Overview of NIH electronic applications

Overview and important deadline information

The vast majority of NIH applications where we are applying direct, including R01 applications, must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov and eRA Commons systems. PIs need a registered account on eRA Commons, so allow time for this to be created (only the University needs an account on Grants.gov, which it already has). Please see the create a user account section for details of how to do this. The NIH require a variety of different US reference numbers to be entered on the application; please see our NIH main page for guidance on this.

A good summary of the electronic submission process for NIH grant applications can be found at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/.

Applicants download the Adobe application form and application instructions from grants.gov to their own computer, and complete the application offline. The final application form and attachments should be sent to your department for review. The department will then forward on the application plus the Resolve costing to Research Services, who check and submit the application on Grants.gov.

Please note that if more than one computer is used to view or work on an Adobe application form, each computer must be running a compatible version of Adobe Reader. Using incompatible versions may result in the application becoming corrupted, even if it is not saved.

Once submitted to Grants.gov the application undergoes two validation checks; one by Grants.gov and the second, more detailed check, by the NIH funding agency. If the application has been successfully validated, the PI and Research Services will be notified by e-mail. If the validation has not been successful the application will be rejected. Information about the rejection and errors noted is posted on eRA Commons and the PI and Research Services will also be notified by email. All errors must be corrected before the application can be re-submitted.

Grants.gov will reject an application for the following reasons:

  • The DUNS number of the submitter does not match the DUNS number on the application.

  • A virus was detected in a file attachment.

  • The application was submitted after the deadline for receiving applications.

  • Mandatory information was not included in the application.

The validation system will also highlight any warnings on the application. Warnings will not stop the application being submitted to the funding agency but they may need to be rectified at a later date.

If the application needs to be re-submitted due to errors, the submission process has to start again by correcting the application offline, routing it via email to the department and then Research Services, before submitting via Grants.gov and then being electronically routed to the NIH's eRA Commons.

The eRA Commons also allows PI's to review the status of all their grant applications and detailed information associated with them. In addition the system allows reviewers to submit critiques and preliminary scores for applications they are reviewing.

Important

  • As this is a fairly complex application system we strongly suggest that anyone intending to apply to the NIH allows plenty of time to complete their application.
  • We request that you contact your Research Services' Divisional Team as early as possible so that we can assist you through the process.
  • Please note that the NIH application deadline applies to when the application reaches the NIH and NOT Grants.gov. It can take up to three days for the application to be submitted through the Grants.gov and eRA Commons systems (Grants.gov may take up to two days to process an application and eRA Commons may take one day). 
  • Therefore all applications to the NIH should be emailed to Research Services (rgo.applications@admin.ox.ac.uk) TEN WORKING DAYS in advance of the deadline to allow for checking and the possibility of re-submission.
  • In reference to the F&A costs and the DHHS agreement: Oxford does not have a DHHS agreement but a rate (8 percent of total direct costs less only equipment) for foreign and international organisations was established with NOT-OD-01-028 on 29 March 2001. See Allowable and Unallowable Costs section of the NIH Grants Policy Statement for further information.
  • When applying to the NIH through another institution, you will need to provide the lead institution with details of your costing and you may be required to submit a letter of intent, which will be signed off by Research Services, to establish a consortium agreement.
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Step 1 - create a user account

Anyone intending to submit an application to the NIH will first require an eRA Commons User Account, as the details of this account will need to be added to the application. The Principal Investigator will also need this account to view any Errors/Warnings associated with their application once it has been validated and prior to final submission, and to check scores assigned to applications already submitted.

Please contact Sue Douglas to request the creation of an eRA Commons User Account. Please supply the following information:

  • Full Name

  • Email address for notifications

Once a user account has been created the PI will receive two emails from the eRA Commons system with their username and a temporary password. The PI should then logon to eRA Commons and change the password.

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Step 2 - install correct software

The Principal Investigator and everyone viewing or working on the application must ensure that they have a compatible version of Adobe Reader installed. A compatible version and can be downloaded for free from http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp. Using incompatible versions of Adobe Reader may result in the application becoming corrupted, even if it is not saved.

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Step 3 - download application forms

The Principal Investigator should locate the funding opportunity they wish to apply for on the NIH's website. Once a funding opportunity has been found, the PI can use the button 'Apply for Grant Electronically' which links to the page on Grants.gov where the Adobe application forms and instructions can be downloaded to their computer. It is important to check the instructions for completing each application carefully, noting any page limits or restrictions on attachments.

Alternatively, if the Funding Opportunity Number is known (e.g. PA-07-100, RFA-HL-07-004) or the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CDFA) Number is known (e.g. 93.393), the PI can go to Grants.gov's Download Application Package website to find and download the application forms and instructions to their computer.

The PI does NOT need an account on Grants.gov, only the Organisation (University of Oxford) needs an account on the system, which it already has.

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Step 4 - complete the application offline

The PI should then complete the required information in the application forms using a compatible version of Adobe Reader. This is an offline application - it is not completed online.

The PI will need to add the University of Oxford's DUNS number to the application. The number is 226694883.

The PI is also required to add their eRA Commons Username to the credential field on the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile Page. This field is located in the first section called "Profile - Project Director/Principal Investigator" underneath the email field. The omission of this is one of the most common errors made by applicants. The field is not marked by Grants.gov as required on the application form, but is required by NIH as indicated in the application instructions.

Please note copying and pasting data into a Grants.gov application form from MSWord may lead to errors in the Adobe Reader form, unless the information is copied and pasted from a text editor such as "Notepad" which does not have proprietary fonts and characters.

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Step 5 - email the application for approval

Once the PI is satisfied that the application is correct and complete, it should be emailed to the Department for approval; it should then be emailed to Research Services (rgo.applications@admin.ox.ac.uk) TEN WORKING DAYS in advance of the deadline.

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Step 6 - email the Resolve costing to Research Services

The PI should also ensure that their Departmental Administrator e-mails the Resolve costing TEN WORKING DAYS in advance of the deadline to their dedicated research funding contact in Research Services or to rgo.applications@admin.ox.ac.uk and, where applicable, sends the signed Resolve F2 signatures page to Research Services.

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Step 7 - Research Services checks the application

Once the Resolve costing has been received, Research Services will check the application within seven working days (allowing for up to three working days for the application to be routed via grants.gov and eRA Commons) and will notify the PI/Department of any amendments that are needed or recommended. The PI/Department must make any amendments offline and then email the revised version to Research Services.

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Step 8 - application is re-checked and submitted by Research Services

Research Services will re-check the amended application and arrange for an authorised signatory to submit the final application to Grants.gov. PLEASE NOTE THAT RESEACH SERVICES CANNOT SUBMIT APPLICATIONS AFTER 5PM REGARDLESS OF THE DEADLINE SET BY THE SPONSOR.

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Step 9 - electronic routing of application

The application is routed electronically from Grants.gov to the NIH's eRA Commons for validation. Please note that the NIH application deadline applies to when the application reaches the NIH and NOT Grants.gov. It can take up to three days for the application to be submitted through both systems (Grants.gov may take up to two days to process an application and eRA Commons may take one day).

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Step 10 - notification that application is available for checking on eRA Commons

The PI and Research Services will both receive an email informing them that the application is available on eRA Commons for checking and of any Warnings or Errors on the application. If the application needs to be re-submitted the whole process has to be started again by correcting the application offline, routing it via email to the department and then Research Services, before submitting via Grants.gov and then being electronically routed to the NIH's eRA Commons.

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