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Listed below is information we have recieved from HOLLAND+KNIGHT in Washington, DC relating to the NIH funding opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). September 23, 2009 - NIH has posted one additional Recovery Act grant opportunity: Building Sustainable Community-Linked Infrastructure to Enable Health Science Research (RC4), http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-09-010.html The purpose of this grant is to support the development, expansion, or reconfiguration of infrastructures needed to facilitate collaboration between academic health centers and community-based organizations for health science research.
May 12, 2009 - NIH has posted 3 additional Recovery Act grant opportunities related to Health Disparities:
1) NCMHD Community Participation in Health Disparities Intervention Research Planning Phase (R24), http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MD-09-006.html. This funding is intended to support research on health disparities that is jointly conducted by communities and researchers.
2) NCMHD Exploratory Centers of Excellence (P20), http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MD-09-007.html. This funding is intended to support the establishment of an Exploratory NCMHD Center of Excellence (COE).
3) NCMHD Dissertation Research Award to Increase Diversity (R36), http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MD-09-008.html. This funding is intended to support qualified pre-doctoral students to pursue research careers in any area relevant to the research mission of the NCMHD (i.e., minority health and health disparities research) and simultaneously increase the diversity of this workforce.
Complete details about all Recovery Act grant funding opportunities, including all three of these new opportunities, is available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery.
April 21, 2009 - NIH has posted 2 additional Recovery Act grant opportunities: 2) Enabling National Networking of Scientists and Resource Discovery (U24), http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RR-09-009.html
Academic Research Enhancement Award grants have the goal of stimulating research in educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees for a significant number of the Nation's research scientists, but that have not been major recipients of NIH support.
Enabling National Networking of Scientists and Resource Discovery grants are designed to develop, enhance, or extend infrastructure for connecting people and resources to facilitate national discovery of individuals and of scientific resources by scientists and students to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific exchange.
Complete details about all Recovery Act grant funding opportunities, including both of these new opportunities, is available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery.
April 6, 2009 - NIH has released an overview presentation regarding its implementation of the ARRA. The presentation is available for downloading from NIH's main Recovery Act grants website at: http://grants.nih.gov/recovery/. April 1, 2009 - NIH has posted an additional Recovery Act grant opportunity: Biomedical Research Core Centers to Enhance Research Resources.
Core Centers awards are designed to enhance innovative programs of excellence by providing scientific and programmatic support for promising research faculty and their areas of research. Specifically for the purposes of this announcement, Core Center Grants are institutional awards that provide funding to hire, provide appropriate start-up packages, and develop pilot research projects for newly independent investigators, with the goal of augmenting and expanding the institution’s community of multidisciplinary researchers focusing on areas of biomedical research relevant to NIH.
Complete details about all Recovery Act grant funding opportunities, including this new opportunity, is available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery. Information about individual Institute's and Center's Core Center Grants is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/RFA-OD-09-005_contacts.htm.
(back to top) Creating the next generation of scientists is an interest shared by NIH and leaders at research institutions around the country. Through these supplements, young people interested in careers as scientists and teachers can get closely involved in top-tier research projects at your institution that we hope will inspire students to pursue careers in biomedical research. Time is short, so we are asking your help in this endeavor, first by reminding your NIH-funded faculty members of this funding opportunity, and secondly by encouraging a strong mentoring environment for these young students at your institution. 1. Please alert your NIH-funded faculty, who you think would provide a strong mentoring experience for students and science teachers, to this opportunity and encourage them to apply. 2. Pass this information on to those responsible for existing programs for students and science teachers at your institution so that they may, in turn, also alert NIH-funded faculty of these supplements and plan for additional students should your faculty receive these awards. If your institution receives these supplements: 1. Work on developing rich, meaningful research experiences for these students and teachers. Beyond the actual research project on which the student/teacher works, consider: 2. Please check in on participants to assess their success. We realize that this activity will involve effort on your part, but feel this opportunity will not only promote jobs, which is a central outcome of ARRA, but provide an integral piece of the investment in the future of science by attracting and helping to educate the next generation of researchers. We expect to have a Web tool available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery/summer_opps_contacts/add.htm into which your organization can enter contact information for these summer opportunities by Monday afternoon. We have also requested you to provide contact information for the public information officer at your institution if you know that, to help us network with them. If you have questions, or wish to update the information you have entered into the on-line tool, please send an e-mail to SummerResearch@mail.nih.gov.
