Leaping the Hurdles

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Leaping the Hurdles Navigating the MazeHow to
Get FundingFrom DBSB/NICHD

• University of Washington
• July 30, 2004

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Rebecca L. Clark

• Demographic and Behavioral Science Branch (DBSB)
• Center for Population Research (CPR)
• National Institute of Child Health and Human
  Development (NICHD)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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What do I do?

• Program official at DBSB/NICHD
• Migration, population distribution, race
  ethnicity, population environment methods, some
  centers, most F32s, K01s
• Help applicants up until they submit their
  application, then after their applications are
  reviewed
• SRAs handle review, more on this later

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What do I do?

• Manage funded grants for NICHD
• Write program announcements and RFAs
• Help establish DBSBs (and NICHDs) priorities

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NIH Overview

• The mission of the NIH is to uncover new
  knowledge that will lead to better health for
  everyone
• 27 components (institutes and centers)
• 27.3 billion in funding in 2003
• 4/5 goes to grants and contracts supporting
  extramural research

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Who funds behavioral social sciences at NIH?

• Total 2002 NIH funding for behavioral and social
  science research 2.3 billion
• National Institute of Mental Health (403
  million)
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (400 m)
• National Cancer Institute (249 m)
• National Institute of Child Health Human
  Development (246 m)
• National Institute on Aging (209 m)
• National Institute of Alcohol Abuse Alcoholism
  (171 m)

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NICHD

• Largest single funder of behavioral and social
  research on population
• Most funding for this research is through the
  Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch (DBSB)
• 87.4 million grant funding in FY02

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NICHD Natl Institute of Child Health
Human Development NIA Nat l Institute
on Aging FIC Fogarty International
Center CSR Center for Scientific
Review DSR Division of Scientific
Review DBSB Demographic Behavioral
Sciences Branch
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What we will cover

• Funding opportunities and mechanisms at NICHD
• The process Idea to application
• The process Application to funding
• Evaluation of scientific merit
• The funding decision
• What program staff can do for you
• Post-doctoral fellowships

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Funding Opportunities and Mechanisms at the NICHD
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DBSB always interested in funding research in

• Demographic methods
• Economic demography
• Behavioral research on HIV/STDs
• Fatherhood
• Population and environment
• Child care
• . . . and more

• Fertility and contraception
• Mortality, morbidity and health
• Migration and population distribution
• Family and household structure and processes
• Marriage and cohabitation

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What kinds of funding can I get?

• Training and development
• Research support

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Grants for junior investigators Training and
development

• F31 Predoctoral Fellowships
• Minority students
• Students with disabilities
• F32 Postdoctoral Fellowships
• K01 Mentored Population Research Scientist
  Development Award

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Grants for junior ( other) investigators
Research

• R01 Research Project Grant
• R03 NIH Small Research Grant Program
• R21 NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant
• R15 Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREA)
• S Minority/disability supplements on existing
  R01s other grants
• SBIR/STTR Small Business Innovation
  Research/Small Business Technology Transfer

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R03 NIH Small Research Grant

• Limited funding/short period of time
• Examples
• Pilot/feasibility studies
• Secondary analysis of existing data
• Small, self-contained research projects
• Developing research new methodology or technology

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R21 NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant

• New exploratory and developmental research
  projects
• Examples
• Feasibility studies
• Unique/innovative use of an existing methodology
  to explore a new scientific area
• High risk/high payoff

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R01/R21/R03 (at NICHD)
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R15 Academic Research Enhancement Awards

• Individual research projects conducted by faculty
• Involving undergraduate students
• At institutions without major recipiency of NIH
  research grant funds.

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Special funding initiatives

• Most important thing to remember
• YOU DONT NEED A SPECIAL FUNDING INTITIATIVE
  (RFA, PA) TO APPLY FOR FUNDING
• Ill remind you again in a few minutes

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Special funding initiatives

• RFA Request for Applications
• PA Program Announcement
• How NIH asks researchers to consider certain
  topics or areas
• Also how NIH notifies researchers that funding
  mechanisms (e.g., R03s, R21s, K01s) are available
• Notices give additional information about RFAs
  and PAs

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RFA versus PA
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Examples of RFAs

• Mind-Body/Interactions and Health
• Development of Community Child Health Research
• Population Research Infrastructure Program
• Health, Environment and Economic Development
  (HEED)

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Examples of PAsResearch topics

• Social Demographic Studies of Race Ethnicity
  in the United States
• Social cultural dimensions of health
• Methodology measurement in the behavioral
  social sciences
• Population movement
• The science ecology of early development (SEED)

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Examples of PAsFunding mechanisms

• NIH Small Research Grant Program (R03)
• NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant
  Award (R21)
• Mentored Research Scientist Development Award
  (K01)

