UTMB Proposal Structure More and more federal and state agencies and private funding organizations have moved or are moving toward electronic submissions. Most federal agencies use Grants.gov as the universal portal for responses to their funding opportunity announcements. For guidance on electronic submissions: Link to Getting Started with Grants.gov: http://research.utmb.edu/esub/SF424%20Education.doc This will walk you through the electronic application. Link to UTMB electronic submissions instructions: http://research.utmb.edu/esub/eSubmit.asp This will provide other guidance about submitting grant proposals electronically. The PA, RFA, RFP and other funding opportunity announcements, as well as agency proposal guidelines, have specific information about format, content, page limits and submission requirements. Keep the announcement at hand as you prepare the grant application. Link to NIH SF424 (R&R) guide: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/SF424_RR_Guide_General_Ver2.doc Link to NIH 398 guide: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.doc Proposal Content Proposals usually contain the following elements: The links below are to PHS 398 forms. Face Page: this file includes the full application http://research.utmb.edu/osp/forms/398_forms.doc minus the Continuation Page form, which is here: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/continuation.doc Abstract, also called Project Summary or Project Description: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/fp2.pdf Table of Contents: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/fp3.pdf For budget guidelines: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/budget_prepare.shtm Budget: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/forms/PHS398BudgetTemplate06-07.xlt Budget Justification model:http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/fullbudjustsampler01.doc Biographical Sketches: Sample: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/biosketchsample.pdf; Template: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/biosketch.pdf NOTE: The Research Support section of the Biosketch is different from the Other Support form required at the Just in Time stage of the proposal review. Research Support vs. Other Support policy: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/Research Support vs Other Support.doc Resources: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/resources.pdf
Research Plan: Follow the outline provided by the funding opportunity announcement, the downloaded table of contents, or the TOC above, using the Continuation Page form: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/continuation.doc. For a sample Research Plan for a clinical grant proposal (an expired grant [1997-2000] used with permission of Dr. Randall J. Urban) see: http://research.utmb.edu/restricted/smplclingrant.pdf. For a sample Research Plan for a basic science grant proposal (expired and used with permission of Dr. Kathryn A. Cunningham) see: http://research.utmb.edu/restricted/samplebasicscience.doc. Key sections of the Research Plan are: A. B. C. D. E. Specific Aims Background and Significance Preliminary Studies/Progress Report Research Design and Methods Human Subjects Research: NIH guidance: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398_ver0406/HumanSubjects.doc - Targeted Enrollment Table: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/enrollment.doc Vertebrate Animals: NIH guidance and model language: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/vertebrateanimals0307.doc Select Agent Research: NIH guidance:http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/selectagent0307.doc Literature Cited, also called References Multiple PI Leadership Plan: NIH guidance:http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/multiplepi0307.doc Note: It is highly recommended that investigators considering this option read NIH’s multi-PI website: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi/index.htm and Notice NOT-OD-07-017: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD07-017.html for guidance. Consortium/Contractual Arrangements: NIH guidance: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/consortium0307.doc; link to template for letter of intent to establish a consortium, money from UTMB; link to template for letter of intent to establish a consortium, money to UTMB Resource Sharing policies and model language: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/data-resourceSharing.doc Letters of Support: e.g., consultants; attach appropriate letters from all pertinent internal and external individuals, confirming their roles in the project and rate/charge for consulting services. Support letter template: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/supportLtrSmpl.doc
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Checklist Page: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/checklist.doc Appendices: See NIH limits on appendices at: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-018.html Other Certifications and other forms, as may be required by the agency Other Support (also called Current and Pending Support) for key personnel: For NIH guidance about when to include other support information, read: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/other support policy0407.doc This may not be required
until the Just in Time stage for many NIH applications. The RFA/PA and/or guidelines will dictate this. Other Support template: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/othrsprttpl.doc For grant application writing tips and suggestions: http://research.utmb.edu/funding/grantwriting.shtm
Supporting Documents Some program announcements and requests for applications require other documents. These may include: Tax Exempt Status: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/tax%20exempt%20letter.pdf Facilities & Administration Rate Agreement: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/IndirectCostRateAgreement.PDF Patient Care Rate Agreement: http://research.utmb.edu/osp/files/PatientCareRateAgreement3-30-2006.pdf Required Federal Citations Some applications may require additional information, as specified below. If these citations may be applicable to the proposed project, be sure to describe in the Research Plan how they will be addressed. Required Education on the Protection of Human Subject Participants: NIH policy requires education on the protection of human subject participants for all investigators submitting NIH applications for research involving human subjects and individuals designated as key personnel. The policy is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-00-039.html. Proposed language: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) is committed to protecting the rights and well-being of human subjects who choose to participate in biomedical or sociobehavioral research. As a result, UTMB has an organized and systematic program in place for the protection of research subjects that includes a commitment to the principles and guidelines for protecting research subjects contained in the Belmont Report; respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. The university requires all investigators and their research staffs to complete Protection of Human Research Participants class, under the auspices of our Department of Research Services, and complete a tri-annual web-based review and training program. Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESC): Criteria for federal funding of research on hESCs can be found at http://stemcells.nih.gov/index.asp and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/noticefiles/NOT-OD-02-005.html. Only research using hESC lines that are registered in the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry will be eligible for Federal funding http://stemcells.nih.gov/research/registry/). It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide in the project description and elsewhere in the application as appropriate, the official NIH identifier(s) for the hESC line(s) to be used in the proposed research. Applications that do not provide this information will be returned without review.
Healthy People 2010: The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2010," a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. This FOA is related to one or more of the priority areas. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2010" at http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.