Progress Reports
Many NIMH grants are funded for more than one year. Once the initial award is made, NIMH requires that an annual progress report (aka a non-competing continuation application) be submitted and reviewed by Institute staff. NIMH approval of the progress report is a mandatory step before funds can be released for the next budget period. This page contains information about progress reports. Although written primarily from the perspective of the requirements for R01 progress reports, the information here applies in general to any other NIMH grant mechanisms requiring such a report. Some mechanisms allow the use of the Streamlined Non-competing Award Process (SNAP) that is discussed here also.
- Types of Progress Reports
- Progress Report Due Dates
- Forms and Instructions
- Progress Reports Review Process
- Assessing Scientific Progress
- Tracking Human Subject Usage
- Changes in Human and Animal Subject Usage
- Reporting on Personnel
- Converting to Electronic Submission
Types of Progress Reports
There are three types of progress reports:
- Streamlined noncompeting award process (SNAP).
- Electronic SNAP or eSNAP.
- Non-SNAP.
For most R series awards, use SNAP, which requires you to fill out only certain pages of the PHS 2590 form in addition to the scientific narrative. Your Notice of Grant Award will indicate whether or not the grant is subject to SNAP.
Use a non-SNAP PHS 2590 if your Notice of Grant Award indicates the grant is excluded from SNAP. If you need more help call your program officer, or grants management specialist named in the Commons.
You can send your progress report electronically after your institution registers with the NIH Commons and becomes an eSNAP participant.
Progress Report Due Dates
Due dates for progress reports are dictated by the individual grant. NIH e-mails you two months before the due date and again two weeks after the deadline, if you haven't sent it by then. It is your responsibility to submit these reports in a timely way.
Please note, a late progress report can delay and possibly reduce your award.
Forms and Instructions
For the online forms, go to the PHS 2590 forms and instructions.
Progress Reports Review Process
Unlike the initial request for funding, non-competing continuation applications (i.e. progress reports) are NOT peer reviewed. The Institute staff conducts an administrative review. This review is done in parallel by the program officer and the grants management specialist assigned to your grant. The program officer is responsible for assessing scientific progress on your grant. The grants management specialist conducts a fiscal and regulatory review. There must be agreement from both before the progress report is approved and ready for the next funding period.
Assessing Scientific Progress
The Progress Report contains a "Progress Report Summary" section where the PI is asked to provide a two-page summary of the research accomplishments during the past year. Program Officers treat this section of the Progress Report quite seriously and look to it to provide critical information concerning the continued viability of the project. Please note that you should report ONLY research progress which is directly related to the grant in question. The Progress Report should NOT be used to summarize all research activity in which your lab has engaged in the past year.
Citations may be sent by providing links to a journal. You can also link to your manuscripts at NIH's new public access Web site at National Library of Medicine's PubMed Central. As a PI, you can start uploading your manuscripts now at NIH Manuscript Submission; others may submit them on your behalf.
Tracking Human Subject Usage
If your grant has proposed the use of human subjects, you must include a table which lists the number of human subjects which you have used since the current project period began and you must include a table which shows the breakdown of their gender and minority status.
Changes in Human and Animal Subject Usage
You are required to seek approval for any significant change in the use of human or animal subjects. This includes a change or addition of an animal species to your protocol. Investigators may not engage in research involving human subjects without express approval of the Institute. If your original grant application did not propose the use of human subjects then you MUST contact your program officer and request permission before using grant funds to support such research. Do NOT report your research activities involving human subjects if that research was NOT directly supported by the grant in question.
Reporting on Personnel
A Personnel Report must be completed. This should be a retrospective report of personnel who participated in the project in the past year NOT a report of who you anticipate will be working on the project in the coming year. You are required to report the activity of all key personnel as described in the original grant application as well as those personnel whom you have nominated to replace any key personnel who previously left the project.
Converting to Electronic Submission
Eventually electronic SNAP will become required for all streamlined progress reports.
