Transcript The NIH Grant Process (cont)

GRANTS 101:
Everything you want to
know about the NIH
grants process but are
afraid to ask
SU
C IVRES NA
SE
M
U
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&
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David Armstrong, Ph.D.
Chief, Scientific Review Branch, NIMH
LAEH FO T
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DEP
Take-Home Message
Communicate
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with NIH staff
with investigators
with institutional administrators
http://www.nih.gov
National Institutes of
Health
Much of the
biomedical research
in the United States
is supported by the
Federal Government,
primarily the
National Institutes
of Health (NIH)
FY 2005 Funding By Mechanism
(dollars in billions)
Total budget
$28.8 billion
16% supports
6,000 NIH scientists
Spending at NIH
$4.7
Spending Outside NIH
$24.1
84% supports
212,000 scientists
At over 3,000 Universities
And Institutes
Finding Your Way at NIH
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Comprised of 27
Institutes and
Centers
Similar in some
ways, but not all
Each has its own
mission, budget,
activities,
priorities, and
ways of doing
things.
A Typical Institute/Center
National
Advisory
Council
Office of the IC
Director
Extramural
Program
Review
Grants
Management
Board of
Scientific
Counselors
Intramural
Laboratory
Studies
Clinical
Studies
What is the Mission of NIMH?
NIMH’s Mission is to reduce the burden of mental illness
and behavioral disorders through research on mind, brain
behavior.
■ Through the support and
conduct of research on mental
disorders and the underlying
basic science of brain and
behavior
 Ensuring rapid and effective
dissemination and use of
research results to improve
prevention, intervention,
treatment, and policy
Multidisciplinary Research at
NIMH is Supported
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Neuroscientists
Epidemiologists
Physician
Scientists
Anthropologists
Social Workers
Sociologists
Nurses
Nutritionists
Neurologists
and more!
How do we set
priorities?
■ Relevance – what do we need?
■ Traction – where are the opportunities?
■ Innovation – what is new?
Relevance +Traction + Innovation = IMPACT
Overall Peer Review Process
What, Who, When
What is the
application process?
 Who is the right
person to contact?
 When should I
contact someone?
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Dual Review System for Grant
Applications
First level of review
Scientific Review Group
- Provides initial scientific
merit review of grant applications
- Rates applications and makes
recommendations concerning level
of support and duration of award
Second level of review
Council
- Makes recommendations to
IC staff concerning funding
- Evaluates program priorities
and relevance
- Advises on policy
The NIH Grant Process
WOW!
What a
great idea
Investigator initiated research is core
to the NIH grant process
Preparation of the
Application
 Who at your home institution can help you
Other investigators
 Institutional Officials/Administrators
 Who at NIH can help you
 Project Officer/Program Chief
 Scientific Review Administrator (SRA)
 Grants Management Specialist/Officer
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Who/What is a Project
Officer/Program Chief?
 Project Officer/Program Chief
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is a scientist and administrator
manages grants, contracts,
cooperative agreements
identifies needs in scientific
areas
identifies scientific areas of
special interest and
communicates interest
monitors scientific progress and
reports program
accomplishments
advocates for the best science
Who/What is a Scientific
Review Administrator?
 Scientific Review Administrator
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is a scientist and administrator
manages the review of grants,
contracts, cooperative agreements
appoints members to initial review
groups/study sections/special
emphasis panels
responds to questions about review
at Advisory Councils and Board
meetings
prepares summary statements
reflecting IRG recommendations
if Referral Officer, refers
applications to study section for
review and to Institute for
acceptance into program
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
SF424
Writing a grant
application can be
very time consuming
January/February
June/July
October/November
Preparation of the
Application
 Help from other investigators
Discuss ideas, critique application
 Discuss their experience w/ the NIH
application process
 Help from Institutional
Officials/Administrators
 Register for eRA Commons for electronic
submission
 Prepare budget
 Identify sources of funding in addition to
NIH
 Identify electronic sources of information
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Preparation of the Application
 Help from NIH Project
Officer/Program Chief
 Discuss science/proposed
project
 Discuss NIH Institute’s degree
of interest in proposed project
 Discuss application and
review process
 Discuss funding mechanisms
Preparation of the
Application
Key Questions for Prospective
Investigator
1. What do you intend to do?
2. Why is the work important?
3. What has already been
done?
4. How are you going to do
the work?
