New NIH "FORMS-I" Grant Application Forms and Instructions Coming for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025
Notice Number:
NOT-OD-24-086

Key Dates

Release Date:

April 4, 2024

Related Announcements

  • April 18, 2024 - Implementation of Revisions to the NIH and AHRQ Fellowship Application and Review Process. See Notice NOT-OD-24-107
  • April 4, 2024 - Overview of Grant Application and Review Changes for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025. See Notice NOT-OD-24-084
  • April 4, 2024 - Simplified Review Framework for NIH Research Project Grant Applications - Update and Implementation Plans. See Notice NOT-OD-24-085.

Issued by

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

Purpose

This notice informs the applicant and recipient communities of changes to grant application forms and application guide instructions for due dates on or after January 25, 2025.

The following application forms include substantive form changes (i.e., new/deleted/modified fields). All other forms include only an OMB expiration date change.

  • PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan
  • PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form
  • PHS Assignment Request Form
  • PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement Form

Key Changes:

  • A new attachment field for the Recruitment Plan to Enhance Diversity on the PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan. Additional changes for institutional training grants will be detailed via NIH Guide notice by late spring 2024.
  • As part of NIH efforts to improve the peer review process for NRSA Fellowship applications, there will be modifications to some sections of the PHS Fellowship Supplement Form. Additional details will be provided via an NIH Guide notice by late spring 2024.
  • NIH adoption and required use of the Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support by May 2025. Additional details will be communicated via NIH Guide notice by summer 2024. 

See High-level Summary of Form Changes in FORMS-I Application Packages for a full list of known form changes. These changes will be implemented with application form packages identified with a Competition ID of "FORMS-I" and associated application guide instructions. Additional guidance and confirmation of implementation plans will be provided in fall 2024.

Effective Date

Applicants must use FORMS-I application packages for due dates on or after January 25, 2025, and must use FORMS-H application packages for due dates on or before January 24, 2025. Applications submitted using an incorrect forms package for their intended due date will be withdrawn and removed from funding consideration.

Availability of FORMS-I Application Guides

Application guides for FORMS-I application packages will be posted to the How to Apply - Application Guide page no later than October 25, 2024.

Availability of FORMS-I Application Packages

FORMS-I application packages will be posted as follows:

  • New Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) will be posted with FORMS-H and/or FORMS-I application packages, as appropriate, beginning October 25, 2024.
  • New NOFOs posted before October 25, 2024, with initial due dates on or after January 25, 2025, will be posted without application forms until updated forms are available. Application packages will be added to these NOFOs between October 25, 2024, and November 25, 2024, with all application forms packages posted 30 calendar days or more prior to receipt dates.
  • All active Parent and IC-issued NOFOs with due dates on or after January 25, 2025, will be reissued or updated to add FORMS-I application packages between October 25, 2024, and November 25, 2024, with all application forms packages posted 30 calendar days or more prior to receipt dates.

For a transition period, both FORMS-H and FORMS-I application packages will be active simultaneously. Applicants must choose the appropriate application package for their due date when presented with both FORMS-H and FORMS-I application packages on the same NOFO (see table below).

Reminder: When an application due date falls on a weekend, Federal holiday, or Washington, DC area Federal office closure, the application deadline is automatically extended to the next business day.

If your intended due date is?

You must use...

On or before January 24, 2025, including:

  • Applications submitted for due dates on or before January 24, 2025
  • Applications submitted under NIH Late Policy 2-week window of consideration for intended due dates on or before January 24, 2025
  • Applications submitted by February 1, 2025, under NIH Continuous Submission Policy for the January 7, 2025, AIDS intended due date
FORMS-H application package

On or after January 25, 2025, including:

  • Applications submitted for due dates on or after January 25, 2025
  • All application types (New, Resubmission, Renewal, Revision)
  • Applications submitted early for intended due dates on or after January 25, 2025
FORMS-I application package

Applications submitted using the incorrect application package for their due date will be withdrawn and removed from funding consideration.

Resources

Inquiries

Please direct all NIH inquiries to: 

NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA) 
Systems Policy Branch 
Email: OPERAsystemspolicy@nih.gov