Department of Health and Human Services

Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Funding Opportunity Title

Family and Interpersonal Relationships in an Aging Context (R01)

Activity Code

R01 Research Project Grant

Announcement Type

New

Related Notices

  • November 20, 2014 - This PA has been reissued as PA-15-042.
  • May 30, 2013 (NOT-OD-13-074) - NIH to Require Use of Updated Electronic Application Forms for Due Dates on or after September 25, 2013. Forms-C applications are required for due dates on or after September 25, 2013.

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

PA-11-128

Companion FOA

None

Number of Applications

See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)

93.866

FOA Purpose

The National Institute on Aging invites researchers to submit innovative R01 research grant applications on aging and the family. The objective of this research program is to expand understanding of the role of families and interpersonal relationships in the health and wellbeing of older people. This will be accomplished through increasing scientific knowledge on the effects of family and interpersonal relationships on behavioral and social processes of relevance to aging; and on how these processes change over the life course and across cohorts. A broad range of methods and approaches are encouraged.

Key Dates
Posted Date
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

May 5, 2011

Letter of Intent Due Date

Not Applicable

Application Due Date(s)

Standard dates, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Standard dates

Scientific Merit Review

Standard dates

Advisory Council Review

Standard dates

Earliest Start Date(s)

Standard dates

Expiration Date

May 8, 2014

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

Background

Family structure has changed markedly over the past half century in the United States and in many other Western nations. Cohorts who will become the elderly of the 21st century were on the leading edge of the 20th century family revolution, characterized by an increasing prevalence of divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing and an overall decline in marriage and remarriage. For those who do marry, their average age at marriage has risen and their average age at first birth is higher. Older populations are themselves aging, and within about two decades, the 75+ age group will be larger than the age group 65-74. Union instability manifests itself in divorce, repartnering, step families, alternative forms of family, and relatively high rates of multiple-partner fertility. Kin relationships have become more complex and perhaps more fluid, with shifting groupings and the waxing/waning of strength of ties between kin, step kin, fictive kin, and friends. These changes have implications for the social support that family and other relationships can provide, as well as for access to Social Security, pensions, and other resources. With these changes comes an increasing knowledge of the importance that family and interpersonal relationships have for mental and physical health and wellbeing. Gaining a better understanding of how and which social relationships exert these influences, and how these associations might change with increasing age will have strong implications for our society in the coming years.

Objectives

The objective of this research program is to expand understanding of the role of families and interpersonal relationships in the lives of older people. This will be accomplished through increasing scientific knowledge of how family and interpersonal relationships have an effect on individual- to population-level behavioral and social processes of relevance to aging, and on how these processes change over the life course and across historical periods.

Applicants are encouraged to use a broad range of highly innovative methods and approaches that are most appropriate for the research questions being addressed. The types of studies that are encouraged include but are not limited to studies of individual differences, experimental paradigms, epidemiological approaches, cross-national comparative approaches, and survey research. Secondary data analysis is encouraged. Appropriate levels of inquiry range from genetic to individual to population.

Areas of Interest.

Examples of relevant research topics include but are not limited to those listed below.

Life course studies. There is growing interest in understanding the impact of early- and mid-life experiences and conditions on health outcomes later in life. The life course perspective emphasizes that people make various transitions among family and other relationships, and that earlier experiences in an individual’s life can have repercussions for later decisions, opportunities and challenges. Research foci could include the relationship between early life family factors and adult functioning. Alternately, a focus might be the development of interpersonal relationships over the adult lifespan, considering continuities and discontinuities in the quality of relationships throughout adult development and how these are related to health trajectories over time, encompassing the role that early family relationships play in the development of interpersonal relationships in later life.

Kin availability. Efforts in the 1990s to model and project kin availability for older people indicated that future older people in the U.S. would be less likely to be married and would have fewer biological children on average, but more likely to have step-kin. Given the continuing changes in family structure over the past 15-20 years, the time appears ripe for another look at the estimation and projection of kin availability and other family characteristics. There is considerable scientific value and policy interest, for example, in modeling marital status among older people, insofar as (1) spouses typically are the principal caregiver and (2) social-group differences in marital status accentuate differences in the quality of living arrangements and care receipt. Recent research has highlighted important associations among marital trajectories and mortality, suggesting that further investigation is needed into the socioeconomic and psychosocial mechanisms that link marital trajectories to various health outcomes. A developmental perspective on this topic might investigate whether inherent differences in early life set individuals on trajectories for marital status later in life, and if inherent differences are found, whether these differences also are responsible for differential health outcomes. Research assessing the differential importance of step-relationships versus biological relationships for the health and well-being of older people is encouraged.

