NIH Launches Electronic
Grant Submission

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) are converting to a Web-based grant application system.

Beginning with the small business grant programs and transitioning program by program through May 2007, the NIH will require all competing grant applications to be submitted electronically through the federal online portal at www.grants.gov using the SF424 (R&R), a new standard form created by federal agencies involved in research and research-related grant funding.

All NIH grant applications – new applications, revisions, continuations, renewals, AIDS and non-AIDS applications – will be affected by the transition.  Once a grant program is transitioned, paper applications no longer will be accepted for that grant program.

Applicant organizations are encouraged to:

• Review the transition timeline to determine when a research grant program of interest is switching to electronic submission.
• Complete the one-time registrations in both grants.gov and eRA Commons at least two to four weeks before planning to submit an application.
• Become familiar with the instructions for the new SF424 (R&R) in the application guide, especially the agency-specific instructions. 
• Take advantage of training resources including slide and videotape presentations, brochures and upcoming training sessions.

NIH has more information and resources to assist grant applicants at its Electronic Submission of Grant Applications Web site.