Managing a Grant

Questions and Answers Table of Contents

General Questions

Reporting Requirements Questions

Prior Approval for Changes Questions

General Questions

Whom should I contact with questions about managing my award?

If you have a question about your award, call your grants management specialist. Each award has its own characteristics.

If you have a general question, read Part 11a. Managing Your Grant in the NIH Grant Cycle, which outlines the steps to take before we issue an award and what to do to maintain it.

Where can I find information on grant awards?

See our NIAID Grant Awards -- General Information questions and answers and read the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

How long does it take to get a grant after I apply?

It can take from 5 to 18 months after you submit your application. AIDS applications take three months less.

For more information, read Get a Grip on Timing and Start to Finish: How Long Will It Take? in the NIH Grant Cycle, and look at the Standard Due Dates for Competing Applications for details on the three review and award cycles.

When can I expect my Notice of Award?

Expect a Notice of Award about six to eight weeks after second-level review by our advisory Council.

You may be able to start spending funds before getting your Notice of Award. Read Can I start getting funds before my approved start date? in NIAID Grant Awards -- General Information, and find more details in Early Grant Awards questions and answers.

Are increased costs covered when I change grantee institutions?

NIAID does not approve additional costs, such as salary changes, caused by a transfer. However, we do pay for higher facilities and administrative costs, based on the availability of funds. When negotiating with a new institution, keep any added expenses in mind.

Can I use leftover funds from a previous project period?

Check your Notice of Award to see if you have automatic carryover. If not, your institutional business official should send a request to your grants management specialist. See the Carryover Requests SOP for detailed instructions.

Can I use some of my grant funds to pay part of a lab worker’s fellowship with another institution?

No. Your grant funds cannot pay for any activities outside the grant. Since the fellowship is separate, you need to find another way to cover those costs.

Can grantees charge preaward costs to noncompeting grants?

Yes. Grantees may incur preaward costs before the beginning date of a noncompeting grant. However, there is risk involved since incurring preaward costs does not obligate NIAID to issue an award notice or increase the amount of the approved or committed budget.

What do I do if my grant has entered a new year and I haven't received additional funds?

If you haven't received funds within a week after your budget start date, contact your grants management specialist to see if there are issues or concerns that have delayed the award.

Can my salary increase each year?

Yes. Each year, NIH sets a new maximum for PI salaries, usually at the same pay as federal executive level I. Your institution can use its own money to pay you beyond the NIH limit.

If the limit goes up, you can rebudget funds to pay for a higher salary without prior approval, but you can't get more money from NIH.

When NIH announces the new levels in its Guide, we notify you in NIAID Funding News and post the salary levels at PI Salary Cap and Stipends. For more information, see Salaries and Stipends questions and answers.

If salary increases are built into my budget, does my institution have to give the salary increase?

The answer depends on the terms of your award and type of institution. Speak to your business office, then contact your grants management specialist about your situation.

Your institution doesn’t have to give you a salary increase even if it was built into your budget. But for most grants, you can rebudget your grant money for another purpose as long as the unused dollars are less than 25 percent of total costs.

Depending on your award, you may need prior approval to do this. Read Grantees Can Take Many Actions Independently and Prior Approvals for Post-Award Grant Actions SOP for more information.

Where do I find guidance on calculating F&A costs?

Seek guidance from your institution's business office.

In most cases, your grant support pays for direct costs plus facilities and administrative costs (previously known as indirect costs) negotiated for your institution. See Make Sure Your Institution Has Negotiated F&A Rates in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

Foreign institutions may use an F&A rate of up to 8 percent of direct costs, excluding equipment. Read more at Facilities and Administrative Costs in our Grants Policy and Management Training for Foreign Investigators.

How do I find out what information to send just-in-time?

NIH or NIAID notifies you. Also read Prepare Your Just-in-Time Information and Prepare Your Other Support Submission in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

With whom do I negotiate my award?

Negotiate with an NIAID grants management officer or specialist. See NIAID Staff Roles questions and answers, and read Negotiation Determines Your Terms of Award in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

What is my role in the negotiation?

If NIAID approves everything in your application, give us any information we ask for and accept our funding.

Sometimes, a study section changes the scope, Specific Aims, budget, or duration of your award. Work with your grants management specialist and program officer to revise your project or restore the funds, years, or aims in your application.

Keep keep in mind that we try to fund all approved aims, but we might not have leeway to make the changes you need.

• You have to follow all the rules for working with human subjects, research animals, and select agents.
• If your budget was reduced by 25 percent or more due to a programmatic reduction (not peer review), you have to modify the scope, aims, timeline, and budget.
• If we turn your award into a cooperative agreement, you have to negotiate new terms with your grants management specialist or decline the award. See the Conversion of Grants to Cooperative Agreements SOP.

