Electronic SF424 (R&R) Grant Application Information

Most competing grant applications to NIH require electronic submission. Organizations submit applications via Grants.gov, the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies. The SF424 (R&R) is the standard electronic form used by Grants.gov. Applicants must follow their application through to the eRA Commons, NIH's electronic system for grants administration, to complete the submission process. If you can’t view the application in the Commons, we can't review it!

General SF424 (R&R) Resources

• Electronic Application Process - The most comprehensive and current information regarding the SF424 (R&R) application.
• SF424 (R&R) (R&R) Validations - List of errors and warnings that an applicant may encounter during the validation process, and tips to correct any simple errors.
• NIH Electronic Research Administration (eRA) - eRA systems provide applicants, grantees and federal staff the tools necessary for electronic processing of grants. Used by NIH, AHRQ, CDC, FDA, SAMHSA and the VA, the eRA Commons and IMPAC II systems support the full grants life cycle from receipt to award to closeout.
• eRA Items of Interest - Subscribe to and access archives of eRA notifications and news
• eRA Commons FAQs - The last section pertains to foreign institutions.
• eRA Training - Includes instructional videos, quick tips and pop quizzes.
• Common Questions & Answers for International Applicants [PDF 127K]

Do I need to submit the SF424 (R&R)?

• According to the President's Management Agenda and Public Law 106-107, all federal grants and contracts will eventually be announced and submitted through a single portal Grants.gov. The SF424 (R&R) is the standard electronic form used by Grants.gov for grant applications.
• Grants are transitioned to electronic format based on the type of program. View the Timeline of NIH Transitions to Electronic Submission of Competing Grant Applications [PDF 42K].
• When in doubt, check the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for instructions.
• If your FOA requires electronic submission, the program announcement will have a button that says, "Apply for Grant Electronically." Clicking on that button will bring you to a page that allows you to download both the necessary forms and instructions for that specific FOA.

Updated January 2013

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