Preparation of the
Application
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Develop your idea
 Survey the literature
 Contact Investigators working on
topic
 Prepare a brief concept paper
 Discuss with colleagues/mentors
Prepare to do the project
 Develop preliminary data
 Present to
colleagues/mentors/students
Preparation of the
Application
 What makes a successful application?
 Significance (Does the study address an
important problem?)
 Approach (conceptual framework,
design, methods, analyses, problems
and alternatives)
 Innovation (Is the project original and
innovative?)
 Investigators (training, suitability for
project)
 Environment (unique features,
collaborations, institutional support)
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
Submission Website at:
http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicR
eceipt
Soon all grant applications
will be received electronically
Center for Scientific Review
receiving center
The Future: Electronic
Research Administration
(eRA)
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NIH’s vision for the 21st century.
Infrastructure for conducting interactive
electronic transactions for the receipt,
review, monitoring, and administration of
NIH grant awards.
Integrates the external system, NIH eRA
Commons and the internal system, IMPAC
II.
https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/index.j
sp
What is Grants.gov?
 The Federal government’s single,
online portal for any person, business,
or State, Local and Tribal government
to electronically:
 Find Grant Opportunities
 Apply for Grants
 A cross-agency initiative involving
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900 grant programs
26 grant-making agencies
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Over $350 billion in annual awards
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Why transition? It’s the
law…
 Public Law (PL) 106-107
Federal Financial Assistance
Management Improvement Act of 1999
 Improve the effectiveness and
performance of Federal financial
assistance programs
 Simplify Federal financial assistance
application and reporting
requirements
 Improve the delivery of services to the
public
Preparing for Submission –
Registration
Grants.gov
 Applicant institutions must complete one
time only registration
 Good for electronic submission to all
Federal agencies
 Detailed instructions at:
http://grants.gov/GetStarted
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Grants.gov registration requires institutions to:
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Obtain a Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number
Register in Central Contractor Registry (CCR)
Registration not required to find
funding opportunity or download
application package, only to submit
completed application
Preparing for Submission
–Registration (cont)
eRA Commons
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PI’s must work through their
institutions to register
Applicant institutions must
complete one-time only
registration
PI’s currently registered only for
IAR must work through their
institutions for full Commons
registration
It is critical for institutions to begin this registration process
at least 4 weeks before applications are due!
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
Individual
Research
Grant
Serial
number
Amended
1 R01 MH 123456 01 A1
Institute
New
Application
CSR’s x-ray security
facility
Grant
Support
Year
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
Just ten
Justreviewers
5 more
more
reviewers
to
recruit to
recruit
and
the roster
is complete.
Scientific Review
Administrator
Reviewer
Criteria for Selection of Peer
Reviewers
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Demonstrated Scientific
Expertise
Doctoral Degree or Equivalent
Mature Judgment
Work Effectively in a Group
Context
Breadth of Perspective
Impartiality
Interest in Serving
Adequate Representation of
Women and Minority Scientists
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
Finished!
This is hard
work.
Critique
IAR
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
First level of review
Score (100-500)
Human subject concerns
Inclusion criteria
Vertebrate animal concerns
Budget
Confidentiality
■ Review materials and proceedings of
review meetings represent privileged
information to be used only by
consultants and NIH staff.
■ At the conclusion of each meeting,
consultants will be asked to destroy or
return all review-related material.
■ Consultants should not discuss review
proceedings with anyone except the SRA.
■ Questions concerning review proceedings
should be referred to the SRA.
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
Summary statement
Scientific Review
Administrator
eRA
Summary Statement
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Overall resume and summary of
discussion
Essentially unedited critiques
Priority score and percentile ranking
Budget recommendations
Administrative Notes
Animal/Human Subjects Concerns
Concerns about Gender, Minority,
Child Inclusion
The NIH Grant Process (cont)
Wow a
166 – Will
I get paid?
Second level of review
National Advisory Mental
Health Council
Yippee!!
Now I only
have to worry
about getting
tenure.
When Preparing an
Application
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Never assume that reviewers “will know what you
mean”
Refer to literature thoroughly
State rationale of proposed investigation
Read instructions
Include well-designed tables and figures
Present an organized, lucid write-up
Obtain pre-review from faculty at your
institution
Common Problems in
Applications
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Lack of new or original ideas
Absence of an acceptable scientific rationale
Lack of experience in the essential methodology
Questionable reasoning in experimental
approach
Uncritical approach
Diffuse, superficial, or unfocused research plan
Lack of sufficient experimental detail
Lack of knowledge of published relevant work
Unrealistically large amount of work
Uncertainty concerning future directions