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Applications for research grant support from foreign organizations are treated as if they were applications from domestic organizations. So, the information found on our Information for Researchers and Information for Research Administrators pages apply to both foreign and domestic applicants and recipients. This page provides additional information specifically for foreign applicants and recipients.
Types of Foreign Collaborations
Most foreign collaborations fall into two types
- Direct foreign award. The foreign organization is the prime recipient and receives the full allowable budget.
- Domestic award with foreign component. The domestic organization is the prime recipient, but a
significant element or segment of the project is performed outside of the United States, either by the recipient
or by a researcher employed by a foreign organization, whether or not grant funds are expended. Requires a
formalized written agreement.
- Activities that meet the definition of a foreign component include, but are not limited to:
- Involvement of human subjects or animals
- Extensive foreign travel by recipient project staff for the purpose of data collection, surveying, sampling, and similar activities
- Any activity of recipient that may impact U.S. foreign policy through involvement in affairs or environment of a foreign country
- Examples of other grant-related activities that may be foreign components:
- Collaborations with investigators at foreign site anticipated to result in co-authorship
- Use of facilities or instrumentation at a foreign site
- Receipt of financial support or resources from a foreign entity
- Foreign travel for consultation is not considered a foreign component
- Activities that meet the definition of a foreign component include, but are not limited to:
Location and Time Zone of the NIH
The NIH main campus is located in Bethesda, Maryland on the East Coast of the U.S., just 10 miles from the center of Washington, D.C. From early November until March, this is GMT – 5 hours, and from March until November this is GMT – 4 hours.
All grant applications are due at 5 pm on the specified due date based on the address provided in the Applicant Information section (item #5) of the SF424 R&R form.
Submitting an Application
All applications to NIH must be submitted in response to funding opportunities which describe an institute or center's intent to award grants or cooperative agreements in certain programmatic areas. All NIH funding opportunities are published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts and on Grants.gov - Search Grants.
Eligibility
In general, foreign and international organizations are eligible to apply for most NIH research project grants but are not eligible to apply for institutional training, program project, center, resource, small business, or construction grants. Individual notices of funding opportunities may also restrict eligibility.
- NIH Grants Policy Statement: Foreign Eligibility provides general eligibility information
- Section III. Eligibility Information of each funding opportunity provides detailed organization and individual (PD/PI) eligibility requirements including a section for Foreign Organization eligibility
Registration
Applicants from foreign and international organizations must fulfill some additional requirements to register for electronic submission of grant applications.
Tip
Registration can take six weeks or more. Start well in advance of your target due date.
- Foreign applicants need a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code prior to registering with the System for Award Management (SAM). See NCAGE Code Request Tool.
Application Requirements
Read the How to Apply – Application Guide carefully before applying and follow all instructions.
Application form package and instructions are the same as those required for domestic applicants. The forms needed to apply are customized to each funding opportunity. You must use the forms linked to the announcement to apply. Use one of the submission options (NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or a system-to-system solution) indicated in the funding opportunity to access, prepare, and submit your application forms.
Tips specific to foreign applicants
- SF424 R&R cover form
- Item 6, Employer Identification Number (EIN): If you don't have an EIN, enter 44-4444444
- Item 13, Congressional District: Enter 00-0000
- R&R Budget form
- Foreign applicant organizations must submit detailed (non-modular) budgets using the R&R Budget form.
- Funds must be requested in U.S. dollars
- Foreign organizations may request funds for limited Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs (8 percent of modified total direct costs less equipment) to support the costs of compliance with NIH requirements
- Examples: Protection of human subjects, animal welfare, invention reporting, other post-award reporting requirements, financial conflict of interest, and research misconduct
- See NIH Grants Policy Statement: Foreign Grants - Allowable and Unallowable Costs
- R&R Other Project Information form
- Item 6, Does this project involve activities outside of the United States or partnerships with international collaborators? If the applicant organization is foreign or if the project includes a foreign component, then check yes and add an attachment titled “Foreign Justification” in the Other Attachments field
- Item 6a, Identify countries: Enter the countries; 55-character limit; abbreviations are acceptable
- Item 6b, Optional explanation: 55-character limit
- PHS 398 Research Plan form
- Item 6, Select Agent Research: Provide the names of the countries where select agent research will be performed
- Project/Performance Site Location form
- Project/Performance Site Congressional District: Enter 00-0000
Reaching Out to NIH Staff
Funding opportunities include contact information for NIH institute, center, and office staff:
- Scientific/research contact(s) (usually a program officer) who can answer questions about the scientific and/or technical aspects of the announcement
- Financial/grants management contact(s) who can answer questions about the administrative and budget aspects of the announcement
- Peer review contact(s) who can answer questions about the peer review aspects of the announcement.
Applicants are encouraged to email these individuals to discuss their applications.
Policy
There are many public policy requirements for applications from foreign organizations. When an application is submitted to NIH, the Authorized Organization Representative assures NIH that the organization will follow the applicable public policy requirements, and the terms and conditions documented in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Resources of particular interest to foreign collaborators
- NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS)
- Office for Human Research Protections: International
- Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare: Foreign Assurance
- Financial Conflict of Interest
- Important Highlights of FCOI Regulatory Requirements for Foreign Institutions
- Foreign Interference
- Small Business Funding: Foreign Disclosure and Risk Management
Peer Review
In addition to standard review criteria, applications from foreign and international organizations are assessed on the following
- Whether the project presents special opportunities for furthering research programs through the use of unusual talent, resources, populations, or environmental conditions in other countries that are not readily available in the United States or that augment existing U.S. resources.
- Whether the proposed project has specific relevance to the mission and objectives of the ICO and has the potential for significantly advancing the health sciences in the United States.
Extensive information on all stages of the NIH grant process, including peer review, can be found at Grants Process Overview.
Post Award Issues for Foreign Recipients
When NIH awards a grant or cooperative agreement, it is formalizing its partnership with the recipient to ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations and policies. This protects the integrity of the overall scientific endeavor. Acceptance of a grant award from NIH carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of the Notice of Award (NoA). By drawing funds from the payment system, the recipient agrees to the terms and conditions of an award.
The NIH Grants Policy Statement (GPS) is a term of award and provides valuable information about the pre- and post-award requirements for NIH grants and cooperative agreements. NIH GPS Chapter 16: Grants to Foreign Institutions, International Organizations, and Domestic Grants with Foreign Components provides information specific for awards to foreign organizations.
Payment
The application budget, requests for funds, and financial reports must be stated in U.S. dollars.
Awards to foreign and international organizations are paid through the Payment Management Services (PMS). PMS is a centralized grants payment and cash management system. It is operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Program Support Center (PSC). Refer to NIH GPS 16.5: Funding and Payment.
When a foreign component participates in a consortium arrangement, the funding and payment information should be reflected in the formal written agreement. Learn more in NIH GPS Chapter 15: Consortium Agreements.