Family structure continues to change, and these changes are likely to have a significant impact on roles of family members. The increased rates of divorce, remarriage, multi-partner fertility, and cohabitation have resulted in more blended families and children born out of wedlock. Increased rates of adoption and artificial methods of conception have also resulted in families dealing with issues and concerns that were not part of the norm a few decades ago. Increased longevity with accompanying good health means that older individuals have the possibility of being more involved in their grandchildren’s lives for a longer length of time. What is becoming clear is that these changing family structures differ by social class, culture, race, and age. The changing composition and complexity of the family mean that roles regarding care and affection are no longer as clear. The effects of these changes will be an important topic of research for the aging world.

Siblings. The confluence of changing family types and longer life expectancies may make sibling relationships increasingly important to older people. To date, there has been little research on the role of siblings (biological or otherwise) in psychological health after adolescence and early adulthood. Research might address differences in psychological and physical health between singletons and those with siblings, the role that siblings play in influencing health and well-being in mid and later life, and whether sibling relationships early in life impact later health trajectories. Trajectories of sibling relationships are another area of uncharted territory. It is unknown whether sibling relationships change over time in predictable ways or if there are different health benefits or risks from having histories of close, distant or rivalrous sibling relationships. It is also possible that a larger number of siblings within a family can stunt development in terms of per capita resources.

Childlessness. Childlessness will affect the nature of future care for many older individuals, but it has received relatively little attention from researchers in the U.S. and elsewhere. This may be due to the fact that generations born between World War I and World War II had relatively higher rates of marriage and lower rates of childlessness, so that proportions with children among today’s older population often are high. However, the longer-term trend is likely to be different. In the U.S., the percentage of women who are childless at ages 40 to 44 has been rising, from 10 percent in 1970 and 1980 to 16 percent in 1990 to more than 20 percent by 2006. The impact of this trend on caregiving of the elderly is likely to be profound. Research is encouraged on the demographic and socioeconomic correlates of childlessness; on the impact of childlessness on patterns of exchange and social activity as well as effects on provision of care; and on psychological and physical health outcomes among older persons.

Role of family in health behavior compliance. Family members have a potentially important role in helping and influencing other family members to comply with beneficial health behaviors. Some research indicates that higher marital quality improves compliance, and that spouse and caregiver support can increase compliance in a variety of healthy behaviors. Given the notorious difficulty in achieving compliance and adherence to salutatory behaviors, more research on what components of family relationships promote and impede healthy behavior is encouraged. Of particular importance are models of behavior within families that identify optimal ways of achieving healthful and compliant behaviors.

Family networks and social networks. Studies of social network effects on health behaviors have shed light on potential links between social relationships and obesity, alcohol use and smoking. Research on the impact of family versus non-family social networks would be useful in identifying complementary and distinctive effects. Understanding how family and non-family networks interact is also a key question. Prior studies also have identified certain sociodemographic differences in network structure: for example, more-educated people have larger networks of both family and non-family members, and non-whites have smaller networks than whites. Studies that further elucidate factors underlying network composition and functioning are encouraged. An important research question is whether or not the observed relationship between an individual's health and the health status of other people in her/his reference groups is causal or driven primarily by selection effects. The life course perspective draws attention to how lives are linked parents to children, grandchildren to grandparents, siblings to each other both in childhood and adulthood, spouses to their in-laws, and so forth. This motivates the view that kin networks, and the shared genes and environments within extended families, must be incorporated into models if we are to understand an individual’s behavior at points throughout the life span.

The family as context for genetic expression. Humans have evolved as social beings, meaning that genes have evolved to be expressed within social environments and to influence social behavior. Findings from twin studies indicate that individual differences in social behaviors and relationships such as parenting, marital interactions, and loneliness are accounted for in part by genetic factors. Research examining how the family serves as a context for the expression of genetic influences on health and psychological well-being of relevance to aging is necessary for a more complete picture of aging processes. Research on genetic effects on mate selection and the implications of mate selection and assortative mating for future generations is also encouraged.

