Grant Application Guidelines

Biology 343

Read all of the instructions thoroughly prior to preparing your application.

B. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Read and follow the instructions carefully to avoid delays, misunderstandings and possible return of applications. Prepare the application single-sided and single-spaced. The print must be clear and legible. Use standard size, black letters that can be clearly copied.

Deviations from the font size specifications and page limitations will be grounds for the administrator (Devoto) to reject and return the entire application without peer review.

In preparing the application, use English and avoid jargon. If terms are not universally known; then, spell out the term the first time it is used, with the appropriate abbreviation in parentheses. The abbreviation may be used thereafter.

Format Specifications

Observe type size and format specifications, or the application will be returned without review. The application must be clear, readily legible, and conform to the following four requirements:

  1. The height of the letters must not be smaller than 10 point; Helvetica or Arial 12-point is the NIH-suggested font.
  2. Type density, including characters and spaces, must be no more than 15 characters per inch (cpi). For proportional spacing, the average for any representative section of text must not exceed 15 cpi;
  3. No more than 6 lines of type within a vertical inch.
  4. Margins, in all directions, must be at least 1 inch.

Applicants should check the type size using a standard device for measuring type size, rather than relying on the font selected for a particular word processing/printer combination. Figures, charts, tables, figure legends, and footnotes may be smaller in size but must be readily legible. The type size used must conform to all four requirements. Small type size makes it difficult for reviewers to read the application. Adherence to type size and line spacing requirements is also necessary so that no applicant will have an unfair advantage, by using small type, or providing more text in their applications.

Page Limitations and Content Requirements

All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations.

Note:  Failure to comply with the formatting and page specifications will be grounds for the administrator (Devoto) to reject and return the entire application.

Table 1. Page Limitations and Content Requirements

Section Page Limit Content

Research Plan

    - Sections a, b, d 

15

 Text plus all figures, charts, tables, and diagrams
Literature Cited none Complete citations, including titles and all authors

C. SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

1. Face Page: Use the form page provided (fp1.doc)

Note: Character length restrictions noted on the face page must be followed.

Item 1. Title of Project

Do not exceed 56 characters, including the spaces between words and punctuation. Choose a title that is specifically descriptive, rather than general. A new application must have a different title from any other PHS project with the same principal investigator/program director. A competing continuation or revised application should ordinarily have the same title as the previous grant or application. If the specific aims of the project have significantly changed, choose a new title. A supplemental application must have the same title as the currently funded grant.

Item 3. Principal Investigator/Program Director

Item 3a. Name of Principal Investigator/Program Director

Name the one person responsible to the applicant organization for the scientific and technical direction of the  project. This is the author of the grant.

Item 5. Vertebrate Animals

Check "No" if activities involving vertebrate animals are not planned at any time during the proposed project period. Check "Yes" if activities involving vertebrate animals are planned at any time during the proposed project period, either at the applicant organization or at any other performance site or collaborating institution. Include a justification at the end of the Research Design section

Description

State the application’s broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project. 

8. Research Plan

There is no Form Page for the Research Plan. The Research Plan should include sufficient information needed  for evaluation of the project, independent of any other document. Be specific and informative, and avoid redundancies. Organize Items a-d of the Research Plan to answer these questions:

  1. What do you intend to do?
  2. Why is the work important?
  3. What has already been done?
  4. How are you going to do the work?

Page Limitations

Do not exceed 15 pages for Items a-d. All tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts must be included within the 15-page limit. Applicants are encouraged to be succinct and are reminded that there is no necessity to use all 15-pages allotted to Items a-d of the Research Plan.

All applications and proposals for NIH funding must be self-contained within specified page limitations.

The 15-page limit will be strictly enforced. Applications that exceed this limit or do not conform to the type size limitations (see Section I-B) will constitute grounds for the administrator (Devoto) to return the application without review.

Research Plan Format and Page Distribution

The PHS recommends the following format and page distribution.

a. Specific Aims

List the broad, long-term objectives and what the specific research proposed in this application is intended to accomplish, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, or develop new technology. One page is recommended.

b. Background and Significance

Briefly sketch the background leading to the present application, critically evaluate existing knowledge, and specifically identify the gaps that the project is intended to fill. State concisely the importance and health relevance of the research described in this application by relating the specific aims to the broad, long-term objectives. Two to six pages are recommended.

d. Research Design and Methods

Describe the research design and the procedures to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as well as the data sharing plan as appropriate. Describe any new methodology and its advantage over existing methodologies. Discuss the potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed procedures and alternative approaches to achieve the aims.

Although no specific number of pages is recommended for the Research Design and Methods section, the total for Items a-d may not exceed 15 pages, including all tables  and figures. Applicants are encouraged to be as succinct as possible and reminded that there is no requirement that all 15 pages allotted for this section be used.

f. Vertebrate Animals.

If you have marked Item 5 on the Face Page of the application "Yes," create a section heading entitled "Vertebrate Animals." Place it immediately following the "Research Design and Methods" section of the application (or after Item e, if applicable.)

Failure to address the following elements will result in the application being designated as incomplete and it and will be grounds for the administrator (Devoto) to return the application without peer review.

Under the Vertebrate Animals heading address the following five points. In addition, when research involving vertebrate animals will take place at collaborating site(s) or other performance site(s), provide this information before discussing the five points. Although no specific page limitation applies to this section of the application, be succinct.

  1. Provide a description of the proposed use of the animals in the work outlined in the Research Design and Methods section. Identify the species, and numbers of animals to be used in the proposed work; discuss the strains, ages, and sex of the animals if important.
  2. Justify the use of animals, the choice of species, and the numbers to be used. If animals are in short supply, costly, or to be used in large numbers, provide an additional rationale for their selection and numbers.
  3. Describe the procedures for ensuring that discomfort, distress, pain, and injury will be limited to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research. Describe the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices, where appropriate, to minimize discomfort, distress, pain, and injury.
  4. Describe what will become of each animal.
g. Literature Cited

List all references. The list may include, but may not replace, the list of publications required in the Progress Report for competing continuation applications.

Each reference must include the title, names of all authors, book or journal, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. The reference should be limited to relevant and current literature. While there is not a page limitation, it is important to be concise and to select only those literature references pertinent to the proposed research.