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
Adobe Reader
In order to access, complete and submit grant applications, applicants must download a Grants.gov compatible version of Adobe Reader. Users can identify and download Grants.gov compatible versions of Adobe Reader by visiting the Download Software page on the Grants.gov Web site.Creating PDFs
NIH requires all text attachments to be submitted as PDF files. Users must have PDF creation software installed in order to create the necessary PDFs. Grants.gov has published a list of recommended PDF Conversion Programs to assist you in obtaining the necessary software. To avoid PDF problems, keep these guidelines in mind.Note: The free Adobe Reader used to complete an application cannot be used to create PDF attachments.
• 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. Please view an overview of steps for registering in both Commons and Grants.gov
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
• 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.
