing NIH clinical research resources (i.e., NCRR K12, M01, NIH K30 and Roadmap T32 and K12 programs). Q: Could NCRR award fewer CTSAs at higher funding levels? A: To reach the critical mass necessary to transform clinical and translational research, NCRR projects that 60 CTSAs are needed throughout the United States. Diversity in the size, scope, and geographic location of participating institutions will strengthen the CTSA Consortium and enhance its national and regional collaborations. The optimal balance within the CTSA Consortium will include a few large centers, with the majority being small to medium centers that are distributed across the country. CTSAs have been able to attract funding outside of NIH support, both from within their institutions and from outside sources. Q: Could NCRR delay funding of new CTSA sites until the ability of smaller and larger centers to collaborate in meeting the goals of the CTSA program has been evaluated? A: The CTSA consortium provides resources that clinical and translational researchers have identified as urgently needed. By continuing to expand the Consortium, researchers will have increased access to resources and expertise through national and regional collaborations. Newly funded CTSAs bring great energy and opportunities for additional collaborations and partnerships to the consortium. NCRR is working with external evaluators and advisors to carefully evaluate the national CTSA program. Q: How do you envision the CTSA consortium functioning with variation in the size and scope of the CTSA institutions? A: Since the inception of the CTSA program, NCRR envisioned and encouraged diversity in their size and scope. With a minimum total funding level of $4 million per year, all CTSAs will be able to offer clinical investigators a substantial diversity of resources. Additionally, CTSA sites will be able to leverage the CTSA identity to attract additional collaborations and resources to accomplish their goals. Finally, through participation in Consortium-wide activities, CTSAs will benefit from each others' expertise and best practices. Q: Will the emphasis on pediatric research continue with these funding guidelines? A: Yes. Under the NIH Multi-PI initiative, an institution may still propose a Pediatric PI with direct authority over a separate budget and infrastructure for pediatric clinical research. Q: How will CTSAs provide clinical research support that was previously provided by GCRCs? A: The CTSA program is providing substantially more funding for clinical research than was available under the GCRC program. The CTSA award allows the institution to continue activities that were conducted in the GCRC and add new activities. Q: Will CTSAs be allowed to hold unexpended funds and carry them over to future years? A: Requests for carry forward of funds will continue to be handled in accordance with NIH and NCRR policy. NCRR funds several grant mechanisms, among which are the CTSA Us, Ks, and Ts, that do not have automatic carryover authority. CTSA grantees may continue to submit carryover requests which will be reviewed on a case by case basis taking into account the scientific justification, the plan for the use of funds, the scope of the activity proposed, as well as other factors as described in the NCRR Review of Carryover Requests. Contact InformationFor further information about the Clinical and Translational Science Awards and the CTSA Consortium, please contact:
Anthony R. Hayward, M.D., Ph.D. |
 |
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bethesda, Maryland 20892 |
 |
Department of Health and Human Services |
 |
