11/13/2009: New Adobe Version B General Application Guide:  The General Application guide has been updated for the transition to Adobe Forms B. This includes changes to the SF424 (R&R) form instructions necessitated by the June, 2008 OMB renewal of the forms, which includes changes to assist agencies implementing the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. Changes have also been made to various PHS398 forms as part of the NIH initiative to enhance peer review. Changes to the PHS398 forms were approved by OMB in June, 2009

This version of the application guide now also includes a separate instruction section for Institutional Training Grants to accommodate their transition to electronic submission effective with submissions on/after January 25, 2010.

Application Guides for SBIR/STTR and Fellowship applications will be updated soon.

08/27/2009: Revised Adobe Version A General and SBIR/STTR Application Guides:  Application Guides have been updated to include new and revised NIH policies, such as the new NIH policy for applications including human embryonic stem cells and the new continuous submission policy for appointed members of NIH advisory councils, and Application guides have also been modified to provide additional clarity for “K” career award applications submitted by system-to-system users (General Guide only), the applicability of the National Environmental Policy Act to grant applications, and the designation of congressional districts for U.S. districts and territories such as Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.  A description of the more notable edits is attached (MS Word - 66 KB).

08/03/2009: Revised Fellowship Application Guide: A revised SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide has been published to clarify that the page limit for the Doctoral Dissertation and Other Research Experience (Item C.10 of the PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form) is two pages.

07/31/2009: Revised Fellowship Application Guides: A revised SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide has been published to clarify the information that should be provided in the “Respective Contributions” and “Selection of Sponsor and Institution” sections (Items B.19 and B.20) of the PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form.

06/10/2009: New Fellowship Application Guides: A new SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide has been published as part of transition “F” Fellowship grants to electronic submission. A biographical sketch format page, biographical sketch sample, and references document have also been added for Fellowships, as well as an eRA Fellowship Application Assembly document.

03/31/2009: All PureEdge Application Guides have been removed.

12/08/2008: Adobe Version A General Application Guide: The General Application Guide has been updated to provide instructions for completing Adobe applications. The SBIR/STTR Application Guide will be updated soon.

08/01/2008: Adobe Pilot Forms Version Application Guide Now Available and Version 2 General Guides Updated: An application guide has been developed for use with the new Adobe Pilot Forms, but should only be used as requested in a specific FOA. It includes detailed instructions on using the new Adobe Reader forms and incorporates modifications to existing instructions required to accommodate the pilot forms. Separately, the PureEdge-based Application Guides (General and SBIR/STTR) have been updated to include clarifications that not all personnel on an application are required to submit letters of support; that an applicant’s response to the SBIR/STTR Permission Disclosure Statement will not impact its review score or agency funding decision (SBIR/STTR Application Guide only); and, that applicants proposing human subjects research should only submit date of IRB approval for the entire application, not an individual protocol. A minor re-organization and various editorial changes have also been made in Part III – Definitions to reflect recent changes in the PHS 398 instructions. A description of the more notable edits is attached (MS Word - 54 KB).

04/24/2008: Version 2 General and SBIR/STTR Application Guides Updated: Application Guides (General and SBIR/STTR) have been updated to include instructions for implementing the newly revised NIH Public Access Policy, add a certification/assurance on the impact of grant activities on the environment and historic properties, and to reference new technical assistance resources for education in the protection of human research participants. Other minor editorial corrections have also been included.

01/22/2008: Version 2 SBIR/STTR Application Guide Updated: Procedures in Part III for submitting Financial Status Reports (OMB 269) have been updated to reflect required submission through the eRA Commons.

01/15/2008: Version 2 Application Guides: Application Guides (General and SBIR/STTR) have been updated to incorporate policy and application instruction changes implemented in the recent PHS 398 revision, such as revised instructions for applications proposing Human Subjects Research. Additionally, minor editorial changes have been made to provide additional clarity and guidance based on feedback received from the applicant community. A description of the more notable edits is attached (MS Word - 42 KB).

09/13/2007: Version 2 Application Guides: Application Guides (General and SBIR/STTR) have been updated to provide additional clarity and guidance. They also include revised instructions for submitting subaward budgets that are not active for all periods of the grant, submitting information on cover letters, and submitting letters from facilities certifying rental/lease arrangements with SBIR/STTR applicants. Attached is a description of the more notable edits (MS Word - 35 KB).

05/23/2007 - Version 2 SBIR/STTR Application Guide Updated: Research Project Evaluation Criteria in Section 6, Peer Review Process, has been revised. The NLM Program Contact has been changed.

04/19/2007: Version 2 Application Guides: Application Guides (General and SBIR/STTR) have been updated to provide additional clarity and guidance. See the attached description of the more notable edits (MS Word - 50 KB).

01/23/2007 - Version 2 SBIR/STTR Application Guide Updated: The SBIR/STTR Application Guide, Version 2, has been revised to include updated references to parent SBIR and STTR parent funding opportunity announcements; the Awarding Component Contact Information Table has been updated; a new chapter, 'Award Guidelines, Reporting Requirements, and Other Considerations' has been added to Part III; and the Multiple PD/PI Policy as it applies to SBIR/STTR has been clarified.

01/16/2007 - Version 1 Removed: Removed Version 1 Application Guides and reference material. Version 1 forms and instructions have been phased out and replaced by Version 2 or Version 2a.

11/13/2006 - Version 2 (including 2a) Revised: Version 2 instructions have been revised to:
1) Incorporate instructions for the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) component which will now be used in all funding opportunities. This revised forms package will be noted as Version 2a-Forms in the Competition ID of the forms package; 2) Update information regarding the broader implementation of the Multiple PI initiative (see Guide Notice NOT-OD-07-017); 3) Incorporate the revised submission dates (see Notice NOT-OD-07-001); and, 4) Incorporate new instructions regarding appendix material (see Notice NOT-OD-07-018).

07/05/2006 - Version 2: A second version of the Application Guide (Version 2) has been published. Version 2 corresponds with Version 2 of the SF424 (R&R) forms. Version 2 includes changes to all the forms made by Grants.gov; e.g., new data fields and revised instructional text. In addition Version 2 includes a few changes to two agency-specific forms--PHS Research Plan Component and PHS398 Checklist Component. Instructional text changes have also been made throughout Version 2 to provide additional guidance and clarity. Notable changes in Version 2 are listed in the Foreword of the Application Guide.

06/15/2006 - Version 1: The Application Guide has been revised to include a reference throughout to “Version 1”. Version 1, Part I has been revised to replace all instructions and references to the now-obsolete PI and AOR verification step with references to the 2-weekday viewing period. Text in Part II-Supplemental Instructions for Preparing the Human Subjects Section of the Research Plan has been revised to more accurately reflect the application process for the SF424 (R&R). Finally minor edits have been made throughout Part I to provide clarity and improved guidance.

Go to SF424 (R&R) Application Page

Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files.