For more information, see the Grants Negotiation SOP and Negotiation Determines Your Terms of Award in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

Reporting Requirements Questions

What reports must I send NIAID each year to maintain my award?

We require reports on your project's scientific progress and financial status as well as any inventions you have produced to maintain your award. For details, read Your Reporting Requirements in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

What is the Annual Report on Possible Research Misconduct?

The Annual Report on Possible Research Misconduct is a form your institution must file with the Office of Research Integrity certifying that it has a process for responding to allegations of research misconduct. The form must also include any reported allegations of misconduct over the past year. ORI will impose a bar to award if it does not receive this report.

For more information, see the Bars to Grant Awards -- Research Misconduct SOP.

Where can I find information on progress reports?

See our Progress Reports and eSNAP questions and answers as well as Send Us an Annual Progress Report in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

Who signs progress reports?

Your institutional business official signs progress reports. For more information, see Send Us an Annual Progress Report in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

Can I file an electronic progress report?

Yes, if your award is eligible for the streamlined noncompeting award process (SNAP). Once your institution enrolls in the eRA Commons and registers for electronic SNAP (eSNAP), you can file your progress report electronically to meet your annual requirement for continued funding.

Find a list of eSNAP reporting requirements at Submit Your Report Electronically in the NIH Grant Cycle, and go to Electronic Streamlined Non-competing Award Process (eSNAP) for more information, including the eSNAP User Guide.

Under SNAP, does my institution submit a quarterly Federal Cash Transaction Report?

Yes. Under the streamlined noncompeting award process, your institution submits a quarterly FCTR, due 45 days after the quarter ends and 90 days after the project terminates. Read more about this report at Specify Expenditures In Your Quarterly Report in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

As a PI, must I report my inventions to NIAID?

Yes. Grantees and contractors must report inventions resulting from NIH support. Read Invention Reporting Has Four Parts in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

Does NIH notify me about submitting a final report?

No. NIH does not notify you about submitting a final report, so remember to send it no later than 90 days after your grant ends.

Do you have guidelines for preparing the final progress report?

See How do I prepare the final progress report for closeout of my grant? on our Progress Reports and eSNAP questions and answers page.

Do I need to submit a final progress report for my grant if I am applying for a renewal?

See Do I need to submit a final progress report for my grant if I am applying for a renewal? in the Progress Reports and eSNAP questions and answers.

Do I need to submit a copy of our progress report along with the original?

No, you do not need to send a copy of a paper progress report. 

To learn more about sending in your report, read Send Us an Annual Progress Report, Submit Your Report Electronically, and Submit Your Report on Paper in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal, and see the PHS 2590 instructions.

Prior Approval for Changes Questions

Can I change the Specific Aims of my grant without NIAID approval?

No. Changes in the Specific Aims approved at the time of award and other changes in scope require prior approval from NIAID. See What Constitutes a Change in Scope? in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal and the Prior Approvals for Post-Award Grant Actions SOP.

Do grantees need prior approval to rebudget grant funds?

Not usually, but if rebudgeting results in a change of scope, our approval is necessary. See What Constitutes a Change in Scope? in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal and the Prior Approvals for Post-Award Grant Actions SOP.

Do grantees need prior approval to change key personnel?

Yes. Seek our approval if any of the key personnel want to withdraw, take more than three months off at a time, or reduce the time devoted to a project by 25 percent or more.

How do I name a new PI or institution for my grant?

Since both actions require prior approval from NIAID, contact your grants management specialist as soon as possible to avoid a break in funding.

For more information on change of PI, see the Change of Principal Investigator SOP.

For more information on change of institution, go to Change of Grantee Organization in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

What happens to an award if the PI changes institutions?

When a PI moves to another institution, the original grantee institution can either release the award to the new institution or keep the award and nominate a new PI. See Change of Grantee Organization in the NIH Grant Cycle: Application to Renewal.

For information on change of PI, see the Change of Principal Investigator SOP.

How do I secure prior approval from NIAID?

Read the Prior Approvals for Post-Award Grant Actions SOP. If you have questions, contact the grants management specialist or the program officer listed in your Notice of Award.

If I need additional time, can I extend a project period without permission from NIAID?

Yes. You can extend a project period for most grants once by up to 12 months without NIAID's approval -- simply submit the request through the Commons or notify your grants management specialist of your plans. See the No-Cost Extension SOP for more information.

How do I know which actions I can take independently, and when I need permission?

Go to Grantees Can Take Many Actions Independently and Some Actions Require Our Approval in the NIH Grant Cycle and read the Prior Approvals for Post-Award Grant Actions SOP.

What if my question wasn't answered here, or I'd like to suggest a question?

Email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov with the title of this page or its URL and your question or comment. We answer questions by email and post them here. Thanks for helping us clarify and expand our knowledge base.