Grants 101

Office of Research Administration

UTHSC

You will never get funded if you don’t submit an

application!

Where do I Start?

• Decide what you want to do and how much it will cost.

• Match the activity with a funding agency.

PI-Initiated Grant Process

PI has an ideafor project

PI writes grantPI gets ACUC, IRB, etc. approvals and routes grant andsubmits for agency review

Peer reviewers and agency make funding decisions

Funds are providedto the institution

PI conducts research

How do I locate funding opportunities?

• Contacts – Sr. Investigators, Agencies

• ORA list-serve – NIH, grants.gov, Army

• Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/search/searchHome.do

How do I decide where to apply for funding?

• Eligibility

• Program match

• Budget amount

• Length of project

• Allowable costs

• Deadline

• Contacts? Funding history?

Terms (cont’d)

• Gifts – donations

• Grants – assistance

• Contracts – procurement

• Applicant – generally, the institution

Terms (cont’d)

• Allowable Costs

• Direct Costs (DC)

• Facilities and Administrative Costs– (F&A) – aka Indirect Costs (overhead)

• Total Costs = DC + F&A

Terms (cont’d)

• Personnel – salaries and fringe benefits

• PI – Principal Investigator

• Equipment

• Supplies

NIH Deadlines

• http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm

Other Deadlines

• AHA – National – mid-January; mid-July

• AHA – Regional – mid-January

• ACS – April 1, October 15

• Children’s Foundation – mid-March

• Others – whenever – check agency web sites

How to Apply

• Read Instructions!– Eligibility– Forms– Budget limitations– F&A– Deadline– Notify ORA and department!

Electronic Submission

• Federal – See agency web sites for plans and timelines (links on ORA web site)

• www.grants.gov

• Private Foundations – most through Proposal Central or Foundation web site– route through ORA first

How to Apply (cont’d)• Preparing the Application (forms)

– Face page– Abstract (non-confidential)– Personnel– Budget – modular or not– Resources– Science/Project Description– Compliance

Grant-writing tips

• Links on ORA web site: http://www.uthsc.edu/research/research_administration/grant_writing_tips.php – READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!– BE TIMELY!!

Routing • Most institutions require routing

through department, college, and central administration for approvals.

• Routing may be in paper form, or electronic systems may be used.

• Contact your departmental business office of central research or sponsored programs office for details.

ORA Review• ORA Review of Grant:

– Forms/guidelines– Budget– Policy – institutional and sponsor– Signatures – department, college– Compliance Issues– Cost Sharing Forms

• Institutional Signatures and submission if electronically submitted by Institution

Submission - paper• Prepare final document w/page #s,

index, etc.• Make appropriate # of copies (see

instructions)• Cover letters

– Confidentiality (optional)– Study section preference

• Submit via UPS, Fed Ex, etc.

Submission – electronic• Be sure the grant is ready (complete, correct)• Route to ORA via e-mail or other approved

process 5 working days in advance of agency deadline

• Communicate with ORA to be sure submisison is completed on time

• Receive notification of receipt and assignment #

• e-Submission info on ORA web site: http://www.uthsc.edu/research/research_administration/e_grant_submission.php

Sample NIH Grant Application NumberType of Serial Grant Number

Amended

1 R01 CA 123456 01 A1 Grant

New Institute Year

Source: NIH/Ganguly

Agency Contact• Contact with Agency

– PIs are encouraged to talk with agency contacts (grants officers, specialists) prior to submission or after regarding their specific grant, suggestions for study sections, eligibility, etc.

• Do NOT contact Study Section Members after assignment!

• Official correspondence with Agencies requires institutional signature.

eRA Commons

• https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/

• Summary Sheets• JIT• NOGAs – award notices• Progress Reports• Close-out• Contact ORA for Commons Account

Post-Award Responsibility• Account Set Up - F&O• Ethical Conduct of Project – PI• Expenditures – PI, Department, F&O• Progress reports – PI, ORA, F&O• No-cost extensions – PI, Department, F&O• Invention disclosures – PI, ORA, UTRF• Final close out – PI, Dept, F&O, ORA• READ THE AWARD NOTICE!

Compliance

• Human subjects - IRB

• Animals - IACUC

• rDNA - Biosafety

• Other biosafety issues - Biosafety

• Financial – Dept./ F&O

• PHI - HIPAA

• Personnel – HR/Dept.

Grant Close-Out

• Final Financial Report – F&O

• Final Scientific Report – PI (no form)

• Final Invention Report – PI & ORA

• https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/

• also a link on ORA web page

Transferring a Grant• Relinquish grant at current institution

– (link to NIH form on ORA web page)

• Submit proposal from new institution– Cover page– Budget– Key personnel & other support (if different)– Resources– Checklist– Same science

Inventions

• UT Policy

• Disclosure required (to institution and sponsoring agency)

• Forms on UTRF web site

• UTRF will handle per grant/contract requirements

• PI may receive % of royalty income

UTHSC Research Policy

• http://www.uthsc.edu/research/research_administration/policy.php

•

Research Administration Staff• Monica Orange (901 448-5587)• Ginny Geer (901 448-1668)• Connie Bozant (901 448-4188)• Carlisa Jackson (901 448-5532)• Wanda Donato (p/t 901 448-2037)• Debbie Smith (901 448-4823)

Research Administration Personnel (cont’d)

• Clinical Trials Unit:• Melanie Luchs (901 448-3303)• Ruthie Ruston (901 448-3126)

•

Research Administration Research Administration UT Health Science Center 910 Madison, Suite 823 Memphis, TN 38163 (901) 448-5587 (901) 448-7600 fax dsmith@uthsc.edu

•

Research Web Site• www.uthsc.edu/Research• ORA:

http://www.uthsc.edu/research/research_administration/

• Contacts• Policy Links• Agency Links• Forms• Information and FAQs

• If you don’t know HOW, ask someone who knows!