Application Information
Grants Process for Beginners
Application Information
- NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
- How to Apply - Application Guide (including the latest application instructions)
- Preview of FORMS-I Application Form and Training Data Table 2025 Changes
- Deadline times are based on where the submitting institution is located, not the current location of the principal investigator.
- ASSIST: Proposal Preparation Portal
- Princeton ERA System-to-System (s2s) Submission Guides
- Solicitations for NIH are called NOFO, or Notice of Funding Opportunity.
- NIH Checklist for submissions (FORMS-H)
- Determine the Correct Application Instructions for your Activity Code
- Institutional Compliance Commitment Letter 2019 [used for Training (T) applications including T15, T32, T34, T35, T37, T90/R90, TL1 and TL4 as part of the letters of support on PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan form for all applications submitted or due on or after January 25, 2019.
- NIH Application/Grant Numbers Chart
- Understanding Grant Numbers (rev. 10/1/2024)
- Early Stage Investigators FAQ (4/25/2024)
Biographical Sketch
- NIH Pre-Award and Post-Award Disclosure Table
- Required for each proposed senior/key person and other significant contributor on a grant application.
- Current positions and scientific appointments should be listed in reverse chronological order (most recent appointment first)
- Instructions for Biographical Sketch. (Common Form requirement as of 5/25/2025)
- FAQ
- Format pages, instructions and samples
- No URL's allowed other than those with ‘.gov’ address (i.e. My Bibliography)
- Direct specific biosketch or other suppport questions to [email protected].
Other Support Document
- Pre-award and Post-award Disclosure Table [June 8, 2022]
- Other Support document is required for all individuals on an application identified as senior/key personnel (does not include Other Significant Contributors)
- "Other Support includes all financial resources, whether Federal, non-Federal, commercial or institutional, available indirect support of an individual's research endeavors, including but not limited to research grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and/or institutional awards. Training awards, prizes, or gifts do not need to be included"
- FAQ to Other Support and Foreign Components
- Requirement for Disclosure of Other Support, Foreign Components and Conflict of Interest (COI)
- Samples of Other Support
- Consulting activities that involve research and fall outside of an individual's appointment, separate from the institution's agreement must be disclosed.
- In-kind contributions would be included under the Facilities document. [ex. office/lab space, equipment, supplies, etc.]
- Travel support/paid by an external entity to perform research activities with an associated time commitment.
- Immediate notification of undisclosed Other Support is required as of January 25, 2022.
- DocuSign: Researchers must electronically sign their Other Support document via DocuSign, Princeton's only licenses and approved platform for electronic signature and these documents must be flattened.
Data Management & Sharing Plan
- Required as of January 25, 2023
- FAQ
- Policy
- Budgeting for Data Management & Sharing Plans
- Only one DMP should be uploaded with your application, incorporating information from all personnel (including subs & collaborators) on an application for funding, including large, multi-component awards.
- Submission of a DMP outlining how scientific data and any accompanying metadata will be managed and shared, taking into account any potential restrictions or limitations.
- Applies to all research, funded or conducted in while or in part by NIH, that results in the generation of ‘scientific data’: the recorded factual material commonly accepted in the scientific community as sufficient quality to validate and replicate research findings, regardless of whatever the data are used to support scholarly publications.
Sponsor Updates
- NIH Grants Policy Updates (August 7, 2024) Video & Slides
- VIDEO: Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes Impacting Due Dates on or After January 25, 2025
- VIDEO: Implementation of Simplified Review Framework for Research Project Grants
- VIDEO: Updates to NIH Training Grant Applications (for due dates on or after January 25, 2025)
- Prepare for Changes Coming to Institutional Training Grant Applications
- Explore the Redesigned NIH Grants and Funding Website to Simplify Finding Information on Your Journey with NIH (9/25/2024)
Resource Links
- 4/23/2024: Postdoctoral Stipend Rates
- NIH 25-minute video on upcoming changes in January 2025
- 02/06/2024: 2024 NIH Grants Policy Updates
- 10/17/2023: New Prior Approval Capability Joins Suite of Options in eRA Commons
- 10/17/2023: NIH Subaward Requirements: Domestic and Foreign [On-Demand Webinar]
- Request a DocuSign account
- Salary Cap Guidance
Notices
- NOT-OD-24-057: Jan 29, 2024 - Guidance on Salary Limitations
- NOT-OD-24-163: Jul 31, 2024 - NIH Adoption of Commons Forms for Biosketch & C & P (other) Support by May 25, 2025
Post-Award Management
No-Cost Extensions
- Instructions to submit an NCE
- Conditions for submitting an NCE through eRA Commons
- Prior Approval - NCE (if the grant is not eligible for the automatic extension and is contingent on NIH approval.
NCE's are submitted via the eRA Commons module. Signing officials may request an extension between one and 12 months and is available 90 days before the project end date is removed at midnight on the project end date.
Change of Institution
The award owning institution must submit a relinquishing statement for processing and allows the new grantee institution to take over once NIH approval is received.
Prior Approval Requirements
This document provides information on the activities and/or expenditures that require NIH prior approval. Applies to all grants and cooperative agreements for budget periods on or after October 1, 2023.
General Guidance
Research Performance Progress Report
Helpful Resources
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Draft Letter for PubMed Central Compliance
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Draft Letter provided to outline NIH Public Access Policy and the deposit of the final, peer-reviewed manuscript in PubMed Central (PMC)
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Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool
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Types of Funding (Grants, Cooperative Agreements, etc.)
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- List of types of grant funding at NIH - when NIH will not have substantial programmatic involvement
- The NIH Grants Policy Statement (NIHGPS) makes available in a single document, the policy requirements that serve as the terms and conditions of NIH grant awards.
- Cooperative Agreements - when funder will have substantial federal programmatic involvement in the project
- Contracts - acquire goods and services
- Other Transaction - requires congressional authorization language, budget. Used when NIH needs greater flexibility to identify and engage nontraditional research partners
- List of types of grant funding at NIH - when NIH will not have substantial programmatic involvement
Sponsor Documents
- Consortium/Contractual Arrangements Letter Template
- Institutional Compliance Commitment Letter: Used for Institutional Training (T) applications including T15, T32, T34, T35, T36, T90/R90, TL1 and TL4 as part of the Letters of Support on the PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan form.