Applicant Resources

Important

The following materials provide general information on applying for funding from the National Institutes of Health. Applications to the NIH Common Fund’s Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity initiative are different from conventional, investigator-initiated research applications. These applications focus on the significance of the problem, the novelty of the hypothesis and/or the proposed methodology, and the magnitude of the potential impact rather than on preliminary data or experimental details. Read the Funding Opportunity Announcements carefully in order to craft a responsive proposal. Visit the initiative’s FAQs page for information specifically tailored to these funding opportunities. Email [email protected] with questions.

General grant application resources from the NIH Office of Extramural Research

How to Apply Application Guide – provides guidance on the following topics

FAQs on the grants process overall

Preparing to apply

• Systems and Roles
• Register
• Find Funding
• Understand Funding Opportunities
• Types of Applications
• Submission Options
• Obtain Software 

Writing an application

• Write Your Application
• How to Find Forms
• Develop Your Budget
• Format Attachments
• Rules for Text Fields
• Page Limits
• Data Tables
• Reference Letters
• Biosketches

Submitting an application

• How to Submit, Track, and View
• How We Check for Completeness
• Changed/Corrected Applications
• Standard Due Dates
• Submission Policies
• Dealing with System Issues 

Videos on NIH Grants Processes

• Video: NIH Fundamentals of the NIH Grants Process and Need to Know Resources (34 minutes) – Learn the basics of NIH grant funding
• Video series: How to Apply – Successful application submission is key to receiving a grant award. This series of short videos will walk you through the basics of preparing, writing, and submitting your grant application.
• Video: Grant Writing for Success (25 minutes) – Grant writing tips
• Video: NIH Peer Review: “Live” Mock Study Section (44 minutes) – Understanding how your application is reviewed for scientific merit can help you strengthen your application.

Reminder

The resources above provide general information about applying for NIH funding. Always read funding opportunity announcements carefully for program-specific requirements. The funding opportunities for the NIH Common Fund’s Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity initiative have specific requirements in order for applications to be responsive.

Disclaimer: The information in these pages is meant to provide general guidance. Instructions and procedures outlined in the Funding Opportunity Announcement, SF424 Application Guide, and NIH Grants Policy Statement take precedence over any information provided and should be referred to for complete and comprehensive directions.