What is (is not) changing?

Twenty Six federal agencies are gradually transitioning to electronic proposal submissions. For example, NIH is transitioning from the PHS 398 form to the Standard Form 424 Research and Related (R&R) and agency specific forms. All applications to NIH via Grants.gov will be required to be submitted on a SF424 (R&R) form by September 2007, thereby providing a consistent electronic submission process through Grants.gov to NIH. Phase in for certain programs have begun now and will be indicated on the Funding Opportunity (FO) downloaded from the Grants.gov site.

Although Grants.gov is migrating to Adobe forms and Google search capabilities from PureEdge files sometime in the near future, NIH will not be using the new Adobe forms for any submission dates on or before June 5, 2007 . Also, NSF applications may continue to be submitted through FastLane, unless indicated otherwise in specific application instructions.

What is Grants.gov?

Do not confuse Grant.gov with NIH or with NSF’s FastLane. NIH and NSF are but two of twenty-six agencies that are requiring applications to be processed using this electronic submission process. Grants.gov has been designated by the Office of Management and Budget as the single access point for all grant programs offered by federal grant-making agencies.

Once a grant mechanism “goes electronic” on the transition submission date, all applications (new, revised, competing) must use the SF424(R&R) form and be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Paper applications will not be accepted after the transition date for a grant mechanism.

What is the timeline of changes to the family of SF-424 forms?

The following forms commonly used for NIH grant applications at GW have been and will be transferred to electronic submission:

• R03 (Small Grant Programs), R21/R33 (Exploratory/Development Research): June 1, 2006
• R18/U18 (Research Demonstration and Dissemination Projects), R25 (Education Projects):
October 1, 2006
• R01 (Research Project Grant Program): February 5, 2007 (Non-AIDS); May 1, 2007 (AIDS)

For the complete timeline of transition dates for all NIH mechanisms, click, http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/strategy_timeline.htm#1

Who does what?

GW is currently already registered on Grants.gov. However, all participating PI’s submitting to NIH must also be registered by the Office of the Chief Research Officer (OCRO), who submits your grant application, through eRA Commons, prior to proposal submission.

• PIs must be affiliated with GW.
• PIs must work through GW for full register at eRA Commons; Internet Assisted Review (IAR) registration is not enough!

Please contact Hal Gollos at hgollos@gwu.edu or at x4-0896 to request registration.

How do I access Grants.gov to find new opportunities, download application packages, develop and submit proposals?

The Grants.gov Web site is very easy to navigate through the links to find new opportunities, download applications. Once you are registered as a PI at GW, you will also currently need to download PureEdge Viewer (Windows) available at the site. PureEdge Viewer is a small, free program which will allow you to access, complete applications electronically and securely on Grants.gov. Grants.gov and NIH are partnering to provide free access to Citrix servers for Non-Windows users (e.g. Macintosh users). Be sure to download the application instructions when you download your grant application as a PureEdge file. They could differ from those posted at agency Web sites.

All electronic applications prepared locally in PureEdge must be submitted to your RSC within six (6) working days of the due date for on-line submission after you have completed all of the application forms in PureEdge as described in the instructions provided with your application file. Your RSC will forward your electronic application and approval materials to Hal Gollos’ office for GW final approval and submission.

NOTE: Submission of your application is not acceptance of your application. Grants.gov, and if relevant, NIH or NSF, also subject your submission to edit checks. If your application fails to be accepted because of errors identified at either stage by, first, Grants.gov or, second, NIH or NSF, your application must be corrected and resubmitted. Often, only the PI can make the required changes because of substantive issues regarding the proposal. For identification of common problems to avoid prior to submission that can prevent subsequently required resubmissions to NIH, click, http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/avoiding_errors.htm .

For additional information on Grants.gov, click here for the steps necessary to apply for an FO http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/applying.htm.

For additional assistance using Grants.gov or the PureEdge Viewer software, feel free to contact May Watling, Research Training & Compliance Administrator in the ORT&C at neg@gwu.edu or at x4-7990.