and Human Services (HHS)
EXPIRED
Department
of Health and Human Services
Participating Organizations
Office of the Director, NIH (http://www.nih.gov)
Components of
Participating Organizations
This
RFA is developed as an initiative of the Director, NIH. All NIH Institutes and
Centers will participate. This RFA will be administered by the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (http://www.nichd.nih.gov) and the National
Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) (http://www.ninr.nih.gov)
on behalf of the NIH.
Title: NIH Partners in Research Program (R03)
Announcement Type
New
Update: The following update relating to this announacement has been issued:
NOTICE: Applications submitted in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for Federal assistance must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF424 Research and Related (R&R) forms and the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
APPLICATIONS MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED IN PAPER FORMAT.
This FOA must be read in conjunction with the application guidelines included with this announcement in Grants.gov/Apply for Grants (hereafter called Grants.gov/Apply).
A registration process is necessary before submission and applicants are highly encouraged to start the process at least four weeks prior to the grant submission date. See Section IV.
Request for Applications (RFA) Number: RFA-OD-07-001
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number(s)
93.310
Key Dates
Release/Posted Date: October 12, 2007
Opening
Date: December 12, 2007 (Earliest date an application may be submitted
to Grants.gov)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): December 12, 2007
NOTE:
On time submission requires that applications be successfully submitted to Grants.gov
no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization).
Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): January 11,
2008
Peer Review Date(s): March/April
2008
Council Review Date(s): May 2008
Earliest Anticipated Start Date:
July 1, 2008
Additional Information To Be
Available Date (URL Activation Date): Release/Post Date (http://publictrust.nih.gov)
Expiration Date: January 12, 2008
Due Dates for E.O. 12372
Not Applicable
Additional Overview Content
Executive Summary
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) solicits research grant applications from academic/scientific institutions and community organizations that propose to forge partnerships (1) to study methods and strategies to engage and inform the public regarding health science in order to improve public understanding of the methods and benefits of publicly funded research, and (2) to increase scientists understanding of and outreach to the public in their research efforts.
Table of Contents
Part I
Overview Information
Part II Full Text of Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity
Description
1. Research Objectives
Section II. Award Information
1. Mechanism of Support
2. Funds Available
Section III. Eligibility
Information
1. Eligible Applicants
A. Eligible Institutions
B. Eligible Individuals
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
3. Other - Special Eligibility Criteria
Section IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Request Application Information
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
3. Submission Dates and Times
A. Submission, Review, and
Anticipated Start Dates
1.
Letter of Intent
B. Submitting an Application
Electronically to the NIH
C. Application Processing
4. Intergovernmental Review
5. Funding Restrictions
6. Other Submission Requirements
Section V. Application Review
Information
1. Criteria
2. Review and Selection Process
A. Additional Review Criteria
B. Additional Review Considerations
C. Sharing Research Data
D. Sharing Research Resources
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Section VI. Award Administration
Information
1. Award Notices
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
3. Reporting
Section VII. Agency Contact(s)
1. Scientific/Research Contact(s)
2. Peer Review Contact(s)
3. Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)
Section VIII. Other Information
- Required Federal Citations
Part II - Full Text of
Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
1. Research Objectives
Purpose
The purpose of the NIH Partners in Research program is to support two-year pilot and/or feasibility research studies of innovative interventions and/or techniques designed to improve public understanding of biomedical and behavioral research, to develop strategies for promoting collaboration between scientists and the community to improve the health of the public, and to identify the conditions (e.g., settings and approaches) that will enhance the effectiveness of such interventions and/or techniques. The long-term objectives of this initiative are (1) to raise the level of public awareness and understanding of biomedical and behavioral research related to health, the role they can play in the research enterprise, and the value of public funding; (2) to increase scientists awareness of the importance of public engagement; and (3) to provide a menu of techniques for researchers and communities to implement to facilitate the participation of lay communities in the health research endeavor.
Background
This initiative is a development of two separate, but related, streams of thought at the National Institutes of Health (NIH): (1) increasing public trust in and understanding of NIH and (2) a new paradigm for the future of medical research.
Public Trust Initiative:
The National Institutes of Health funds and conducts research to improve the health of the nation. The mission of NIH’s Public Trust initiative is to enable the public to understand and have full confidence in the research that NIH conducts and supports nationally and internationally (see http://publictrust.nih.gov).
For the NIH, the public comprises many different groups of people, including the scientists who conduct the research, individuals (and their families) with various health-related conditions, health care professionals and educators who treat or teach about these conditions, research advocacy organizations, and those in racial, ethnic or cultural groups who have special needs or are underserved. Many of these publics are represented on the NIH Director’s Council of Public Representatives (COPR), which has provided valuable input to the Director about a variety of issues, such as clinical research with human subjects, input into NIH research priority setting, and how to engender the public’s trust in NIH.
