Grants.gov Tips

General

1. There is an extensive electronic submission website at http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/
2. UMass is already registered.  The PI does not need to register individually.
3. When downloading the PureEdge software, dowload the Viewer and then download the Update. They must be downloaded separately.
4. Searching for the application under the PA or FOA number is generally more successful than using the CFDA number.
5. If the application opens with a blank CFDA number, leave it blank.  It will automatically be assigned once the application has been assigned to the appropriate agency awarding component.
6. All yellow fields are required
7. Once down loaded, an application is completed off line on a personal computer.
8. When working in the PureEdge Application, you may turn on a Help Function by clicking on the Help Mode icon at the top of the ICS Viewer. It can be toggled on and off. See Context sensitive Help by hovering over a field.
9. Use the application provided directional buttons to move to the next page, previous page, close the form, or print the page.
10. You will need to upload the Budget Justification in the first budget period page in order to move to the next period. If the Budget Justification is not ready, upload any file as a placeholder and remember to come back and replace it with the actual justification.
11. The legal name of Applicant on the SF424 form is always the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
12. To print the application you must do a combination of printing the cover sheet and then going into each individual page and print each page out separately with the "Print Page" button. Pages without a Print button should print out when you choose "Print" from the initial cover page Print button.
13. When submitting application to OGCA, include separate PDF and Word documents for maximum flexibility in case changes are needed
14. Route your application to OGCA by including a CD with your IPF, emailing it, or bringing a USB drive to your Institutional Representative for electronic submission to Grants.gov.

 

NIH Specific Grants.gov Items:

1. There is an extensive electronic submission website at http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/ and a comprehensive
   NIH specific SF424 Research & Related Guide at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/SF424_RR_Guide_General.doc. 
   These are very helpful resources and include information such as page limits, and help on filling in each field on each form.  The most recent Guide is dated 4/7/2006.
2. PI and Co-PIs must apply for a Commons ID at least 2 weeks before submission.  This request is made to OGCA@research.umass.edu.
3. Do not search for the application package with the CFDA number, use the PA number
4. Make sure your Commons Account has UMass checked off as your preferred address/place of employment. If there are none, Click "New Employment", enter UMass address and check off "Preferred Address".

Grants.gov Cover page and SF424:

1. Enter Application Filing Title as your last name.  OGCA will add the OGCA# once assigned.
2. Use Sample SF424 form to guide your field entries (RR_SF424 Sample.pdf). 
3. OGCA will fill in the Applicant Identifier with the OGCA# once assigned.
4. See Appendix for Type of Application term definitions (new G.g vs. previous NIH).

Research Plan:

1. Due to the page length restriction of the Research Plan for most programs, prepare all parts of the research plan as one document within the page limitations. Then separate it into the appropriate pieces. Do not use headers, footers or page numbers (NIH adds these at their end).
2. Convert the Research Plan sections to PDF’s using the Edit/Preferences/General/ “Save As optimized for fast Web View” toggled ON.
3. For acceptable appendix content and format, see page I-112 of the Grants.gov SF424_RR_Guide_General_Ver2

R&R Senior/Key Personnel:

1. The Commons ID is required and goes under the Credentials, e.g. user name space on the “Research & Related Senior/Key Person” form. Enter this field in all CAPS.
2. If using NIH forms for Biosketches or Resources, remove the headers/footers and page numbers
3. PI’s should NOT include anything under “Current and Pending Support”.  Current support is included in the Biosketch and should not include $ or effort.  Current and Pending may be requested "Just In Time" if an award looks possible.

   1. Research Support. List both selected ongoing and completed (during the last three years) research projects (Federal or non-Federal support). Begin with the projects that are most relevant to the research proposed in this application. Briefly indicate the overall goals of the projects and responsibilities of the key person identified on the Biographical Sketch. Do not include number of person months or direct costs.

                  Don’t confuse “Research Support” with “Other Support.” Though they sound similar, these parts of the application are very different. As part of the biosketch section of the application, “Research Support” highlights your accomplishments, and those of your colleagues, as scientists. This information will be used by the reviewers in the assessment of each individual’s qualifications for a specific role in the proposed project, as well as to evaluate the overall qualifications of the research team. In contrast, “Other Support” information is required for all applications that are selected to receive grant awards. NIH staff will request complete and up-to-date “other support” information from you after peer review. This information will be used to check that the proposed research has not already been Federally-funded

R&R Other Project Information:

1. If Human Subjects are involved, check “Yes” on the R&R Other Project Information page and enter the Human Assurance number leaving off the FWA and enter 00003909 only
2. If animals subjects will be used, check off the box and enter the Animal Welfare Assurance number.
3. The “Project Summary/Abstract” on the “Research & Related Other Project Information” is where the PI should attach the “Abstract” section of the Project Summary (this should only be 30 lines of text).
4. The “Project Narrative” on the “Research & Related Other Project Information” is where the PI should attach the “Relevance to Public Health ” section of the Project Summary (this should only be 2-3 sentences).

Budget/Optional:

1. Not all Budget forms will be needed, e.g. the Modular budgets will not need :Research & Related Budget” and a detailed budget will not need “PHS 398 Modular Budget, Periods 1 & 2”
2. Make sure that everything is entered in whole numbers (no decimals) and that Direct plus Indirect equals Total dollars.
3. Round fractions DOWN, not up, no matter what fraction of a dollar it is.
4. Cover letters are recommended but not required for new applications. For resubmissions or late submissions, they are required.   The form for attachment is under the “Optional” list.
5. If submitting a full budget, there must be a Personnel Entry listed for the PD/PI on the Detailed Budget Page for budget year 1 even if no support dollars are requested. This is #1 of the Research and Related Budget - Section A & B (budget year 1). The name given for the PD/PI for the budget year must match the name given for the PD/PI onthe Senior/Key Person form.

 

Appendix:

Excerpt from the NIH Application Guide:

1. New: An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time.
2. Resubmission: An application that has been previously submitted, but was not funded, and is being resubmitted for new consideration (including competing Continuations - UMass note).
3. Renewal: An application requesting additional funding for a period subsequent to that provided by a current award. A renewal application competes with all other applications and must be developed as fully as though the applicant is applying for the first time.
4. Continuation: A non-competing application for an additional funding/budget period within a previously approved project period.
5. Revision: An application that proposes a change in
   1.  the Federal Government’s financial obligations or contingent liability from an existing obligation, or
   2. any other change in the terms and conditions of the existing award.
Existing definitions for NIH and other PHS agencies Type of Application are somewhat different:

1. New is the same. Check this option when submitting an application for the first time. See also the policy Resubmission of Unpaid RFA Applications and Resubmission of Applications with a Changed Grant Activity Mechanism.
2. Resubmission is equivalent to NIH and other PHS agencies Revision. Check this option when submitting a revised or amended application. See also the Revised NIH Policy on Submission of a Revised (Amended) Application.
3. Renewal is equivalent to NIH and other PHS agencies Competing Continuation.
4. Continuation is equivalent to NIH and other PHS agencies Progress Report. For the purposes of NIH and other PHS agencies, the box for Continuation will not be used and should not be checked. The Commons eSnap protocol should be used instead.
5. Revision is somewhat equivalent to NIH and other PHS agencies Supplement, but would also include other changes as noted in the definition above. In general, changes to the “terms and conditions of the existing award” (as noted in example 2 above) would not require the submission of another application through Grants.gov. Applicants should contact the awarding agency for advice on submitting any revision/supplement application.

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