NIH Toolbox

Agency Specific Help

National Institutes of Health (NIH)     

This page provides information and helpful links pertaining to NIH funding.

• Useful NIH Links/Overview
• Funding Opportunities Announcements
• Types of Funding Mechanisms
• New Investigator
• Electronic Application Submission
• Forms, Samples, and Tutorials
• Peer Review Process
• Frequently Asked Questions

Useful NIH Links

• Office of Extramural Research
• Grant Process Overview
• Tips Sheets   
• NIH Grants Overview
• NIH Public Access Policy
• NIH Dates and Deadlines
• NIH's Definition of a Clinical Trial     
• NIH Sample Applications

Funding Opportunities Announcements and Types of Funding Mechanisms

• NIH Matchmaker - type in research keywords and let the Matchmaker find previous projects and the institutes that funded them
• Funding Opportunities and Notices
• Types of Grant Programs
• How do I choose the appropriate Funding Instrument and Funding Mechanism for Extramural Research Support? (.doc)

New Investigator

• New Investigator Program 

Electronic Application Submission

• Electronic Submission of Grant Applications
  • Electronic Research Administration
  • FAQs: Applying Electronically
  • Avoiding Common Errors

Applications are submitted through ASSIST (https://public.era.nih.gov/assist/public/login) but application organizations must track their application as it moves to the eRA Commons, NIH's system for grants administration, to complete the submission process. Investigator must be register in NIH eRA Commons in order to submit the application. Please let the OSP know if you are not already registered in NIH eRA Commons and the OSP will set up your user account.  The OSP offers assistance in completing the application.

Forms, Samples, and Tutorials

• NIH Forms and Applications     
• NIH Samples
  • Sample R01 and R21 Applications and Summary Statements: To help investigators and institutions develop successful R01 and R21 grants, the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has posted four exemplary funded R01 and six exemplary funded R21 annotated sample applications and summary statements on their web page:     https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/sample-applications
• Data Sharing Plans
  • JMU's Data Management Plan Tool
• NIH Biographical Sketch
  • Blank Format
  • Instructions and Examples
• Modular Research Grant Applications
• Other Support

Peer Review Process

• Peer Review Process     
• Center for Scientific Review

Sample Grant Application Reminders

• These applications were developed using the application forms and instructions that were in effect at the time of their submission. Forms and instructions change regularly. Read and carefully follow the instructions in the funding opportunity announcement to which you are responding and the current application instructions carefully.
• The best way to present your science may differ substantially from the approach taken by those who wrote the example applications. Seek feedback on your draft application from mentors and others.
• Talk to an NIH program officer in your area of science for advice about the best type of grant prgoram and the Institute or Center that might be interested in your idea. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• NIH FAQ's
• Modular FAQ's