Specifically, the Public Trust Initiative seeks to provide the public with:
Paradigm for the Future:
Historically, NIH and its awardees have worked on common goals of understanding disease mechanisms and evaluating treatments. Recent advances have enhanced our capability to focus on prevention, to intervene to preempt disease progression, and to personalize medicine to achieve a better match of patient risk factors with promotion of health and prevention or treatment of disease. On the basis of these advances and the resulting emerging opportunities, the Director of NIH has formulated The Future Paradigm for medicine: to transform medicine from curative to preemptive. This paradigm is built upon four interactive elements: Medicine and medical research will be Predictive, Personalized, Preemptive, and Participatory.
Full realization of these goals requires a fuller public understanding of medical research and the ability to mobilize and engage community resources.
The NIH Partners in Research Program
This initiative is one step in the NIH effort to build public trust and to move into the new research paradigm; it is complementary to other efforts, such as the NIH Roadmap, but takes a very different approach. This program is designed to address directly the practical questions surrounding the development of true partnerships between the research community and the public. These questions will be addressed empirically, through research designed to develop and evaluate new approaches to building partnerships and informing and engaging the public. The Program will support research projects, designed and implemented by scientist-community partnerships, that test a broad variety of methods and relevant interventions.
Though other activities in this arena emphasize partnerships in clinical research, this program extends the challenge to all types of research supported by the NIH, including the basic biological, medical, and behavioral research that informs clinical questions, clinical research, and, ultimately, clinical practice.
Approach
NIH is not specifying a particular research approach or methodology to be used by investigators responding to this RFA. However, in general, it should be noted that this initiative incorporates and applies the principles of Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR).
CBPR is defined by the Interagency Working Group for Community-based Participatory Research (August 2, 2002) as scientific inquiry conducted in communities and in partnership with researchers. The process of scientific inquiry is such that community members, persons affected by the health condition, disability or issue under study, or other key stakeholders in the community's health have the opportunity participate in and substantially contribute to each phase of the work (conception, design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, conclusions, and communication of results).
Research projects should be conducted in a manner that reinforces collaboration between community members and research institutions. Studies should be designed to be culturally appropriate, i.e., due consideration is given to the social, economic, and cultural conditions that influence health status, how science is perceived, areas of concern, receptivity to information, and so on. Identifying and incorporating unique cultural factors into intervention strategies may result in increased acceptability, use, and adherence. This approach seeks to maximize the potential for change in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.
To encourage and facilitate effective collaborations in the Partnerships in Research program, applications in response to this RFA must be submitted by an applicant organization on behalf of at least two Investigators, representing an academic or scientific/medical institution and a community institution. Applicants may propose a PI and co-Investigator structure for the purposes of the application. For applications selected for funding, separate grants will be awarded to the academic/scientific institution and the community institution, with each partner serving as PI of his/her respective grant.
Research Scope
For the purposes of their 2004 report, COPR defined community as an association of people who gather together to share a common interest and/or relevancy during a period of time. The term community is seen as dynamic, depending on the reference and context. For example, different contexts and references for the term community may include communities that are geographic, cultural, interest-based or organizational in nature.
The NIH Partnerships in Research program is designed to develop and evaluate a variety of approaches, in a variety of target audiences or communities, to improving the health of the public through collaborative efforts of the scientific and lay communities. It is intended to engage the energy of a diverse group of scientists, community leaders, and patients to:
The program will support two-year pilot programs of innovative research to develop strategies for scientist community collaboration to improve the health of the public, to improve public understanding of basic and clinical biomedical and behavioral research, and. and to identify the conditions (e.g., settings and approaches) that will enhance the effectiveness of such activities.
Research considered responsive to this FOA may include, but is not limited to, topics and approaches such as: establishment of effective communication with underserved populations and the development of mechanisms to effect inclusion of these groups in biomedical research; identification and education of groups with a variety of special characteristics such as disease risk, exposure to environmental or socioeconomic factors; adaptation of established interventions to include sensitivity to cultural or ethnic considerations; innovative methods to encourage participation in clinical trials; and the innovative use of a variety of established channels such as schools and community-based service programs.
The areas of research listed below are of special interest. However, these specific research topics and areas of study are examples only; this list not intended to be comprehensive or exhaustive:
Additional Requirements
Research proposed in response to this FOA should include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the strategy, technique or intervention under investigation and the conditions (e.g., settings and approaches) that will enhance and/or impede the effectiveness of such activities. This evaluation should be based on the goals of the study and may address both process and outcome, as appropriate. It is recognized that these evaluations will not be definitive, given the size and scope of the project, but should be sufficiently rigorous to clearly inform follow-up work.
In addition, investigators should address plans for next steps : future development, modification, and/or application of the techniques under study, as dictated by the outcome of the current pilot project, and as informed by the evaluation. Applications should address the ultimate goals of the proposed project, including expanding the scope of the research beyond the pilot phase and progressing to implementation of interventions or activities in a targeted community.
Finally, applications must present a plan for the coordination and management of joint activities supported by two grants to two institutions. The program requires a true partnership between the investigators and the institutions, with a high level of collaboration and cooperation. Plans for communication and methods for resolving potential conflicts should be addressed.
Investigator Workshop
Near the end of the first year of funding, a workshop will be held at which the PIs of each awarded grant will be expected to share experiences, exchange information and advice, and discuss future development.
