MULTI-PROJECT GRANTS: NIAID POLICY RELEASE DATE: June 17, 2003 NOTICE: NOT-AI-03-044 National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) (http://www.niaid.nih.gov) THIS NOTICE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: Purpose of this Notice NIAID Policy Instructions for Multi-project Grant Applicants Where to Send Inquiries PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE To inform the scientific community that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) will accept for review and consideration for funding multi-project (P01 and U19) grant applications that contain two or more research projects. Previously, multi-project applications were required to include three or more research projects. The decision to permit two-project multi-project applications is based on: o The positive response of investigators, peer reviewers, and NIAID staff to two project applications submitted in response to RFAs and PAs that permitted them. o NIAID's decision not to artificially limit collaborations by requiring three or more projects when that is not scientifically or technically required. o Statements from PO1 and U19 applicants (both successful and unsuccessful) that they added projects to applications to meet the three or more projects requirement even though they recognized that the added project(s) were not as strong. The peer review of these applications invariably found the weaker project thereby confirming the applicants' statements. NIAID does not wish to cause applicants and peer reviewers this type of problem. NIAID POLICY Beginning with the October 1, 2003 receipt date for investigator- initiated Program Project (P01) grant applications (September 1, 2003 for AIDS applications), NIAID will accept and consider for funding multi-project grant applications of two or more research projects and associated shared resources (cores). The same opportunity to apply for two project multi-project grants (P01 and U19) will apply to applications submitted in response to an NIAID Request for Applications (RFA) or Program Announcement (PA) when the RFA or PA so permits; there are and will be RFAs and PAs that require more than two projects to meet the research objectives. Further, the two project opportunity does not apply to Specialized Research Center (P50) grant applications. For multi-project applications the following requirements must be met: 1. Pre-approval for acceptance by NIAID before submission of the grant application: a. When the application is in response to an RFA, applications that meet the requirements stated in the RFA are pre-approved. Applicants need no further approval to submit. b. When the application is in response to a PA, follow the instructions in the PA; each PA will state if pre-approval is required before submission. c. When the application will be an investigator-initiated Program Project Grant, the investigator must obtain pre-approval for the acceptance of the application from the NIAID Program Officer responsible for the area(s) of science addressed by the application. If the investigator will be requesting more than $500,000 in direct costs in any year of the grant, the $500,000 clearance process will meet the multi-project pre-approval requirement. 2. The applicant must propose: a. A minimum of two inter-related research projects around a central theme. b. Collaboration and interaction among investigator-initiated projects and investigators to achieve a common goal. c. A single principal investigator of scientific stature who will be scientifically and administratively responsible for the group research effort. d. A single applicant (awardee) institution that will be legally and financially responsible for the use and disposition of funds. e. A single application submitted to the NIH by the applicant (awardee) institution in the name of the principal investigator. f. Support provided, as necessary, for "core" resources or facilities, each of which must be used by at least two research projects to facilitate the research effort. Because requested annual direct costs for P01 and U19 grants invariably exceed $250,000 per year, "modular" budgeting does not apply. INSTRUCTIONS FOR MULTI-PROJECT GRANT APPLICANTS Detailed instructions for preparation and submission of multi-project grant applications for peer review and consideration for funding by NIAID can be found at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/grants/multibron.htm. WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES To identify NIAID program staff to contact about potential investigator-initiated P01 applications, see NIAID program staff. For more information about applications in response to an RFA or PA, contact the program, review, or grants management staff listed under "Inquiries" in the RFA or PA. For general NIH and NIAID policy related questions or questions concerning NIAID extramural programs, contact: Office of the Director, Division of Extramural Activities National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 6700B Rockledge Drive, Room 2144, Bethesda, MD 20892-7610 Tel: (301) 496-7291 Fax: (301) 402-0369 Email: ac20a@nih.gov

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