ALERTS:

- Extension of Several NRSA Training (T), NRSA Fellowship (F), and Career Development (K) Funding Opportunity Announcements (NOT-OD-08-069):  NIH has issued a notice that the expiration dates for these mechanisms are being extended until January 8, 2010, and the participating NIH Institutes and Centers will continue accepting paper applications in response to FOAs listed in the notice until these mechanisms are converted to electronic submission via Grants.gov, and the use of the SF 424 Research and Related (R&R) forms.  See the notice for details.  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-069.html

- NIH has issued a Revised NIH Parental Leave Policy for the Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Awards (NOT-OD-08-064), effective April 10, 2008.  The revision is:

"This notice revises the parental leave policy for the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA). Current NRSA policy allows trainees on institutional research training grants (T32, T34, T35, and the NRSA component of T90), and fellows on individual research training fellowships (F30, F31, F32, and F33) to receive stipends for up to 30 calendar days of parental leave per year for the adoption or the birth of a child. Effective immediately, NIH is revising the policy as follows: Trainees and fellows may receive stipends for up to 60 calendar days (equivalent to 8 work weeks) of parental leave per year for the adoption or the birth of a child when those in comparable training positions at the grantee organization have access to this level of paid leave for this purpose. Either parent is eligible for parental leave. The use of parental leave must be approved by the training Program Director."  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-064.html

- New Instructions and Forms: On January 4, 2008, NIH issued Notice NOT-OD-08-028 "Revised PHS 398 (DHHS Public Health Service Grant Application) Now Available"  http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-028.html . The newly revised PHS 398 instructions and forms that are used for NIH NRSA T32 institutional training grants ("Revised 11/2007" version) must be used for all applications submitted for the May 25, 2008 date and later.  The instructions and forms are found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html

Data Tables:  Note that the 11/2007 instructions now specify a standard set of data tables to be included, regardless of the proposal's designated institute.  See the "Introduction to Data Tables", "Instructions for Data Tables", "Sample Data Tables", and "Blank Data Tables" on the PHS 398 Grant Application Instructions and Forms Files web page.    

- Stipends:  NIH announces that the FY 2008 stipend levels for undergraduate, predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees and fellows remains the same as what was in effect for FY 2007 and FY2006.  See http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-036.html and  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-057.html

- Training grant application receipt deadlines http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-001.html

• Institutional NRSA T32 proposal receipt dates are January 25, May 25, and September 25 unless specified differently in a special T32 announcement.  Institutes may vary regarding the dates they will accept applications.  Be sure to check the relevant IC's website for specific deadlines.
• Individual NRSA Fellowship ("F" awards) receipt dates are April 8, August 8, and December 8

NIH TRAINING GRANT-RELATED INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, FORMS, FAQs:

NIH website   http://www.nih.gov/

NIH Training Grant Opportunities

• Research Training Opportunities: http://grants1.nih.gov/training/index.htm
  • Funding Opportunities and Notices
    • Search, browse, view weekly notices, links to aids for applying for grants http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html
  • News http://grants1.nih.gov/training/news.htm
  • NIH Listserv - Subscribe / unsubscribe to weekly notices  http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/listserv.htm
  • Questions & Answers (Q&A) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) http://grants2.nih.gov/training/q&a.htm

 Who Has NIH Training Grants

• NIH CRISP database of biomedical research funding http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/
  • Search page http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/crisp/crisp_query.generate_screen
    Tip: to search for T32 grants at Northwestern, enter “%T32% into the Grant Number field, and “Northwestern University” into the Institution field
• For details concerning Northwestern training grants, contact the Training Grant Support Office (r-allee@northwestern.edu, or 847-491-8534)

