• Electronic grant applications must be submitted in response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
• ‘Investigator Initiated’ or ‘unsolicited applications’ are submitted in response to Parent Announcements. Applicants can look for the appropriate opportunity on the Parent Announcements page.
• FOAs are posted in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts and on Grants.gov.
• Prior to initiating an application using ASSIST, applicants must identify a FOA to which they would like to apply.
• The FOA text indicates whether ASSIST can be used to apply to that opportunity. The FOA number (e.g., PA-12-987) is required to initiate an application.
• Applicants can reach ASSIST from the FOA’s download application screen in Grants.gov or from the “Apply for Grant Electronically” button on NIH Guide announcements.

Steps to Find Opportunities in NIH Guide and Initiate an Application

1. Search the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts for funding opportunities.
2. Identify a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) of interest and click on the FOA number to open the announcement.
3. Click the “Apply for Grant Electronically” button in the FOA. This will direct you to the ASSIST system.
4. In ASSIST, provide your eRA Commons User Name and Password to begin setting up the application.
5. Enter the FOA in the Funding Opportunity Announcement # field.
6. Select the Go button.
7. The Initiation Application page displays.
8. Fill in the required fields.
9. Select the Initiate Application button to continue.
10. Begin preparing your application!

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• Find Opportunity FAQs

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• Initiating Your Application in ASSIST
• Define your Team and Provide Application Access in ASSIST
• Entering Application Data into ASSIST

Additional Videos

• All ASSIST Videos
• Finding ASSISTance

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