One goal of the workshop will be to evaluate the Partners in Research Program, based on the experience of those participating. Investigators should plan to discuss various aspects of the program, including, for example, building partnerships, identifying criteria for a good partnership, and challenges to this type of research.
Information about the workshop, as well as Frequently Asked Questions about this FOA, will be posted on the NIH Public Trust Initiative website (http://publictrust.nih.gov).
See Section VIII, Other Information - Required Federal Citations, for policies related to this announcement.
1. Mechanism of Support
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will use the NIH Small Grant (R03) award mechanism. The applicant will be solely responsible for planning, directing, and executing the proposed project.
This FOA uses Just-in-Time information concepts. It also uses the modular budget formats (see the Modular Applications and Awards section of the NIH Grants Policy Statement). All applications submitted in response to this FOA must use the modular budget format. Specifically, if you are submitting an application with direct costs in each year of $250,000 or less (excluding consortium Facilities and Administrative [F&A] costs), use the PHS398 Modular Budget component provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide (see specifically Section 5.4, Modular Budget Component, of the Application Guide).
Competing renewal (formerly competing continuation ) applications will not be accepted.
2. Funds Available
Because the nature and scope of the proposed
research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the
size and duration of each award will also vary. Although the financial plans of
the NIH provide support for this program, awards pursuant to this funding
opportunity are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of
a sufficient number of meritorious applications.
A project period of up to two years and a budget for direct costs of up to two $25,000 modules, or $50,000 per year, may be requested (i.e., a maximum of $100,000 over two years in modules of $25,000 each.) Applicable Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs are allowed.
Applicants will submit a single R03 grant application following the instructions for modular budgets. If an application is selected for funding, the academic/scientific institution and the community organization will be awarded separate, yet administratively linked, grants.
The Office of the Director, NIH, intends to commit approximately $3 million in total costs [Direct plus Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs] in FY2008 to fund 35 to 40 grants in response to this RFA.
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.
Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs requested by consortium participants are not included in the direct cost limitation. See NOT-OD-05-004, November 2, 2004.
Application
budgets should include funds for both investigators (academic and community) to
attend a workshop in or near Bethesda, Maryland toward the end of the first year of the award.
Section
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
1.A. Eligible Institutions
You may submit an
application(s) if your institution/organization has any of the following
characteristics:
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply for these grants.
1.B. Eligible Individuals
Any individual 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.
More than one PD/PI, or multiple PDs/PIs, may be designated on the application for projects that require a team science approach that clearly does not fit the single-PD/PI model. Additional information on the implementation plans and policies and procedures to formally allow more than one PD/PI on individual research projects is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi. All PDs/PIs must be registered in the NIH eRA Commons prior to the submission of the application (see http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm for instructions).
The decision of whether to apply for a single PD/PI or multiple PD/PI grant is the responsibility of the investigators and applicant organizations and should be determined by the scientific goals of the project. Applications for multiple PD/PI grants will require additional information, as outlined in the instructions below. The NIH review criteria for approach, investigators, and environment have been modified to accommodate applications involving either a single PD/PI or multiple PDs/PIs. When considering multiple PDs/PIs, please be aware that the structure and governance of the PD/PI leadership team as well as the knowledge, skills and experience of the individual PD/PIs will be factored into the assessment of the overall scientific merit of the application. Multiple PDs/PIs on a project share the authority and responsibility for leading and directing the project, intellectually and logistically. Each PD/PI is responsible and accountable to the grantee organization, or, as appropriate, to a collaborating organization, for the proper conduct of the project or program, including the submission of required reports. For further information on multiple PDs/PIs, please see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi.
Please note: This FOA requires the involvement of at least two investigators, representing both the research institution and the community organization. Applicants may use the Multiple PI option. Alternatively, the application may be submitted on behalf of a single PI, with a co-investigator from the partner institution. For applications selected for funding, each partner will become the PI of a separate grant. For those applications not submitted with Multiple PIs, additional information (including that required for the Multiple PI option) will be requested prior to award. See instructions under section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission, below.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
This program does not require cost sharing as
defined in the current NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
3. Other-Special
Eligibility Criteria
An applicant institution may submit
more than one application, provided each application is scientifically
distinct.
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
To download a SF424
(R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for
completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this FOA, link to http://www.grants.gov/Apply/ and follow
the directions provided on that Web site.
A one-time registration is required for institutions/organizations at both:
PDs/PIs should work with their institutions/organizations to make sure they are registered in the eRA Commons. The institutionally-based co-PI will serve as the contact PI and should work with the community-based PI(s) to ensure registration.
Several additional separate actions are required before an applicant institution/organization can submit an electronic application, as follows:
1) Organizational/Institutional Registration in Grants.gov/Get Started
2) Organizational/Institutional Registration in the eRA Commons
3) Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Registration in the NIH eRA Commons: Refer to the NIH eRA Commons System (COM) Users Guide.
Both the PD/PI(s) and AOR/SO need separate accounts in the NIH eRA Commons since both are authorized to view the application image.
Note that if a PD/PI is also an NIH peer-reviewer with an Individual DUNS and CCR registration, that particular DUNS number and CCR registration are for the individual reviewer only. These are different than any DUNS number and CCR registration used by an applicant organization. Individual DUNS and CCR registration should be used only for the purposes of personal reimbursement and should not be used on any grant applications submitted to the Federal Government.
