Application Submission and Review Considerations

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Application Submission and Review Considerations
NIGMS
Mona R. Trempe, Ph.D. Scientific Review
Officer NIGMS Office of Scientific Review
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Application Submission is a Two System Process

• Grants.gov
• Electronic application via this site using these
  forms is mandatory for this funding opportunity
  announcement (FOA).
• Hosts standardized federal forms SF424 (RR) and
  agency-specific forms (PHS 398)
• Checks the application for federal-wide
  requirements.
• eRA Commons
• Retrieves the data from Grants.gov and checks the
  application against NIH-specific requirements
• Allows applicants to electronically track the
  status of submissions and to receive/transmit
  application and award information

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Online Resources
NIGMS

• Overview of Electronic Submission
  http//era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/
• Frequently Asked Questions http//era.nih.gov/Elec
  tronicReceipt/faq.htm
• Avoiding Common Errors http//era.nih.gov/Electron
  icReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm
• Training Resources, Videos, Quick Reference
  Materials http//era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/tra
  ining.htm

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Finding Help
NIGMS

• Grants.gov Contact Center
• Toll-free 1-800-518-4726Hours Mon-Fri, 7
  a.m. to 9 p.m. ESTEmail support_at_grants.gov
• Support for PureEdge Forms, PureEdge with a
  Mac, Grants.gov Registration
• eRA Commons Help Desk
• Phone [phone]Hours Mon-Fri, 7a.m. to 8
  p.m. EST
• Online Help Ticket http//ithelpdesk.nih.gov/eR
  A/
• Support for Commons Registration, Application
  Status, Post-submission questions

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NIGMS
Recent changes to note

• Forms
• Revised PHS 398 (NIH Guide NOT-OD-08-028)
• 11/2007 version must be used for all applications
  for submission/receipt dates on/after May 25,
  2008. 
• Format
• Supply all requested materials within page limits
• Follow general appendix guidelines (NIH Guide
  NOT-OD-07-018) and ones specific to the program
  announcement
• NO surveys, catalogs, evaluation reports,
  biosketches in the appendix

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NIGMS
Timeline of Application and NIH Contacts
When What Who 0 Submission 2
months Referral 4 months Review 5-6
months Summary Statement 7 months Council 8
months Funding Decisions 9 months Award - or -
Not
SRO
PO
NIH Contact Scientific Review Officer (SRO) or
Program Officer (PO)
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Review of Research Training Program Applications
NIGMS

• Review Panel
• Organized by an SRO in the NIGMS Office of
  Scientific Review
• Special Emphasis Panel or Standing Committee
• Temporary committee members included for
  particular expertise
• Reviewer characteristics
• Experience with multiple education levels
• Involvement with research training programs
• Educators, researchers, and institutional
  administrators

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NIGMS
Writing Tips

• Content
• Read and respond appropriately to the program
  announcement
• Successful submission through Grants.gov and eRA
  Commons does not mean responsiveness to the
  program announcement
• Context
• Present the institutional framework and
  environment of your program
• Be realistic in your programs goals

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NIGMS
Writing Tips

• Comprehensive
• Address all of the requirements of the program
  announcement
• E.g., if you dont have institutional baseline
  data, explain how you plan to obtain it
• Consistent
• Data in tables and text should match
• Match justification to budget items

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NIGMS
Writing Tips

• Clear
• Dont bury important information in appendices or
  expansive prose
• Dont expect reviewers to read between the
  lines
• Current
• E.g., make sure faculty biosketches are up to
  date
• E.g., provide data on current and prior students

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NIGMS

• Questions?