Living arrangements. The living arrangements of older people reflect, at least in part, family ties, kin availability and involvement in family settings. Given the decline in the prevalence of nursing home residence and the increase in various forms of assisted living arrangements during the past two decades, research is needed on new forms of and transitions among family and non-family living arrangements in older age. The development of simulation methods to project the composition of living arrangements and households at the national and subnational level is encouraged, as are studies of the impact of the physical environment on quality of life and functioning according to different living arrangements. A key economic decision facing many older people and their families is whether or not to live independently, and studies of the impact of the recent economic downturn on this and other decisions regarding living arrangements would be useful.

Migration and the dynamic geography of aging are broader issues related to living arrangements. Many older people make multiple moves, and some states/geographic areas experience concentrations of the young old while others experience re-sortment of the older old who relocate back near families. Topics of interest include patterns and precipitators of return migration after a previous retirement-related move; the implications of adult children moving in with older parents (the re-filled nest) and the implications of older parents moving in with or near adult children; the extent to which living arrangements predict migration; and processes by which naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) arise in different geographic/SES settings.

New models to understand intergenerational transfers. Several panel studies in the U.S. provide fairly complete coverage of the full option set for family transfers. This is accomplished by interviewing multiple generations within the same family or by having respondents enumerate individual kin and provide proxy reports of the relevant demographic and economic attributes of each. By linking reports of transfers, these datasets provide opportunities to test hypotheses about donor motivation, reciprocal transfers over time within a given family, and substitution of public transfers for family transfers. Studies of intergenerational transfers could be broadened to account for transfers in the context of new family types, as well as to include comparative work to examine similarities and differences across cultures and countries. The new complexity of families that results from increases in divorces, remarriages, cohabitation, and multi-partner fertility means that while there may be more family members to whom and from whom assistance might flow, there is a diffusion of responsibility when it comes to knowing who owes and is owed this assistance. There is a long history of observational work that now needs to be complemented by experimental work to truly understand the mechanisms involved. Research is encouraged on the development of an aggregate intergenerational accounting framework that incorporates the volume, timing and costs of different transfer streams.

Decision-making and obligations. Consideration should be given to joint decision-making at the couple and family level, as many decisions about whether to move or stay, work or retire, are made by individuals in concert with their spouse or extended family. The changing nature of kinship networks in our society (e.g., the growth in blended families) needs to be studied with respect to implications for the network of obligations and entitlements within families. Of particular interest is the psychology of shared decision making, the impact of social factors on decision making, and how decision making differs based on the kinds of decisions that are being made (e.g. financial, health-related, end-of-life care)

Policy consequences in later-life families. The likelihood of being impacted by social policies increases as people enter later life and experience role transitions associated with retirement, widowhood, loss of income, and diminished cognitive and physical health. For example, under current Social Security law, cohabiting partners have no claim on Social Security retirement of their partner or on survivor benefits, even if the partners lived together during all their working years. Studies to expand the knowledge base about the economic impact of such polices on widows is strongly encouraged.

Role of technology. Technology has an ever-growing presence in our lives. Ninety-four percent of young adults have cell phones; 90 percent have a computer; and 72 percent are involved in online social networking sites. It is not clear what positive and negative impacts technology has on the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships and what the social implications are for those who do not have access to this technology. It is easy to imagine that electronic connectivity could have both positive (e.g. providing a source of social support for those who are unable to easily leave their residence; allowing for easier research on appropriate healthcare and retirement options) and negative effects (e.g. substituting online for face-to-face social interactions; serving as another medium for financial scams) on social interaction, but descriptive and experimental work is needed to understand the real effects on interpersonal interactions within the older generations as well as between the older and younger generations.

Resources and resources needed. The use of existing datasets to address questions responsive to this FOA is strongly encouraged. There are many studies that have collected data on family and interpersonal relationships. Many of those have been funded, at least in part, by the NIA, including the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), Midlife in the United States (MIDUS), Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), and the Wisconsin Longitudinal Survey (WLS).

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

Grant

Application Types Allowed

New
Renewal
Resubmission
Revision

The OER Glossary and the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide provide details on these application types.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations, and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Award Budget

Application budgets are not limited, but need to reflect actual needs of the proposed project.