Several of the steps of the registration process could take four weeks or more. Therefore, applicants should immediately check with their business official to determine whether their organization/institution is already registered in both Grants.gov and the Commons. The NIH will accept electronic applications only from organizations that have completed all necessary registrations.
1. Request Application
Information
Applicants must download
the SF424 (R&R) application forms and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for
this FOA through Grants.gov/Apply.
Note: Only the forms package directly attached to a specific FOA can be used. You will not be able to use any other SF424 (R&R) forms (e.g., sample forms, forms from another FOA), although some of the "Attachment" files may be useable for more than one FOA.
For further assistance,
contact GrantsInfo: Telephone 301-710-0267, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov.
Telecommunications for the hearing impaired: TTY
301-451-5936.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Prepare all applications using the SF424 (R&R) application forms and in accordance with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for this FOA through Grants.gov/APPLY.
The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide is critical to submitting a complete and accurate application to NIH. There are fields within the SF424 (R&R) application components that, although not marked as mandatory, are required by NIH (e.g., the Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component must contain the PD/PI’s assigned eRA Commons User ID). Agency-specific instructions for such fields are clearly identified in the Application Guide. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
The SF424 (R&R) application is comprised of data arranged in separate components. Some components are required, others are optional. The forms package associated with this FOA in Grants.gov/APPLY will include all applicable components, required and optional. A completed application in response to this FOA will include the following components:
Required Components:
SF424 (R&R) (Cover
component)
Research & Related Project/Performance Site
Locations
Research & Related Other Project Information
Research & Related Senior/Key Person
PHS 398 Modular Budget
PHS398 Cover Page Supplement
PHS398 Research Plan
PHS398 Checklist
Note: While both budget components are included in the SF424 (R&R) forms package, this RFA requires ONLY the PHS398 Modular Budget. (Do not use the detailed Research & Related Budget.)
Optional Components:
PHS398 Cover Letter File
Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s)
Form
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Applications with Multiple PDs/PIs
When multiple PDs/PIs are proposed, NIH requires one PD/PI to be designated as the "Contact PI, who will be responsible for all communication between the PDs/PIs and the NIH, for assembling the application materials outlined below, and for coordinating progress reports for the project. The contact PD/PI must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status in the same way as other PDs/PIs, but has no other special roles or responsibilities within the project team beyond those mentioned above.
Information for the Contact PD/PI should be entered in item 15 of the SF424(R&R) Cover component. All other PDs/PIs should be listed in the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component and assigned the project role of PD/PI. Please remember that all PDs/PIs must be registered in the eRA Commons prior to application submission. The Commons ID of each PD/PI must be included in the Credential field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person component. Failure to include this data field will cause the application to be rejected.
All projects proposing Multiple PDs/PIs will be required to include a new section describing the leadership of the project.
Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan: For applications designating multiple PDs/PIs, a new section of the research plan, entitled Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan (Section 14 of the Research Plan Component in the SF424 (R&R)), must be included. In this instance the requirement for multiple PIs reflects NIH program decisions to involve both scientists and community leaders in this new program. The governance and organizational structure of the leadership team and the research project should be described, including communication plans, process for making decisions on scientific direction, and procedures for resolving conflicts. The roles and administrative, technical, and scientific responsibilities for the project or program should be delineated for the PDs/PIs and other collaborators.
If budget allocation is planned, the distribution of resources to specific components of the project or the individual PDs/PIs should be delineated in the Leadership Plan. In the event of an award, the requested allocations may be reflected in a footnote on the Notice of Award.
Applications Involving Multiple Institutions/Organizations
When multiple institutions or organizations are involved, one institution must be designated as the prime institution and funding for the other institution(s) or organization(s) must be requested via a subcontract to be administered by the prime institution. When submitting a detailed budget, the prime institution should submit its budget using the Research & Related Budget component. All other institutions should have their individual budgets attached separately to the Research & Related Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form. See Section 4.8 of the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for further instruction regarding the use of the subaward budget form.
When submitting a modular budget, the prime institution completes the PHS398 Modular Budget component only. Information concerning the consortium/subcontract budget is provided in the budget justification. Separate budgets for each consortium/subcontract grantee are not required when using the Modular budget format. See Section 5.4 of the Application Guide for further instruction regarding the use of the PHS398 Modular Budget component.
3. Submission Dates and Times
See Section IV.3.A for details.
3.A. Submission, Review, and
Anticipated Start Dates
Opening
Date: December 12, 2007 (Earliest date an application may be submitted
to Grants.gov)
Letters of Intent Receipt Date(s): December 12, 2007
Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): January 11,
2008
Peer Review Date(s): March/April
2008
Council Review Date(s): May 2008
Earliest Anticipated Start Date:
July 1, 2008
3.A.1. Letter of Intent
Prospective applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent that includes the following information:
Although a letter of intent is
not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a
subsequent application, the information that it contains allows NICHD staff to
estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
The letter of intent is to be sent by the date listed
in Section IV.3.A.