NIH has posted additional Recovery Act grant opportunities in the following two areas:
1) Research and Research Infrastructure “Grand Opportunities"
2) Heterogeneity in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Complete details about all Recovery Act grant funding opportunities, including both of these two new opportunities, is available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery. Information about individual Institute's and Center's Grand Opportunities is available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery/ic_go.html.
NIH has posted an additional Recovery Act grant category:
Currently there are three available opportunities in that category:
1) Competitive Revision Applications 2) Administrative Supplements Providing Summer Research Experiences for Students and Science Educators 3) Administrative Supplements Complete details about all Recovery Act grant funding opportunities, including Competitive Revisions and Administrative Supplements, are available at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery (http://grants.nih.gov/recovery). Information about individual Institute's and Center's Revisions and Supplements opportunities is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/recovery/ic_supp.html (http://grants.nih.gov/recovery/ic_supp.html).
The recently-passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) allocated $8.2 billion to support the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) scientific research priorities. NIH has designated at least $200 million of that $8.2 billion in Fiscal Years 2009 and 2010 for a new initiative administered by the Office of the Director called the NIH Challenge Grants in Health and Science Research (RC1). NIH intends to fund 200 or more Challenge Grants, contingent upon the submission of a sufficient number of scientifically meritorious applications. In addition, AARA funds allocated to NIH specifically for comparative effectiveness research (CER) may be available to support additional Challenge Grants. According to its March 4, 2009, Funding Opportunity Announcement, NIH will begin accepting Challenge Grant applications on March 27, 2009. Each research plan will be limited to twelve pages, and the total requested budget may not exceed $500,000 per year for a maximum of $1,000,000 over a two-year project period. The due date for all applications is April 27, 2009. Peer review will take place during June and July, with Council review during August. NIH anticipates that the earliest anticipated start date will be September 30, 2009. The Challenge Grant program will support research in fifteen broad Challenge Areas. The program is intended to focus on specific knowledge gaps, scientific opportunities, new technologies, data generation, or research methods that would benefit from an influx of funds to quickly advance the area in significant ways. The research in these areas should have a high impact in biomedical or behavioral science and/or public health. NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices have specified particular Challenge Topics within the Challenge Areas that address their highest-priority missions. These detailed Challenge Topics are hyperlinked to the Challenge Areas listed below: (01) Behavior, Behavioral Change, and Prevention A compilation of all Challenge Topics is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/challenge_award/Omnibus.pdf In addition to the standard NIH terms of award, all AARA grants will be subject to AARA-specific terms and conditions. These terms and conditions include significant reporting requirements, as well as a preference for quick start activities that also maximize job creation and economic benefit. The complete AARA terms and conditions are available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/NIH_HHS_ARRA_Award_Terms.pdf The complete Funding Opportunity Announcement RFA-OD-09-003 is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-OD-09-003.html (Back to top) MARCH 4, 2009 The NIH Challenge Grant information is now live on the NIH Web site: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/challenge_award/ Please note: The RFA includes the following deadlines: Release/Posted Date: March 4, 2009 MARCH 3, 2009 $8.2 billion of the NIH's total funding will be spent in support of scientific research priorities. Of that $8.2 billion, $7.4 billion will be transferred to the Institutes and Centers and the Common Fund in proportion to their current funding, and $800 million will remain in the Office of the Director. Successful applicants for NIH ARRA funding must be able to demonstrate that awarded funds will be used in an effective manner for meaningful and measurable scientific outcomes that also promote the goals of the ARRA within the two-year time period. The evaluation criteria for awards will include those that have an impact on the measurement and likelihood of achieving these outcomes, including jobs creation and preservation. It is expected that the NIH will issue