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Remember Relatively few research grants result
from RFAs PAs DBSB R01s, FY2000
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4 things to know about AIDS research funded
through DBSB

• Different application deadlines
• Different study sections
• Money comes from different funding streams
• For more information contact Susan Newcomer at
• [phone] or
• sn19y_at_nih.gov

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Examples of NICHD/DBSB announcements-HIV related

• Research on HIV/STD prevention messages
• Research on social networks and HIV risk
  prevention
• Demographic research on sexual behaviors related
  to HIV

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The Process Idea to Application

• A good idea
• Before you apply
• Rules for writing a grant application
• Other things to know and do

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The starting point . . .Have a good idea

• No amount of grantsmanship can disguise a weak
  idea . . .
• But poor grantsmanship can kill a good idea

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What is a good idea?

• A good idea
• Addresses a significant question
• Brings something new to the table
• Is focused
• Is feasible

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Before you apply

• Look at the DBSB website http//www.nichd.nih.go
  v/about/cpr/dbs/dbs.htm
• Talk with program staff about research ideas
  funding mechanisms
• Read the application (and PA/RFA, if applicable)
  guidelines
• Know the deadlines

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Learn from what others have done

• Get copies of
• Successful applications ?
• Successful summary statements
• Unsuccessful summary statements
• Summary statement Critique from review group
  Pink sheet

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Find a guide

• Work with someone who knows the process
• Another researcher, outside NICHD
• And way, way before you apply
  Pick a mentor who will help you launch your
  career

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Now sit down and start writing

• Here are a few pointers

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Know your strengths weaknesses

• Write about what you know
• Dont use your first application to completely
  change research directions
• Never change research directions to respond to an
  RFA or PA
• Dont promise more than you can deliver

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Develop a unified proposal with a sharp focus

• Theory
• Hypotheses
• Data
• Research and analysis plans
• should all be carefully integrated and logically
  related

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Be persuasive

• Sell your ideas early in the application
• Crisply state your specific aims
• Explain yourselfDont assume reviewers will know
  what you mean
• Tell reviewers
• What you want to do
• Why is it important to do this research

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Take your time

• Dont rush in an underdeveloped application to
  meet a deadline
• Think through and address
• All aspects of your research plan
• All possible objections to it
• Leave time for trusted colleagues to critique
  your application several times!

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Dont irritate the reviewers

• Follow the directions
• Dont be sloppy
• Dont use teeny, tiny type
• Dont include an appendix as large as a cow

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Other things to know and do
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Know the deadlines

• At NIH, for R01s and many other mechanisms
• February 1, June 1, October 1
• Revisions may have different dates
• AIDS applications 3 months later
• Check application guidelines for your situation
• Unless RFA

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Most common pitfallfor new applicants

• Great ambitions underdeveloped plans

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Another common problem

• Failure to read the instructions
• READ the application form
• READ the RFA, PA, or Notice, if applicable
• Specific instructions in an RFA, PA, or Notice
  supercede instructions in application form

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Myths about applying

• Its better to have an established researcher as
  PI
• Shorter project periods are more likely to be
  funded
• Its a good idea to underestimate the projects
  cost
• Dont apply unless there is a PA or RFA

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Why you should apply for NICHD grant funding

• Its hard work to get a grant, but a GREAT way to
  support your research.
• You control the science
• Grant has few administrative requirements
• You get great input from wise people about your
  research
• Prestige of the NICHD/NIH reputation will be
  associated with your research

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Application to fundingHow does NICHD decide
what to fund?
Process
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Brilliant idea
Brilliant proposal
Institution submits
Revise proposal
Join French Foreign Legion
NIH reviews
Get funding
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Evaluation of scientific merit

• Your proposal comes in and gets reviewed

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Evaluation of scientific merit separate from
funding decision

• Evaluation of scientific merit
• Run by scientific review administrators
• Decision whether to fund
• Program staff (people like me)
• Advisory council
• Institute director

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Who reviews NIH proposals?

• A study sectionthere are dozens
• Which study section depends on
• Scientific content and methodology
• Mechanism (e.g., R01, R03, F32, K01 . . .)
• Which Institute proposal goes to
• Whether responding to RFA

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Whats a study section

• Top scientists with relevant expertise from
  outside NIH
• Special scientific review administrators (not me)
  put together
• Most applications go to one of the standing
  committees that meets three times a year
• You can look up the rosters to see who is on

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Five review criteria

• Significance
• Innovation
• Approach
• Investigator
• Environment

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What R01 reviewers are told about evaluating new
researchers

• Approach More emphasis on demonstrating
  feasibility of techniques/approaches than on
  preliminary results
• Investigator More emphasis on training and
  research potential than on number of publications
• Environment Evidence of institutional
  commitmentresources, time to perform research