The letter of intent should be sent to:
3.B. Submitting an Application
Electronically to the NIH
To submit an application in response to this FOA,
applicants should access this FOA via http://www.grants.gov/Apply and follow steps 1-4. Note: Applications must only be submitted
electronically. PAPER APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
In order to expedite the review, applicants are requested to notify the NICHD Referral Office by email (NICHDReferral@mail.nih.gov) when the application has been submitted. Please include the FOA number and title, PD/PI name, and title of the application.
3.C. Application Processing
Applications may be submitted on or after the opening date and must be successfully
received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant
institution/organization) on the application submission/receipt date(s). (See Section IV.3.A. for all dates.) If an application is not submitted by the receipt
date(s) and time, the application may be delayed in the review process or not
reviewed.
Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and the Authorized Organization Representative/Signing Official (AOR/SO) have two business days to view the application image.
Upon receipt, applications
will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
There will be
an acknowledgement of receipt of applications from Grants.gov and the Commons. Information related to the
assignment of an application to a Scientific Review Group is also in the Commons.
Note: Since email can be unreliable, it is the responsibility of the applicant to check periodically on their application status in the Commons.
The NIH will not accept any application in response to this funding opportunity that is essentially the same as one currently pending initial review, unless the applicant withdraws the pending application. However, when a previously unfunded application, originally submitted as an investigator-initiated application, is to be submitted in response to a funding opportunity, it is to be prepared as a NEW application. That is, the application for the funding opportunity must not include an Introduction describing the changes and improvements made, and the text must not be marked to indicate the changes from the previous unfunded version of the application.
4.
Intergovernmental Review
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. A grantee may, at its own risk and without NIH prior
approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to 90 days
before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new award if such
costs: are necessary to conduct the project, and would be allowable under the
grant, if awarded, without NIH prior approval. If specific expenditures would
otherwise require prior approval, the grantee must obtain NIH approval before
incurring the cost. NIH prior approval is required for any costs to be incurred
more than 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a
new award.
The incurrence of
pre-award costs in anticipation of a competing or non-competing award imposes
no obligation on NIH either to make the award or to increase the amount of the
approved budget if an award is made for less than the amount anticipated and is
inadequate to cover the pre-award costs incurred. NIH expects the grantee to be
fully aware that pre-award costs result in borrowing against future support and
that such borrowing must not impair the grantee's ability to accomplish the
project objectives in the approved time frame or in any way adversely affect
the conduct of the project. See the NIH Grants
Policy Statement.
6. Other Submission
Requirements
PD/PI
Credential (e.g., Agency Login)
The NIH requires the PD/PI to fill in his/her Commons User ID in the PROFILE Project Director/Principal Investigator section, Credential log-in field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile component. The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Registration FAQs Important Tips -- Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
Organizational DUNS
The applicant organization must include its DUNS number in its Organization Profile in the eRA Commons. This DUNS number must match the DUNS number provided at CCR registration with Grants.gov. For additional information, see Frequently Asked Questions Application Guide, Electronic Submission of Grant Applications.
PHS398 Research Plan Component Sections
While each section of the Research Plan component needs to be uploaded separately as a PDF attachment, applicants are encouraged to construct the Research Plan component as a single document, separating sections into distinct PDF attachments just before uploading the files. This approach will enable applicants to better monitor formatting requirements such as page limits. All attachments must be provided to NIH in PDF format, filenames must be included with no spaces or special characters, and a .pdf extension must be used.
All application instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide are to be followed, incorporating "Just-in-Time" information concepts, and with the following additional requirements for R03 applications:
Warning: Please be sure that you observe the direct cost, project period, and page number limitations specified above for this FOA. Application processing may be delayed or the application may be rejected if it does not comply with these requirements.
Investigator Workshop
Application budgets should include funds for PIs to attend a workshop in or near Bethesda, Maryland toward the end of the first year of the award. The PIs of each funded partnership will participate in a workshop designed to allow sharing of information, experiences with the project, lessons learned, and ideas for future planning.
Plan for Sharing Research Data
Not applicable
Sharing Research Resources
NIH policy expects that grant recipients make unique
research resources readily available for research purposes to qualified
individuals within the scientific community after publication (See the NIH
Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part7.htm#_Toc54600131).
Investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a sharing
research resources plan addressing how unique research resources will be shared
or explain why sharing is not possible.
The adequacy of the resources sharing plan and any
related data sharing plans will be considered by Program staff of the funding
organization when making recommendations about funding applications. The
effectiveness of the resource sharing will be evaluated as part of the
administrative review of each Non-Competing Grant
Progress Report (PHS 2590). See Section VI.3.,
Reporting.
Section V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Only the review criteria described below will be
considered in the review process.
2. Review and
Selection Process
Applications
that are complete and responsive to the FOA will be evaluated for scientific
and technical merit by an appropriate peer review group convened by NICHD in
accordance with the review criteria stated below.
