NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Grants- R15

The Myth of NIH fundingMyth: The large government

agencies like NIH do not fund small institutions or primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs).

Reality: NIH has made commitments to supporting research at institutions like PUIs or institutions with little to no NIH support.◦NIH’s Academic Research Enhancement

Award (AREA) dedicated to this purpose.

What AREA grants support

AREA grants support small research projects in the biomedical and behavioral sciences conducted by faculty and students in health professional schools, and other academic components that have not been major recipients of NIH research grant funds.

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm

NIH AREA Program Goals & Stockton

AREA• To support meritorious research• To strengthen the research environment of

the institution• To expose students to research

Stockton 2020 Student, Faculty and Stakeholder Objective S1Deliver high value-added learning

experiences and promote scholarly activity.

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm

What AREA grants support

Pilot projectsFeasibility studiesDevelopment, testing, and

refinement of research techniquesSecondary analysis of available data

setsOther small-scale, new or ongoing

health-related research projectsAREA program research topics of particular interest to each Institute/Center can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_grant_objectives.htm

Eligibility for NIH AREA (R15)

Health professional schools/colleges◦ Public health◦ Nursing◦ Allied health (e.g., Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy,

Speech Pathology & Audiology) Other academic components

◦ Biology◦ Biochemistry & Molecular Biology◦ Psychology

$6M per year limit of NIH funding (in 4 of last 7 years) per entity where the PD/PI has an appointment

R15 Submission Dates

◦Standard application deadlines: February 25 June 25 October 25

◦AIDS-related research deadlines: January 7 May 7 September 7

AREA Success RatesFiscal Year NIH Institutes/Centers

Number of Applications

Reviewed

Number of Applications

AwardedSuccess Rate2 Total Funding3

2009 NIA- Aging 28 7 25% $1,217,819 2009 NIAID-Allergy & Infectious Disease 93 23 25% $4,618,326

2009NIAMS-Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases 24 5 21% $1,072,290

2009NCCAM-Complementary and Alternative Medicine 13 2 15% $427,282

2009 NCI-Cancer 97 27 28% $5,701,093 2009 NIDA-Drug Abuse 18 3 17% $652,193

2009NIDCD-Deafness & Communication Disorders 15 4 27% $835,644

2009NIDDK-Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 39 6 15% $1,302,839

2009NIEHS-Environmental Health Sciences 25 4 16% $878,199

2009NICHD-Child Health & Development 91 13 14% $2,820,959

2009 NHLBI-Heart, Lung, & Blood 45 15 33% $3,218,488 2009 NIMH-Mental Health 25 5 20% $1,048,500 2009 NINR-Nursing Research 29 5 17% $1,103,974

2009NINDS-Neurology Disorders & Stroke 45 11 24% $2,387,570

2009 FY TOTAL 805 178 22% $37,299,776

NIH RePORTER

Be sure to complete the Activity Code by selecting “R15 AREA” to isolate only AREA abstracts to your results.

You can also refine search to specific institutes/centers or put a keyword into the term search field.

Go to the NIH RePORTER website to query abstracts for awarded institutions and projects.

NIH RePORTER: Sample Search

R15 Fast FactsApplication downloaded from grants.govPI will need registration in eRA Commons

◦Contact GO Office to set up Commons accountIf submitting 2/25, earliest start date Dec.Direct cost limit- $300k (does not include

F&A/indirects)Project duration- 1-3 yearsResearch Strategy section limit: 12 pagesCost-share is not requiredLetter of Intent is not required

Research Plan

Specific Aims is limited to 1 page.

Research Strategy, including tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts, is limited to 12 pages.

Given the reduction in page limit from 24 to 12, PI will likely have to reduce the amount of space devoted to the methodology. ◦ Helpful Tip: Take advantage of the new feature of the Biographical

Sketch called the Personal Statement. Briefly describe why your experience and qualifications make you

particularly well-suited for your role (e.g., PD/PI, mentor, participating faculty) in the project that is the subject of the application. Sample available here:

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm#format

Research Plan: Specific AimsState concisely the goals of the proposed

research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved. 

List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.

The Grants Office can provide a sample.

Research Plan: Research Strategy

The Research Strategy is organized to discuss the following aspects of the proposed project:

Significance Innovation Approach

Other Project Information: Project Summary

Project Summary (Abstract)

Succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when separated from the application.

State the application’s broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project.

Describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving the stated goals.

This section must be no longer than 30 lines of text.

See handout for project summary samples from funded projects.

Other Project Information: Project Narrative

Project Narrative

Using no more than two or three sentences, describe the relevance of this research to public health.

In this section, be succinct and use plain language that can be understood by a general, lay audience.

See handout for project narrative samples from funded projects.

Other Project Information: Facilities and Other Resources

• The Grants Office can offer support by providing some boiler plate information about the Stockton facilities and resources and can assist in preparing this section.

• Identify the facilities to be used and indicate their capacities, pertinent capabilities, relative proximity and extent of availability to the project.

• Discuss ways in which the proposed studies will benefit from unique features of the scientific environment or subject populations or will employ useful collaborative arrangements.

• Multiple performance sites- describe the resources available at each site.

Other Project Information: Facilities & Other Resources

AREA Impact Statement This is an extra narrative section in which you describe the

environment for research and undergraduate mentorship on Stockton’s campus and in the academic department.

This section comes right after the Facilities & Resources section and does not count against the Research Plan page limit.

A good Impact Statement includes both institutional context and project specific, discipline specific details.

Should be 3-5 pages

The Grants Office can provide a sampleand can assist in preparing the Impact Statement.

Other Project Information: Facilities & Other Resources

AREA Impact Statement A profile of the students of the school/academic component

and any information or estimate of the number who have obtained the baccalaureate degree and gone on to obtain an academic or professional doctoral degree in the health-related sciences during the last five years;

A description of the special characteristics of the school/academic component that make it appropriate for an AREA award

A description of the likely IMPACT of an AREA award on the principal investigator and the school/academic component. How will the AREA award strengthen the research environment of the school/academic component? How will the AREA award expose students to research?

A statement of institutional support for the proposed research project (e.g., release time, other support, matching funds, etc.).

Senior/Key Person Profile

Each PD/PI must be registered in the eRA Commons. Contact the Grants Office to register!

Provide a biographical sketch for all key Personnel. Recommended info includes: Education and Training, Research and Professional Experience, Collaborators and Affiliations, Publications and Synergistic ActivitiesBiosketch templ

ate

NIH R15 Submission ResourcesProgram Announcement

Application Guide

Scientific & Grants Mgmt contacts by Institute

Review Criteria

Additional Resources & Tips

New Investigator Series Articles

Open Discussion/Questions?

Grants Office Contact Information

F-218

P.O. Box 195

Pomona, NJ 08240

Phone: (609) 652-4844

Fax: (609) 626-3467

grants@stockton.edu 

www.stockton.edu/grantsoffice