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Basics of NIH Review

• Priority score assigned
• Numerical ratingScientific merit of proposed
  research relative to "state of the science"
• 100-150 Outstanding
• 151-200 Excellent
• 201-250 Very good
• 251-300 Good
• 300-500 Unscored (usually)

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What applicant gets after review

• A score
• Detailed written comments from at least 2
  reviewers
• Even if your application is unscored
• Scored applications Written summary of
  discussion from study section meeting
• SRA prepares

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Cover letter with application

• You can request CSR to
• Assign your application to a particular Institute
  to consider funding (e.g., NICHD, NIA, FIC)
• Mention name of program official you have talked
  with
• Assign your application to a particular study
  section to review scientific merit

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The funding decision
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R03s, etc.
Most research projects
DBSB reviews proposal summary statement, makes
funding recommendation
Review byAdvisory Council
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What if I dont get funded?

• TRY AGAIN!
• Nearly all funded investigators have had
  proposals blown out of the water . . . But they
  applied again
• Even applications that are unscored can receive
  funding if appropriately revised
• Talk to program staff

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What Program Staff Can Do for You
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What program staff can do for you

• Help you before you submit your application
• Let you know what your scores are
• Let you know what happened to your proposal
  during study section
• Help you interpret your summary statement

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What program staff can do for you

• For scientific reasons, arrange funding for
  grants that are a little below the funding line
  (currently exceedingly rare)
• For scientific reasons, recommend adjusting
  grants budgets (also rare)

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What program staff cannot do

• Serve on the external review panel
• Run the external review panel
• Choose the external reviewers
• Assign your proposal to a particular review panel

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Post-Doctoral Fellowships
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Two types

• T32
• Goes to a population training center
• Often supports both pre- and post-docs
• Population center decides who gets post-docs
• Sets up own review process
• F32
• Goes to an individual post-doc
• Post-doc applicant applies to NIH with help from
  prospective post-doctoral institution

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Why get an F32 instead of T32?

• More prestigious
• You are the principal investigator (PI), the one
  who deals directly with NIH
• You arent limited to going to programs that
  already have T32 post-doc programs
• If you are at an existing T32 program, it frees
  up funding for others, so they should be really,
  really grateful to you

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Official name

• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service
  Award for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (F32)

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Purpose of F32 program

• To help ensure that a diverse pool of highly
  trained scientists will be available in adequate
  numbers and in appropriate research areas to
  carry out the Nation's biomedical and behavioral
  research agenda
• NIH awards individual postdoctoral fellowships
  (F32) to promising applicants with the potential
  to become productive, independent investigators
  in fields related to the mission of NIH
  constituent institutes and centers.

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Eligibility

• U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or legal
  permanent resident
• No temporary visa holders
• Completed doctorate
• Sponsoring institution and appropriate sponsor
  (a.k.a. mentor or supervisor)

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2 rules and 1 strong suggestion

• NO MORE THAN 3 years total post-doc support from
  NIH (T32 F32)
• MUST be full-time
• Exceptions require formal waiver, given under
  extraordinary circumstances only
• SHOULD NOT BE where you got your Ph.D.
• Be prepared to strongly justify

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Stipends

• Subsistence allowance
• Level depends on number of full years of
  experience after doctorate
• Levels usually updated annually
• Paid through sponsoring institution

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Other benefits

• Tuition and fees (some limits)
• Institutional allowance
• 5,500/year
• Research supplies, equipment, health insurance
• Other training costs
• Extraordinary training costs under exceptional
  circumstances

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Other ways to get money into your pocket

• Supplements from your university
• Allowed, but strict rules
• Compensation for services
• Allowed, but strict rules
• Educational loan/G.I. Bill
• Fine
• Concurrent awards
• Not if federal

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Service payback

• 1 month of service for each month of support for
  first year
• Second year of post-doc pays pays back for first
  year of post-doc

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Leave policy

• Paid vacations, sick leave, and parental leave
  all allowed

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4 application rules

• Use the fellowship application form (PHS 416-1)
• Applications must include 3 sealed letters of
  reference
• Applications must include detailed plans about
  instruction in responsible conduct of research
• Check the receipt dates

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Who reviews the application

• Study section at NIHs Center for Scientific
  Review (CSR)
• Program staff at an Institute (e.g., NICHD)

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Review criteria

• MAJOR
• Candidate
• Sponsor and training environment
• Research Proposal
• Training potential
• MINOR
• Protection of human subjects from research risk
  inclusion of women, minorities, children care
  and care and use of vertebrate animals in research

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Candidate

• Previous academic research performance
• Potential to become important contributor to
  science

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Sponsor and Training Environment

• Quality of training environment
• Qualifications of mentor for research training
  proposed

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Research Proposal

• Merit of scientific proposal
• Relationship to candidates career plans

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Training Potential

• Value of proposed fellowship vis-à-vis
  candidates needs in preparing for career as an
  independent researcher