As part of the initial merit review, all applications will:
Applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:
The NIH R03 small grant is a mechanism for supporting discrete, well-defined projects that realistically can be completed in two years and that require limited levels of funding. Because the research plan is restricted to 10 pages, an R03 grant application will not have the same level of detail or extensive discussion found in an R01 application. Accordingly, reviewers should evaluate the conceptual framework and general approach to the problem, placing less emphasis on methodological details and certain indicators traditionally used in evaluating the scientific merit of R01 applications including supportive preliminary data. Appropriate justification for the proposed work can be provided through literature citations, data from other sources, or from investigator-generated data. Preliminary data are not required, particularly in applications proposing pilot or feasibility studies.
The goals of NIH supported research are to advance our understanding of biological systems, to improve the control of disease, and to enhance health. In their written critiques, reviewers will be asked to comment on each of the following criteria in order to judge the likelihood that the proposed research will have a substantial impact on the pursuit of these goals. Each of these criteria will be addressed and considered in assigning the overall score, weighting them as appropriate for each application.
Note that an application does
not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major
scientific impact and thus deserve a high priority score. For example, an
investigator may propose to carry out important work that by its nature is not
innovative but is essential to move a field forward.
Significance: Does this study address an important problem? If the aims of the application
are achieved, how will scientific knowledge or clinical practice be advanced?
What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts, methods,
technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive
this field?
Approach: Are the conceptual or
clinical framework, design, methods, and analyses adequately developed, well
integrated, well reasoned, and appropriate to the aims of the project? Does
the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas and consider alternative
tactics. Do proposed
plans ensure that there will be sufficient coordination and communication
between the academic and community
investigators? Is there appropriate involvement of both investigators
throughout the project, including planning? Are the administrative plans for
the management of the research project appropriate, including plans for
resolving conflicts? Is there an effective plan to
evaluate the results of the research and to develop future research and/or
interventions?
Innovation: Is the project original and innovative? For example: Does
the project challenge existing paradigms or clinical practice; address an
innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the
project develop or employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or
technologies for this area?
Investigators: Are the PD/PIs and other key personnel
appropriately trained
and well suited to carry out this work? Is the work proposed appropriate to the
experience level of the principal investigator and other researchers? Do the
PD/PIs and investigative team bring complementary and integrated expertise to
the project (if applicable)? Does
the application demonstrate true collaboration representing the differing
perspectives and expertise of the multiple PIs?
Environment: Do(es) the scientific environment(s) in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success? Do the proposed studies benefit from unique features of the scientific environment, or subject populations, or employ useful collaborative arrangements? Is there evidence of institutional and organizational support?
Special Criteria
Impact: Is the proposed research likely to lead to improved public understanding of basic and/or clinical biomedical and behavioral research? Is the proposed project likely to result in strategies for promoting collaboration between scientists and the community to improve the health of the public? Is the proposed project likely to identify conditions (e.g., settings and approaches) that will enhance the effectiveness of the activities to be studied? Is the proposed project likely to enhance public understanding of NIH?
Collaboration: Is there evidence of prior partnering activities and documentation of the commitment of the institutions to this partnership? Is there evidence that the planning, organization, structure, and design of the proposed research reflect a genuine collaboration between the partners? Is there an appropriate plan for distribution of the requested funds between the partnering institutions?
2.A. Additional Review Criteria:
In addition to the above
criteria, the following items will continue to be considered in the
determination of scientific merit and the priority score:
Protection of Human
Subjects from Research Risk: The involvement of human subjects and protections from
research risk relating to their participation in the proposed research will be
assessed. See the Human Subjects Sections of the PHS398 Research Plan
component of the SF424 (R&R).
Inclusion of Women, Minorities and Children in Research: The adequacy of
plans to include subjects from both genders, all racial and ethnic groups (and
subgroups), and children as appropriate for the scientific goals of the
research will be assessed. Plans for the recruitment and retention of subjects
will also be evaluated. See the Human Subjects Sections of the PHS398
Research Plan component of the SF424 (R&R)
Care and Use of Vertebrate Animals in Research: If vertebrate animals
are to be used in the project, the adequacy of the plans for their care and use
will be assessed. See the Other Research Plan Sections of the PHS398 Research
Plan component of the SF424 (R&R).
Biohazards: If materials or procedures are proposed that are potentially
hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, determine if the
proposed protection is adequate.
2.B.
Additional Review Considerations
Budget and Period
of Support: The reasonableness of the proposed budget and the appropriateness of the
requested period of support in relation to the proposed research may be
assessed by the reviewers. The priority score should not be affected by the
evaluation of the budget.
2.C. Sharing Research Data
Not Applicable
2.D. Sharing Research Resources
NIH
policy expects that grant recipients make unique research resources readily
available for research purposes to qualified individuals within the scientific
community after publication (See the NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part7.htm#_Toc54600131).
Investigators responding to this funding opportunity should include a sharing
research resources plan addressing how unique research resources will be shared
or explain why sharing is not possible.
Program staff will be responsible for the
administrative review of the plan for sharing research resources.
The adequacy of the resources sharing plan and any related data sharing plans will be considered by Program staff of the funding organization when making recommendations about funding applications. The effectiveness of the resource sharing will be evaluated as part of the administrative review of each Non-Competing Grant Progress Report (PHS 2590), See Section VI.3., Reporting.
