Special Instructions for submitting NLM Grants for
Scholarly Works in Biomedicine and Health (G13) applications using the SF424 (R&R)
There are two sections to these Instructions. The first section applies only to Unaffiliated Applicants. The second section applies to all applicants.

I. Registration Instructions for Unaffiliated Applicants

Unaffiliated applicants should follow these instructions instead of the instructions provided in Section IV of the funding opportunity announcement (FOA), PAR-09-030, in reference to registration at Grants.gov and eRA Commons. In order to submit an application to NIH, unaffiliated applicants must register with both Grants.gov and eRA Commons, acting as their own "organizations". Essentially, they will be registering as if they were doing business as a contractor with the Federal Government. These registrations must be completed before the application due date in order to successfully submit an application. Several of the steps of the registration process can take four weeks or more. The registration process is not sequential. Applicants should proceed with the registration processes for both Grants.gov and eRA Commons concurrently, as soon as they have obtained a DUNS number (see below).

Grants.gov Registration:

NIH requires all applicants to have their own Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number. Unaffiliated applicants will need to register with Grants.gov as if they are Federal contractors and follow the organizational registration procedures. See http://www.grants.gov/applicants/register_your_organization.jsp for a checklist outlining steps for registering.


eRA Commons Registration:

You will also need to register as your own institution in the eRA Commons. To register as your own institution in the Commons, go to: https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/registration/registrationInstructions.jsp.

Complete the required fields as requested. When completing the field "Institution Name", use the following format:
If the unaffiliated applicant/independent scholar's name is "Joe Britop", provide the following for the Institution Name:
INDEPENDENT SCHOLAR - JOE BRITOP

Required Fields:
  1. Institution Name
  2. DUNS Number
  3. Street Address
  4. City
  5. State
  6. Zip Code
  7. Country
Account Information Fields: (Account Administrator is not required)
  1. First Name
  2. Last Name
  3. Title
  4. User Name (TO BE SPECIFIED BY THE USER)
  5. Phone
  6. Fax
  7. E-mail (Will be validated by NIH)
Fill in all your registration data and make sure you go to the bottom of the registration form and click on "Submit."

After clicking on Submit, a screen comes up telling you to print the form. Please print this form immediately; you will not be able to get back to that screen to print the form later. You must sign and fax a copy of the form to NIH eRA Commons at 301-451-5675.

Follow the rest of the registration instructions. Please ensure you answer the e-mails confirming your registration as requested! You will receive multiple e-mails separated in time by a day to a week. The first is to verify the Signing Official's (you are the Signing Official) e-mail address. Your response to the second e-mail activates your account. Once the account is activated you will be e-mailed your user name and initial password.

Once your Signing Official account is active, you will need to make sure you also create a Principal Investigator (PI) account for yourself if you do not already have a PI account, or affiliate your existing PI account with your organization. See https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons-help/174.htm. Please note that the PI account is the account you will be using to access the review results (priority score and summary statement) for your application.

Direct questions regarding the Commons registration to:
eRA Commons Help Desk
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Business hours: M-F 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Email commons@od.nih.gov

II. Customized Guidelines for Completing SF424 (R&R) Application Package, for G13 applicants.

To download a SF424 (R&R) Application Package and SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for completing the SF424 (R&R) forms for this FOA, use the "Apply for Grant Electronically button" in the FOA, PAR-09-030, OR link directly to the download screen by clicking the button below:

Proceed to Application Download Screen

The instructions on this web page are to be followed in conjunction with the instructions as set out in the "SF424 (R&R) Application Guide" and in the FOA. In cases where the instructions on this page differ from instructions in the Application Guide, the instructions on this page supersede all other instructions.

Only sections from the Application Guide that require clarification are addressed below.

4.6 Selecting the Appropriate Budget Component (page I-71 of Application Guide)
A R&R (Research & Related) Budget Component is required for this grant program. Please complete the R&R Budget Component, following the instructions in section 4.7 on page I-72. Please disregard the Modular Budget Guidelines.

Please leave the Indirect Costs sections blank as this FOA does not allow indirect costs (facilities and administrative costs). This is as stated in the FOA.

Publication costs, such as author page charges, and other publishing costs, are not allowable for this grant program.

5.5 Research Plan Component (page I-106 of Application Guide)
Please follow the instructions as set out in the Application Guide, with the following clarifications.

Page limits as set out in the FOA are: a). 12 pages for Item 3 (Research Strategy) of the Research Plan; b). 1 page for Item 1 (Introduction to Application, to be used only for Resubmissions/Revised applications); c). 1 page for Item 2 (Specific Aims).

Research Plan.

Organize your Research Strategy as follows, starting each section with the appropriate section heading - Significance, Innovation, Approach:
  1. Significance (What do you intend to do?) State concisely the importance and health relevance of the proposed work. Provide evidence of the significance of, need for, and usefulness of the proposed work. If there are similar works, describe how the proposed work differs, extends, or enhances them. Include one or two carefully chosen letters of support from the target audience and peers. If possible and if appropriate, include evidence that the proposed work would be considered for publication by a university press, professional society, or other publisher.
  2. Innovation (What is novel about this project?) If appropriate, explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms. Describe any novel theoretical concepts or point-of-view. Describe any unique materials that the work is based on.
  3. Approach (How are you going to do the work?) Describe the methods you will use. Include how the information will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Describe how the proposed work will be organized. Describe the intended audience. Describe the current status of your writing or development of the publication. Provide a chapter outline.

    Cite your relevant publications. You may wish to include a sample chapter of the work, if available, in a PDF attachment in the Appendix section. Please limit the sample chapter to 20 pages. If your work is best assessed by reviewing a website, include the URL, being careful to specify which pages/files should be reviewed.

    Describe and justify the medium of publication, if other than print. If the proposed work involves electronic publication, a website or CD or DVD, describe the software to be used and the experience of the technical developer. Provide letters of agreement from co-developers or consultants, indicating their willingness to work on the project. For a website, describe how formative evaluation will be performed, and provide a plan for maintenance and update beyond the grant period. Cite the privacy policy and other relevant "code of conduct" elements to be followed and posted on the website.
Appendix.

Follow the instructions for Appendix on pages I-116 to I-117 of the Application Guide, as applicable. In cases where the instructions differ, the instructions on this page supersede those in the Application Guide. Include a sample chapter of the work, if available, in a PDF attachment. Please limit the sample chapter to 20 pages.

Last reviewed: 08 February 2010
Last updated: 08 February 2010
First published: 31 August 2006
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