Requests for Applications (RFAs) and an outline of the funding plan within the next few weeks. The NIH will post detailed information about Recovery Act-funded projects at www.hhs.gov/recovery, as well as at www.recovery.gov. ARRA funding will differ from traditional NIH funding in several respects. Most notably, as part of a government-wide transparency initiative, grant recipients will be subject to significantly more reporting requirements regarding outcomes beyond scientific success, to include information about the impact on the local economy in particular. In addition, typical Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), and Office of AIDS research set-asides and other considerations will not apply. Finally, the funding must be spent within the two-year grant period. NIH has indicated that it intends to fund scientific activities in three main categories: 1. Funding for R01s and related standard mechanisms of funding: NIH will provide funding to already peer-reviewed and approved, highly meritorious R01 and similar mechanisms capable of making significant scientific advances within a two-year timeframe. NIH will also fund new R01 applications that have a reasonable expectation of making progress with a two-year grant. 2. Supplemental funding for existing grants: NIH will accelerate the tempo of ongoing science through targeted supplements to current grants. For example, NIH may competitively expand the scope of current research awards, or supplement an existing award with additional support for researcher training or infrastructure (e.g., equipment) that will be used within the two-year availability of these funds. NIH will award this funding through normal supplemental funding mechanisms, which may include both competitive and administrative processes. 3. Funding for Challenge Grants: NIH will also support new types of activities, and in particular, the NIH Challenge Grant program. This program is designed to focus on health and science problems where progress can be expected in two years. The Office of the Director, Office of the Secretary and the heads of each Institute/Center are working together to identify challenges both across Institutes/Centers, and within each Institute/Center. Some opportunities will be cross-cutting. Challenge areas may focus on knowledge gaps, scientific opportunities, new technologies, data generation or research methods that would benefit from an influx of funds to advance the area quickly in significant ways. NIH expects to provide a total of approximately $100-$200 million for such grants, with each grant recipient being eligible for an award of up to $500,000 per year for a maximum of two years. There will be a shortened process for peer review that is currently being developed. NIH will determine the exact number of awards and amount of funding awarded as Challenge Grants based on the scientific merit and the quality of applications. NIH intends to review proposals in all three categories primarily on the bases of scientific merit; how well they would accomplish NIH-specified scientific priorities; and short-term impact. Geographic distribution may also play some role in NIH's decisions. NIH will also continue to focus on supporting new investigators as much as possible during this process.
NIH Funding Opportunities
President Barack Obama signed into law, on February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This will have the biggest impact on the NIH budget since it was doubled in 2003. As a result of the ARRA the NIH will receive $10.4 billion which must be spent by September 2010. We have received the following information from the law firm Holland & Knight on how this money will be allocated and spent: General Issues NIH received $10.4 billion in funding through the stimulus which must be used in advancement of two goals: short term economic impact and long term science impact and investment. Funds must be obligated by September 2010, and they would like to have as much obligated and spent in 2009 as possible. He repeated that NIH and the health community should be very thankful to Congress and the Administration for this funding.
The breakdown of the $10.4 billion is:
There are three broad buckets for spending the money:
This funding is assumed to NOT be added to the base of NIH's appropriations. This is only funding for 2 years and there will be no out-year commitments. Successful projects MUST demonstrate that there can be scientifically meritorious outcomes within 2 years. Projects funded with this money will likely be able to apply for renewals like other projects.
What is emphasized is the difference of this money from their typical funding, in several ways:
Also, someone asked a question about whether these special circumstances would derail or delay NIH's current process to change the peer-review system. He said no, and that if anything, the new process allows for expedited review. The new system may even be accelerated.
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