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The information below applies specifically to NCI. Although the procedures and
policies of other Institutes are similar, there are some differences.
Applicants to other Institutes should check with a program staff member in the
Institute of interest.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact CIP program staff before
submission of an application, particularly for new investigators, or if the
investigator is responding to any NCI program announcements as described below.
Investigator Initiated Grant Application Submission
The principal investigator (PI) initiates an application. Two to three weeks
may be needed for preparation of a small project application, whereas complex
proposals may require as much as a year. An investigator may submit an
application on any topic of his or her choosing.
NCI Competing Continuations Policy for Allowable Budget Levels
Budget requests for direct costs for NCI support competing continuation (type
2) R01 and U01 applications cannot exceed an increase of 20% over the direct
cost award level in the last non-competing (type 5) year. The
Policy Notice (NOT-CA-01-016)
was followed by a clarification
(NOT-CA-01-019).
Program Announcements (PAs) and PARs
PAs describe continuing, new, or expanded program interests for which grant or
cooperative agreement applications are invited. There are usually no set-aside
funds for PAs. They are reviewed with a study section with the Center of
Scientific Review (CSR). PARs, however, are normally reviewed with NCI by
ad-hoc study section. Investigators interested in applying are strongly
encouraged to contact program staff well in advance of the submission date
Requests for Applications (RFAs)
RFAs are issued to invite grant applications in a well-defined scientific area
to stimulate activity in priority areas. There is usually a specific amount of
set-aside funding for an RFA. RFAs are normally reviewed by an ad-hoc study
section within NCI. Investigators interested in applying are strongly
encouraged to contact program staff well in advance of the submission date
Request for Proposals (RFPs)
RFPs are issued to invite grant applications under a contract basis for a
well-defined scientific area to stimulate activity in priority areas.
Procedures for contract applications are more complex than those for grants and
have specific review criteria that include the expectation of deliverables.
There is usually a specific amount of set-aside funding for an RFP. RFPs
normally have a two-tier review system organized within NCI. Investigators
interested in applying are strongly encouraged to contact program staff well in
advance of the submission date
Where to look for Announcements
Program announcements and requests for applications are published in the
NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. PAs, PARs and RFAs relevant to biomedical
imaging can be found in the Funding Opportunities section of this Web site.
The Principal Investigator
The PI, by signing the grant application, accepts responsibility for the
scientific conduct of the project and submission of progress and any other
required reports. The organization is, in turn, legally responsible and
accountable to the NIH for the performance and financial aspects of the
grant-supported activity.
Applying for Large Grants
Policy requires applicants to seek agreement from Institute/Center staff at
least 6 weeks prior to the anticipated submission of any application requesting
$500,000 or more in direct costs for any year (not to include indirect costs of
consortium/contractual agreements). If the requested dollars are significantly
greater than $500,000, then approval should be sought even earlier.
Direct Costs
Allowable direct costs may include:
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Salaries and fringe benefits of principal investigators and supporting staff.
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Expenditures for project-related equipment and supplies.
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Fees and supporting costs for consultant services.
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Expenses for travel beneficial to the research.
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Inpatient and outpatient costs for research subjects, but not routine clinical
costs.
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Necessary alterations and renovations.
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Publications and other miscellaneous expenses.
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Contract services.
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Costs for consortium participants.
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Under the modular grant application and award procedures, applicants request
total direct costs in $25,000 increments up to $250,000 in any year of a
project. For some PARs and RFAs, modular grants are not permitted.
The Peer Review Process
There are three review cycles or "rounds" annually for investigator-initiated
applications. Applications are evaluated for:
Significance:
Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application
are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced? What will be the
effect of these studies on the concepts or methods that drive this field?
Approach:
Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately
developed, well integrated, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does
the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative
tactics?
Innovation:
Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches, or method? Are the aims
original and innovative? Does the project challenge existing paradigms or
develop new methodologies or technologies?
Investigator:
Is the investigator appropriately trained and well suited to carry out this
work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the experience level of the principal
investigator and other researchers (if any)?
Environment:
Does the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to
the probability of success? Do the proposed experiments take advantage of
unique features of the scientific environment or employ useful collaborative
arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional support?
Review Timetable:
About 6 to 8 weeks after the review, applicants will receive their summary
statements along with their priority score and percentile rank. Applicants may
revise and re-submit an application 2 times. New investigators are encouraged
to seek advice from established NIH awardees, and take advantage of courses,
workshops or other materials that teach the art of producing successful
applications. |
