types of award instruments, grants and cooperative agreements

2.3.3 Types of Award Instruments

NIH uses several different extramural award instruments in support of its mission. The Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-224) distinguishes financial assiance between contracts, cooperative agreements and grants. The NIHGPS requirements requirements apply to grants and cooperative agreements. Both grants and cooperative agreements are financial assistance instruments.

The grant instrument is used to administer awards that do not require NIH involvement beyond standard agency monitoring and stewardship. Under a cooperative agreement, NIH expects to be substantially involved in carrying out the project. Grants are used both for investigator-initiated research and for more targeted research. Cooperative agreements generally do not result from investigator-initiated applications. However, NIH may apply terms and conditions that differ from those in the NIHGPS consistent with the nature of its involvement under cooperative agreements.