Instructions, Policies, Downloadable Forms and Tables

• NIH Research Training Mechanisms http://grants1.nih.gov/training/extramural.htm
• NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Research Training Grants and Fellowships http://grants2.nih.gov/training/nrsa.htm
  • Institutional Research Training Grants (T32) PA-08-226
    • Announcement and description http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-226.html
    • NIH Grants Policy Statement http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part10.htm#_Toc54600204
  • Short-Term Institutional Research Training Grants (T35)
    • Announcement and description http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-227.html
• T32 Contacts, Submission Dates and Special Interests Instructions  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/pa-08-226_contacts.htm
• Submission Schedule: IMPORTANT - Note change in proposal receipt deadlines (see the listing for the "T" schedule) http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm
  • Institutional NRSA T32 proposal receipt dates have been changed from January 10, May 10, and September 10 to January 25, May 25, and September 25 
  • Individual NRSA Fellowship ("F" awards) receipt dates have been changed from April 5, August 5, and December 5 to April 8, August 8, and December 8
• Grant Application / Download Instructions and Form Files - PHS 398: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html
  • PHS 398 Instructions:
    • Word format:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.doc
    • Pdf format:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.pdf
  • NRSA specific instructions
    • Word format: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.doc#_Toc186425199
    • Pdf format: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.pdf   See table of contents and follow the link to the appropriate section.
• Tuition / Fees / Health Insurance Policy:
  • New pilot funding policy for competing awards issued in NIH FY 2007 and FY 2006: NIH  issued a "Notice of New NIH Policy for Funding of Tuition, Fees, and Health Insurance on Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards" on August 4, with a clarification revision on August 18, 2006 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-093.html.  The pilot of the new funding policy applies to all new and competing-continuation (renewal) mechanisms that utilize NRSA authority, e.g., NRSA institutional research training grants (T32, T34, T35 and the NRSA component of T90) and competing individual fellowships (F30, F31, F32, F33) awarded beginning in FY 2007.  The policy also applies to institutional research training grants that received competing awards in FY 2006 (NIH will reformulate FY 2007 funds for these awards according to the new policy).  This new funding policy is a pilot that will be evaluated in early FY 2010.  The final policy is expected to be issued by July 2010 and applied to competing awards made in FY 2011.  See also "Questions and Answers Related to NOT-OD-06-093, Frequently Asked Questions" http://grants.nih.gov/training/q&a_not-od-06-093.htm.
  • The Tuition / Fees / Health Insurance policy that applies to all other noncompeting continuation awards (i.e., new and competing renewals awarded prior to NIH FY 2006) will continue to follow the policy that was in effect at the time of those competing award http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps_2003/NIHGPS_Part10.htm#_Tuition_and_Fees.
• Stipend and Other Budgetary Levels - FY2008 (same as FY2007): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-07-052.html
• NIH Biographical Sketch Templates 
  • Downloadable template:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/biosketch.doc
  • Sample: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/biosketchsample.doc
• Supplemental instructions, policies and tables for grant applications.  Tables of data (e.g., faculty mentors, applicant pools, trainees, etc.) to be included with the PH 398 training grant application may vary depending upon the sponsoring institute.
  • NCI   http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/training/T32/page2
    • NCI T32 FAQ http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/training/T32/page6
  • NHLBI   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/policies/t32/index.htm
    • NHLBI T32 FAQ http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/policies/t32/t32faqs.htm
  • NIA    http://www.nia.nih.gov/GrantsAndTraining/TrainingGrantPolicies.htm
  • NIAID   http://www.niaid.nih.gov/ncn/training/default_training.htm
  • NIBIB   http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-EB-07-005.html
  • NIGMS   http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/ 
    • Predoctoral T32 training grant information   http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/InstPredoc/
      • Special Requirements    http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/InstPredoc/PredocTrainingDescription.htm#special
    • Postdoctoral T32 training grant information   http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/InstPostdoc/
    • Diversity Recruitment and Retention    http://www.nigms.nih.gov/Training/Diversity/  
  • NIMH   http://www.nimh.nih.gov/researchfunding/training.cfm
    • Areas of interest:   http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-mh-05-001.html )
    • Jointly Sponsored Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Institutional Predoctoral Training Program in the Neurosciences   http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-101.html  
  • NINDS   http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/t32.htm
    • Supplement with table formats   http://www.ninds.nih.gov/funding/NINDS_T32_Supplement.doc
• Non-Competing Grant Progress Report: PHS 2590 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/2590/2590.htm
• Training forms: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm#training   Includes
  • Statement of Appointment
  • Individual Fellow Activation Notice
  • Termination Notice
  • Payback Agreement
  • Annual Payback Activities Certification

 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

• NRSA Training Grants Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) http://grants2.nih.gov/training/faq_training.htm
• New NRSA Training Grant Tuition/Fees/Expenses/Health Insurance policy FAQ: http://grants.nih.gov/training/q&a_not-od-06-093.htm 
• NCI T32 FAQ http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/training/T32/page6
• NHLBI T32 FAQ http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/policies/t32/t32faqs.htm

NIH Roadmap   http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/faq.asp