Major Changes to NIH Applications

As you are likely well aware by now, the NIH has announced profound changes to most applications, including shorter page lengths and a restructured format.

As OHSU makes this transition, Research Development & Administration is providing a number of resources to help OHSU investigators.

• Research Funding & Development Services in the Office of the VP for Research is hosting bi-weekly workshops to help investigators navigate the new formatting requirements.  If you are interested in registering for one of these workshops, find more information here.
• Research Grants & Contracts is available to answer questions and help investigators and grant administrators with form, submission, and other technical questions. Please contact your analyst (assigned by department) for assistance.
• Continue to look for updates here on the Research News pertaining to the new NIH requirements and other research-related information..

An important note for those who are submitting a NIH grant anytime between January 25, 2010 through February 5^th, 2010:

• Investigators submitting proposals within this timeframe should use the ADOBE-B forms, not InfoEd. You must download the application package from the most current Funding Opportunity Announcement. The NIH will not accept the ADOBE-A forms through grants.gov after January 25th. The InfoEd upgrades are not ready at this time; RGC will assist you and your grant administrator with your submission using the ADOBE-B forms.  You should download the application package and submit with RGC through grants.gov.  Currently, RGC anticipates that InfoEd will be available for submissions after the February 5, 2010 deadline. Make sure to contact your Research Grants & Contracts analyst. Because a higher level of coordination is needed for submissions during this time, it is imperative to let your RGC analyst know of your upcoming submission.

UPDATE! NIH grant submissions after February 5^th, 2010:

• NIH proposals due after February 5^th are on track to be submitted through InfoEd. Applicants preparing a new NIH K-award (due February 12^th, 2010) should submit their grant through InfoEd. An upgrade to the InfoEd system will occur the last week in January, and the system should be tested and ready for the Feb. 12^th submission deadline. Preliminary tests revealed problems with the new software, and the InfoED upgrade has been postponed (as of 1.29.10). Applicants preparing to submit a grants between now and March 2010 should plan on using grants.gov to submit their applications with the ADOBE-B forms. Applicants are encouraged to contact their RGC analyst if they have any questions.

In preparing your application, be sure that you take the following steps:

• Return to the updated funding opportunity announcement or reissued parent announcement to download the new application package and instructions.

• Read the updated FOA and new application instructions carefully.FOAs are in the process of being updated.  See timeline for more information.

The NIH’s Enhancing Peer Review site  has a page dedicated to the  application changes, as well as a other resources:

• A short video overview of the changes
• FAQs
• List of related policy notices
• A Training and Communications Resources page, and more.