3. Anticipated Announcement and
Award Dates
Not applicable
Section VI. Award Administration Information
1.
Award Notices
After the peer review of the application is
completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his/her Summary Statement (written
critique) via the NIH eRA Commons.
If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant. For details, applicants may refer to the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General.
At the time of an award decision, the R03 application will
be disaggregated into two separate, administratively
linked R03 awards. Each will receive a separate Notice of Award (NoA) and will
reflect full F&A rate reimbursement based upon the negotiated rate in
effect at the time of award. The budgetary recommendations of the scientific review group and programmatic considerations will
be taken into account in developing a funding plan for successful applicants.
The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the
authorizing document. Once all administrative and programmatic issues have been
resolved, the NoA will be generated via email notification from the awarding
component to the grantee business official.
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. See Section
IV.5., Funding Restrictions.
Funding decisions made by the NIH or its components are not subject to appeal.
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.
3. Reporting
When multiple years are
involved, awardees will be required to submit the Non-Competing Grant
Progress Report (PHS 2590) annually and financial statements as required in
the NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
We encourage your inquiries concerning this funding
opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential
applicants. Inquiries may fall into three areas: scientific/research, peer
review, and financial or grants management issues:
1. Scientific/Research
Contacts:
Alexis D. Bakos, Ph.D., MPH, RN,C
Office
of Extramural Programs
National Institute of Nursing Research
6701 Democracy Boulevard, Room 710, MSC 4870
Bethesda, MD 20892-4870
Telephone:
(301) 594-2542
FAX: (301) 480-8260
Email: bakosa@mail.nih.gov
2. Peer Review Contacts:
Robert
Stretch, Ph.D.
Director, Division of Scientific Review
National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development
6100 Executive Boulevard,
5B01, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service)
Telephone: (301) 496-1485
Email: stretchr@mail.nih.gov
3. Financial
or Grants Management Contacts:
Brian Albertini
Chief,
Office of Grants and Contract Management
National Institute of Nursing Research
6701 Democracy Plaza, Suite 710, MSC 4879
Bethesda, MD 20892-4870
Telephone: (301) 594-6869
FAX: (301) 480-8260
Email: AlbertiB@mail.nih.gov
Bryan Clark
Chief Grants Management Officer
National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development
6100 Executive Boulevard, 8A01, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Rockville, MD 20852 (for express/courier service)
Telephone: (301) 435-6975
Email: clarkb1@mail.nih.gov
Section VIII. Other Information
Required Federal Citations
Use of Animals in Research:
Recipients of PHS support for activities involving
live, vertebrate animals must comply with PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/PHSPolicyLabAnimals.pdf)
as mandated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/references/hrea1985.htm),
and the USDA Animal Welfare Regulations (http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm)
as applicable.
Human Subjects Protection:
Federal regulations (45 CFR 46) require that
applications and proposals involving human subjects must be evaluated with
reference to the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against
these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others,
and the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained (http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/45cfr46.htm).
Data and Safety Monitoring Plan:
Data and safety monitoring is required for all types
of clinical trials, including physiologic toxicity and dose-finding studies
(Phase I); efficacy studies (Phase II); efficacy, effectiveness and comparative
trials (Phase III). Monitoring should be commensurate with risk. The
establishment of data and safety monitoring boards (DSMBs) is required for
multi-site clinical trials involving interventions that entail potential risks
to the participants ( NIH Policy for Data and Safety Monitoring, NIH Guide
for Grants and Contracts, http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not98-084.html).
Sharing Research Data:
Investigators submitting an NIH application seeking
$500,000 or more in direct costs in any single year are expected to include a
plan for data sharing or state why this is not possible (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/data_sharing).
Investigators should seek guidance from their
institutions, on issues related to institutional policies and local IRB rules,
as well as local, State and Federal laws and regulations, including the Privacy
Rule. Reviewers will consider the data sharing plan but will not factor the
plan into the determination of the scientific merit or the priority score.
Access to Research Data through the Freedom of
Information Act:
The Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 has been revised to provide access
to research data through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) under some
circumstances. Data that are (1) first produced in a project that is supported
in whole or in part with Federal funds and (2) cited publicly and officially by
a Federal agency in support of an action that has the force and effect of law
(i.e., a regulation) may be accessed through FOIA. It is important for
applicants to understand the basic scope of this amendment. NIH has provided
guidance at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/a110/a110_guidance_dec1999.htm.
Applicants may wish to place data collected under this funding opportunity in a
public archive, which can provide protections for the data and manage the
distribution for an indefinite period of time. If so, the application should
include a description of the archiving plan in the study design and include information
about this in the budget justification section of the application. In addition,
applicants should think about how to structure informed consent statements and
other human subjects procedures given the potential for wider use of data
collected under this award.
Inclusion of
Women And Minorities in Clinical Research:
It is the policy
of the NIH that women and members of minority groups and their sub-populations
must be included in all NIH-supported clinical research projects unless a clear
and compelling justification is provided indicating that inclusion is
inappropriate with respect to the health of the subjects or the purpose of the
research. This policy results from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section
492B of Public Law 103-43). All investigators proposing clinical research
should read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as
Subjects in Clinical Research (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-02-001.html);
a complete copy of the updated Guidelines is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_amended_10_2001.htm.