Award Project Period

The scope of the proposed project should determine the project period. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed 5 years.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Section III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants
Eligible Organizations

Higher Education Institutions:

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

For profit Organizations

Governments

Other

Foreign (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following registrations.

All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the applicant organization.

All registrations must be completed by the application due date. Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration process at least four (4) weeks prior to the application due date.

Eligible Individuals (Project Director/Principal Investigator)

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support.

For institutions/organizations proposing multiple PDs/PIs, visit the Multiple Program Director/Principal Investigator Policy and submission details in the Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Component of the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility

Number of Applications

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided that each application is scientifically distinct.

NIH will not accept any application in response to this FOA that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial peer review unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed. Resubmission applications may be submitted, according to the NIH Policy on Resubmission Applications from the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Requesting an Application Package

Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Required and Optional Components

The forms package associated with this FOA includes all applicable components, mandatory and optional. Please note that some components marked optional in the application package are required for application submission. Follow all instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to ensure you complete all appropriate optional components.

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the SF424 Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

PHS 398 Research Plan Component

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Resource Sharing Plan

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for the Resource Sharing Plans (Data Sharing Plan, Sharing Model Organisms, and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide, with the following modifications:

Appendix

Do not use the appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Foreign Organizations

Foreign (non-US) organizations must follow policies described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, and procedures for foreign organizations described throughout the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

3. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit in advance of the deadline to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Organizations must submit applications via Grants.gov, the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

4. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Pre-award costs are allowable only as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically.

Important reminders:
All PD/PIs must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF 424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

Requests of $500,000 or more for direct costs in any year

Applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs in any year (excluding consortium F&A) must contact NIH program staff at least 6 weeks before submitting the application and follow the Policy on the Acceptance for Review of Unsolicited Applications that Request $500,000 or More in Direct Costs as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-10-115.

Section V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the NIH mission, all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

Overall Impact

Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved, in consideration of the following review criteria and additional review criteria (as applicable for the project proposed).

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact. For example, a project that by its nature is not innovative may be essential to advance a field.

Significance

Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?

Investigator(s)

Are the PD/PIs, collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project? If Early Stage Investigators or New Investigators, or in the early stages of independent careers, do they have appropriate experience and training? If established, have they demonstrated an ongoing record of accomplishments that have advanced their field(s)? If the project is collaborative or multi-PD/PI, do the investigators have complementary and integrated expertise; are their leadership approach, governance and organizational structure appropriate for the project?

Innovation

Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Are the concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of research or novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?

Approach

Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Are potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stages of development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed?

If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks, and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children, justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

Environment

Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Are the institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigators adequate for the project proposed? Will the project benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, subject populations, or collaborative arrangements?

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact/priority score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Human Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Human Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.

Vertebrate Animals

The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Resubmissions

For Resubmissions, the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.

Renewals

For Renewals, the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period.

Revisions

For Revisions, the committee will consider the appropriateness of the proposed expansion of the scope of the project. If the Revision application relates to a specific line of investigation presented in the original application that was not recommended for approval by the committee, then the committee will consider whether the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group are adequate and whether substantial changes are clearly evident.

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact/priority score.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Reviewers will assess whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions that exist in other countries and either are not readily available in the United States or augment existing U.S. resources.

Select Agent Research

Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan; 2) Sharing Model Organisms; and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS).

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) (assignments will be shown in the eRA Commons), in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria.

As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA . Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by the appropriate council or advisory board. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, CCR Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions of Award

Not Applicable.

3. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit the Non-Competing Continuation Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A final progress report, invention statement, and Financial Status Report are required when an award is relinquished when a recipient changes institutions or when an award is terminated.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading or navigating forms)
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Telephone 301-710-0267
TTY 301-451-5936
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov

eRA Commons Help Desk(Questions regarding eRA Commons registration, tracking application status, post submission issues)
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Email: commons@od.nih.gov

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Melissa Gerald, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-4156
Email: Melissa.Gerald@nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Linda C. Whipp
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Telephone: 301-402-7731
Email: whippl@mail.nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Sections 301 and 405 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 241 and 284) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Parts 74 and 92.


Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices



NIH Office of Extramural Research Logo
  Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Home Page Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
  USA.gov - Government Made Easy
NIH... Turning Discovery Into Health®



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