Nancy L Desmond, Ph.D. Division of Neuroscience & Basic Behavioral Science Key Things to Know about Research Project Grants (R01)

R01:Research Project Grant Program R03:Small Grant Program R15:Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) R21:Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award R34:Clinical Trial Planning Grant Program NIH Research Project Grants (R series)

Used to support a discrete, specified, circumscribed research project NIH's most commonly used grant program All ICs support this program The research project grant program where early-stage investigator (ESI) status is considered during review Current parent FOA: PA R01 Basics

No specific dollar limit unless specified in the FOA Advance permission required if you request $500K or more (direct costs) in any year May request up to 5 years of support; generally awarded for 3-5 years R01 Basics—Budget and Award Duration

Your most important contact…Contact us early…and often! We can provide technical assistance ■ during application preparation ■ after review ■ after your award is made Tip 1: Identify a NIH Program Officer

Crafting a strong application will take more time than you anticipate, especially if this is your first NIH application. ■ Start early enough that you’ll have time to solicit feedback and revise before the deadline Organize ■ NIH information ■ Identify the appropriate funding announcement ■ Read the application guide (SF424R&R) ■ Read the FOA ■ Information from your institution ■ Gather your questions and get answers from trusted individuals Tip 2: Get Started…Well in Advance

Get Started: NIH Funding Information

Identify gap(s) in the field—a careful literature search can help Use NIH RePORTER ■ Identify funded NIH grants in your area ■ Identify ICs supporting related research ■ Assess if your topic area is already well-supported by an IC Draft a statement of long-term and short-term goals Formulate draft Specific Aims Clearly relate each Aim and experiment to your overall goal Tip 3: Develop your R01 Concept

NIH RePORT

Develop a compelling story line—make your research accessible Seek feedback ■ Good fit for an NIH Institute’s priorities? ■ Contact PO with draft Aims and current BioSketch and request an appointment to discuss your Aims ■ Contact us early enough that you’ll have time to revise in response to feedback ■ Interesting idea? ■ Novel idea? ■ Focused? ■ Feasible? ■ Preliminary data? ■ Realistic for time requested (not overly ambitious)? Tip 4: Combine Creativity with Pragmatism

Tip 5: Experimental Design Justify your proposed design and document its rigor ■ Provide a strong rationale for the design & independent variables chosen ■ Some Institutes have tailored guidance on their websites ■ Have you included all appropriate control groups? Will the experiments, as designed, test your hypothesis? Will the data be interpretable? Discuss limitations, possible pitfalls, alternative strategies Discuss expected/alternative outcomes and interpretations of your data

Tip 6: Less is Often More In a single application, over-ambition can diminish reviewer enthusiasm. ■ Focus your experimental plan. ■ Develop a tight set of essential studies. Develop one (or at most 2) high-quality applications at one time. ■ Submitting more applications doesn’t necessarily lead to greater success.

Tip 7: Keep the Funding Criteria in Mind Scientific Merit: impact score/percentile Program Relevance: is the project related to the mission of the funding Institute? Program Balance: are many similar projects already funded? Availability of Funds: does the funding Institute have sufficient resources at the time to make an award?

Tip 8: Some Do’s and Don’ts Do not submit prematurely or hastily. Don’t assume reviewers will know what you mean…be clear. Follow instructions and be detail-oriented. Be a “reviewer” of your own application. Get a fresh perspective (in-house critiques) well in advance of the deadline. Over-stated disease relevance can dampen enthusiasm-don’t oversell. Write clearly and cogently…clarity of presentation is important!

Tip 9: Last Words There are many urban myths; separate truth from myth by asking questions of appropriate individuals. Initiate a dialog with the most appropriate Program Officer. Be persistent. Be resilient…there will be bumps in the road. Contact NIH staff with questions.