OMB No. 0925-0534 Exp: 08/2007
Survey of Principal Investigators Logo


Evaluation of the Modular Grant Application Process


Survey of Principal Investigators

Sponsored by:

National Institutes of Health

Office of Extramural Research


Introduction

This survey of principal investigators is part of a larger study evaluating the modular grant application process. The purpose of the evaluation is to gather information about your opinions and experiences with the modular grant application process. Results will be used to help improve communication and training about the process as well as improve various aspects of it.

The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete. Most of the survey items ask about the modular grant application process. However, NIH is also taking this opportunity to ask your opinions about Just-in-Time procedures. When responding to this survey, please keep the following definitions in mind.

Modular grants: The modular grants program began in 1999. It is for grants of $250,000 or less in direct costs per year. Direct costs are requested in modules of $25,000 and applicants are not required to include detailed budgets in their applications.

Just-in-Time: Once an award (either modular or nonmodular) is likely to be made, applicants are asked to submit missing IRB or IACUC approvals, along with Other Support pages that provide detailed information about funding from other sources.


Thank you very much for your participation.

A. ABOUT YOU

This section asks for information about you and your involvement in the modular grant application process.
A1.   Have you ever submitted a modular grant application to NIH?

Yes - Approximately how many modular grant applications have you submitted? 
No
 
A2.   Have you ever been awarded a modular grant?

Yes - Approximately how many modular grant applications have you been awarded? 
No
 
A3.   Have you ever submitted a nonmodular grant application to NIH?

Yes
No
 
A4.   Approximately how many total years have you received funding as Principal Investigator of NIH grants?
 
A5.   Since completing your Ph.D., how many years have you been conducting research?
 
A6.   Are you currently, or have you ever been a peer reviewer for NIH?

Yes - How many peer review panel (study section) meetings have you attended? (Please include those attended as an ad hoc reviewer.)
Have you ever reviewed modular grant applications?
 
Yes
No
No
 
A7.   To which NIH Institute/Center are the majority of your applications assigned?

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Eye Institute (NEI)
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
John E. Fogarty International Center (FIC)
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD)
 
A8.   What University/Research Center are you affiliated with?
 
A9.   What is your job title (e.g., assistant/associate/full professor; department chairman, research associate)?

B. KNOWLEDGE AND ASSESSMENT OF THE MODULAR GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS

NIH is concerned that some aspects of the modular grant application process may present difficulties for you and other principal investigators. Therefore, NIH would like you to identify the modular grant elements that you think need clarification. Below is a list of actual key features of the modular grant application process. Please check one box for each line that indicates how well you understand these features.
B1.   Features of the modular grant application process

This feature is clear to me This feature is not clear to me I have never heard about this feature
a.   There is no routine escalation for future years
b.   One or more additional modules may be requested during a particular year to cover an unusual cost fluctuation (such as a piece of equipment)
c.   Additional narrative budget justification is needed for any variation in the number of modules requested
d.   A separate form labeled "Other Support" does not appear in the modular grant application
e.   Narrative budget justification is needed only for personnel and consortium/contractual arrangements
f.   Individual salary information is not required for personnel
g.   Total consortium/contractual costs need to be estimated for each year, rounded to the nearest $1,000
h.   The total cost of the consortium/contractual arrangement is included in the requested modular direct cost total
i.   Indirect costs are not calculated on equipment
j.   Biographical sketches need to be prepared for all key personnel
k.   Biographical sketches should include the goals of current or recently completed research projects (federal and non-federal support
l.   Modular grant awards are eligible for administrative supplements (i.e., noncompeting supplemental funding)
m.   All forms for modular grant applications are available on the NIH website
n.   Some form pages are different for a modular grant application than for a nonmodular grant application
 
B2.   Before taking this survey, had you ever heard of the following goals of the modular grant application process?

Yes No
a.   Reduce administrative burden for principal investigators
b.   Focus the efforts of principal investigators on the scientific content of the grant application
c.   Reinforce the grant-in-aid philosophy (i.e., the government's assisting in carrying out the research endeavor) as opposed to the contract mentality (i.e., buying research dollar-for-dollar)
d.   Accommodate principal investigators' need for flexibility
e.   Eliminate budgetary negotiations between PIs and NIH program staff
 
B3.   In your opinion, to what extent has the modular grant application process achieved the following goals:

Not at all To some extent To a large extent Don't know/Can't rate
a.   Reduce administrative burden for principal investigators
b.   Focus the efforts of principal investigators on the scientific content of the grant application
c.   Reinforce the grant-in-aid philosophy (i.e., the government's assisting in carrying out the research endeavor) as opposed to the contract mentality (i.e., buying research dollar-for-dollar)
d.   Accommodate principal investigators' need for flexibility
e.   Eliminate budgetary negotiations between PIs and NIH program staff
 
B4.   Do you think there are other reasons for the implementation of the modular grant application process?

Yes - Please specify 
No
 
B5.   Have you ever obtained information on the modular grant application process?

Yes
No
 
B6.   Have you ever obtained information about the modular grant application process from NIH staff (e.g., scientific review administrators, program or grants management staff, staff in the Office of Extramural Research)?

Yes
No
 
B7.   How satisfied were you with the information you received from the NIH staff about the modular grant application process?

Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
 
B8.   Below are other sources of information on the modular grant application process. Please indicate whether you have obtained information from any of these sources. Check all that apply

Colleague/peer
Workshops/seminars
NIH web site/NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
Administrative office at your institution that deals with grant applications

C. YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE MODULAR GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
This section asks you about your experience with the modular grant application process. Please check the box that indicates how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements.
 
If you have never applied for a nonmodular grant, some of the items in this section may not apply to you. For these items, please select "Don't know/Not Applicable"


Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know/Not applicable
C1.   When I prepare a modular grant application, more of my efforts are focused on the scientific content than when I prepare a nonmodular grant application
C2.   The reason I have proposed research projects that stay within the $250,000 limit for a modular grant is because:
      a. I don't have to do a detailed budget
      b. I don't have to provide the "Other Support" pages
      c. I think it's more likely to get funded than a nonmodular grant
C3.   Post award funding cuts to my modular grant(s) are larger than for my nonmodular grant(s)
C4.   Preparing a modular grant application saves time because I don't have to fill out the "Other Support" form
C5.   Preparing a modular grant application is less stressful than preparing a nonmodular grant application because exact dollar amounts don't have to be submitted to NIH
C6.   One thing that takes me more time with a modular grant application (as opposed to a nonmodular grant application) is preparing the biographical sketches on all key personnel
C7.   I have changed my scope of work or research approach in order to stay within $250,000 (direct costs) so that I could submit a modular (as opposed to a nonmodular) grant application
 
C8.   When submitting a modular grant application to NIH, do you also have to submit a detailed budget to your university/research center?

Yes
No - [Go to C11]
 
C9.   About how much time does this add to your modular grant application preparation?

No time
A little time
Some time
A lot of time
 
C10.   To which of the following do you have to submit a detailed budget? Check all that apply

Department
Dean's Office
Office of Sponsored Programs
Other (Please specify):
 
C11.   Excluding time spent preparing a detailed budget, how does the time it takes you to prepare a modular grant application compare to the time it takes you to prepare a nonmodular grant application?

Compared to a nonmodular grant application, preparing a modular grant application takes me...

Much more time
Somewhat more time
About the same amount of time
Somewhat less time
Much less time
Don't know/Not applicable
 

D. YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE MODULAR GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS
This section asks your opinions about the modular grant application process. Please check the box that indicates how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements.


Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know/Not applicable
D1.   A modular grant provides me with more flexibility in terms of
      a. Conducting my research
      b. Modifying the approach to my research
      c. Managing the finances of my award
D2.   Modular applications discourage interdisciplinary research and collaboration because indirect costs are added to consortium/subcontractor's total cost
D3.   Reviewers can assess the scientific merit of a modular grant application without
      a. A detailed budget
      b. "Other Support" pages
D4.   The more budget justification information I provide in my modular grant application, the more likely I am to receive an award
D5.   There appears to be no clear policy on how the awarded budgets are decided for modular grants
D6.   Listing dollar value totals for major categories (personnel, travel, etc.) would be a good compromise between a detailed budget and a modular budget
 
We are interested in your perceptions about the modular grant application process. For the question below, please check one box for each line that comes closest to what you think.
 
D7.   As a direct result of the modular grant application process, my perception is that:

Increased Stayed the same Decreased
a.   The average amount of funding requested has
b.   The average size of award (dollar amount) has
 
D8.   As a direct result of the modular grant application process, budgetary negotiations between PIs and NIH program staff have...

Increased a great deal
Increased somewhat
Remained about the same
Decreased somewhat
Decreased a great deal
 

E. YOUR SATISFACTION WITH THE MODULAR GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS

We would like to know your general thoughts about and satisfaction with the modular grant application process. Please be as detailed as you like in your responses to the open-ended questions.
 
E1.   Overall, how satisfied are you with the modular grant application process?

Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
 
E2.   Would you prefer the modular grant limit be higher than $250,000?

Yes - Why?
No - Why not?
Not sure/don't know
 
E3.   What aspects of the modular grant application process do you like?
 
E4.   What aspects of the modular grant application process do you dislike?
 

F. YOUR OPINIONS ABOUT AND SATISFACTION WITH JUST-IN-TIME
This section asks your opinions about and satisfaction with the Just-in-Time procedures (e.g., IRB and IACUC approval and Other Support information). Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements.


Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly disagree Don't know/Not applicable
F1.   Not having to submit Just-in-Time materials at the same time the grant application is due:
      a. Saves me time when preparing my application
      b. Makes the grant preparation process easier for me
F2.   I can't postpone the preparation of Just-in-Time materials until pre-award notification because of the time it takes for these materials to be reviewed at my institution
 
We are also interested in how you feel about the following aspects of the Just-in-Time procedures. Please rate your satisfaction with each.


Very satisfied Satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Don't know/Not applicable
F3.   The time allowed to submit Just-in-Time materials once I am notified that I may receive an award
F4.   The coordination among NIH staff asking for Just-in-Time materials
 
F5.   Overall, how satisfied are you with Just-in-Time?

Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
 
F6.   What aspects of the Just-in-Time procedures do you like?
 
F7.   What aspects of the Just-in-Time procedures do you dislike?