Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

FAQ Pages

• The Top 10 Questions
• General questions about NLM grants
• Applying for a grant
• How grant applications are reviewed
• Priority scores and summary statements
• Grant awards
• Extensions, changes and reports
• Revising an unsuccessful grant application
• Grant appeals
• The Federal DUNS Number Application Requirement

General questions about NLM grants

Q: What kinds of grants does NLM fund?

A: NLM awards grants for research, resource development, training, career support and small businesses. All NLM grants focus on use of computers and telecommunication technologies for improving storage, retrieval, access, management and use of biomedical information.

Q: What is the deadline for applications for NLM's grants?

A: For most of its grant programs, NLM accepts new applications three times per year. Revised, fellowship, and SBIR applications use a different timetable. From time to time, NLM issues a "Request for Applications", or RFA. The RFA is a one-time solicitation for applications, usually for a specific programmatic interest.

Q: What is an SBIR?

A: The purpose of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant program to help small businesss who want to engage in research and development that has the potential for commercialization. NLM sets aside 2.5% of its grants budget for SBIR grants. General information on SBIR/STTR grants at NIH is available at //grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm.

Q: How many grant applications are funded each year?

A: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) regularly publishes information about awards and success rates of all Institutes, including NLM, on the NIH web site at //report.nih.gov/success_rates/index.aspx. You can also look at NLM's year-by-year list of Funded Projects at //www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/funded.html. The new grants each year have -01 at the end of the grant number.

Q: Who can apply for an NLM grant?

A: Eligibility requirements for each grant program are spelled out in its program description, available on NLM's Extramural Programs web site at //www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/.

Q: Will you accept an application from foreign (non-US) institutions?

A: Generally speaking, NLM grants are available to U.S. institutions and organizations; they are not available to foreign institutions or international organizations. Applicants whose grant proposals contain a significant foreign component must contact NLM Program staff (//www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/about_us.html) responsible for the grant program before applying.

Q: Can a for-profit institution apply for a grant?

A: For-profit institutions can apply for SBIR/STTR grants and most NIH research grants. See the eligibility criteria in each funding opportunity announcement for further information. For resource grants, for-profit institutions can be involved as consultants and sub-contractors.

Q: Where can I get help in learning to write a good grant?

A: There are numerous Internet sources for tutorials on grant writing. Several good tutorials produced at NIH are listed in our HELP section. Staff in Regional Medical Libraries of the NLM's Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) can help you find Internet-based tutorials. Contact information for the closest Regional Medical Library is available through a clickable map available at: //nnlm.gov.

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