The amended policy incorporates: the use of an NIH definition of clinical
research; updated racial and ethnic categories in compliance with the new OMB
standards; clarification of language governing NIH-defined Phase III clinical
trials consistent with the SF424 (R&R) application; and updated roles and
responsibilities of NIH staff and the extramural community. The policy
continues to require for all NIH-defined Phase III clinical trials that: a) all
applications or proposals and/or protocols must provide a description of plans
to conduct analyses, as appropriate, to address differences by sex/gender
and/or racial/ethnic groups, including subgroups if applicable; and b)
investigators must report annual accrual and progress in conducting analyses,
as appropriate, by sex/gender and/or racial/ethnic group differences.
Inclusion of
Children as Participants in Clinical Research:
The NIH maintains
a policy that children (i.e., individuals under the age of 21) must be included
in all clinical research, conducted or supported by the NIH, unless there are
scientific and ethical reasons not to include them.
All investigators
proposing research involving human subjects should read the "NIH Policy
and Guidelines" on the inclusion of children as participants in research
involving human subjects (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/children/children.htm).
Required
Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants:
NIH policy
requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all
investigators submitting NIH applications for research involving human subjects
and individuals designated as key personnel. The policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html.
NIH Public Access Policy:
NIH-funded
investigators are requested to submit to the NIH manuscript submission (NIHMS)
system (http://www.nihms.nih.gov) at
PubMed Central (PMC) an electronic version of the author's final manuscript
upon acceptance for publication, resulting from research supported in whole or
in part with direct costs from NIH. The author's final manuscript is defined as
the final version accepted for journal publication, and includes all
modifications from the publishing peer review process.
NIH is requesting
that authors submit manuscripts resulting from 1) currently funded NIH research
projects or 2) previously supported NIH research projects if they are accepted
for publication on or after May 2, 2005. The NIH Public Access Policy applies
to all research grant and career development award mechanisms, cooperative
agreements, contracts, Institutional and Individual Ruth L. Kirschstein
National Research Service Awards, as well as NIH intramural research studies.
The Policy applies to peer-reviewed, original research publications that have
been supported in whole or in part with direct costs from NIH, but it does not
apply to book chapters, editorials, reviews, or conference proceedings.
Publications resulting from non-NIH-supported research projects should not be
submitted.
For more
information about the Policy or the submission process, please visit the NIH Public Access Policy Web site at http://publicaccess.nih.gov/
and view the Policy or other Resources and Tools, including the Authors' Manual.
Standards for
Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information:
The Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) issued final modification to the
"Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information",
the "Privacy Rule", on August 14, 2002. The Privacy Rule is a federal
regulation under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) of 1996 that governs the protection of individually identifiable health
information, and is administered and enforced by the HHS Office for Civil
Rights (OCR).
Decisions about
applicability and implementation of the Privacy Rule reside with the researcher
and his/her institution. The OCR website (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/)
provides information on the Privacy Rule, including a complete Regulation Text
and a set of decision tools on "Am I a covered entity?" Information
on the impact of the HIPAA Privacy Rule on NIH processes involving the review,
funding, and progress monitoring of grants, cooperative agreements, and
research contracts can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-025.html.
URLs in NIH Grant Applications or Appendices:
All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within
specified page limitations. For publications listed in the appendix and/or
Progress report, Internet addresses (URLs) or PubMed Central (PMC) submission
identification numbers must be used for publicly accessible on-line journal
articles. Publicly accessible on-line journal articles or PMC
articles/manuscripts accepted for publication that are directly relevant to the
project may be included only as URLs or PMC submission identification numbers
accompanying the full reference in either the Bibliography & References
Cited section, the Progress Report Publication List section, or the
Biographical Sketch section of the NIH grant application. A URL or PMC
submission identification number citation may be repeated in each of these
sections as appropriate. There is no limit to the number of URLs or PMC
submission identification numbers that can be cited.
Healthy
People 2010:
The Public Health
Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease
prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national
activity for setting priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the
priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People
2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Authority and
Regulations:
This
program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance at http://www.cfda.gov/ and is not subject
to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or Health
Systems Agency review. 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. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost
principles, and other considerations described in the NIH
Grants Policy Statement.
The PHS strongly
encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and
discourage the use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227,
the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in
some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are
provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and
advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Loan Repayment
Programs:
NIH encourages
applications for educational loan repayment from qualified health professionals
who have made a commitment to pursue a research career involving clinical,
pediatric, contraception, infertility, and health disparities related areas.
The LRP is an important component of NIH's efforts to recruit and retain the
next generation of researchers by providing the means for developing a research
career unfettered by the burden of student loan debt. Note that an NIH grant is
not required for eligibility and concurrent career award and LRP applications
are encouraged. The periods of career award and LRP award may overlap providing
the LRP recipient with the required commitment of time and effort, as LRP
awardees must commit at least 50% of their time (at least 20 hours per week
based on a 40 hour week) for two years to the research. For further
information, please see: http://www.lrp.nih.gov.
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
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