Thoroughly plan your research.

Don't make the mistake of starting to write without proper planning.

Make sure the research you are considering can make a difference: it will create new knowledge, open up a new area of discovery, or develop a new approach to a major problem. Get outside opinions on that judgment.

Go through our iterative process repeatedly as you plan and design your project.

1. Staying in your niche, propose a project that:
   • Addresses a highly significant problem.
   • Is innovative—can create new knowledge.
2. Outline draft Specific Aims and one or more hypotheses.
3. Identify a potential funding institute and a study section that would likely embrace your research.
4. Outline experiments.
5. Assess feasibility.
   • See whether you have access to all needed resources and expertise.
   • Make sure the project is not growing too big for your targeted time and budget.
6. If you hit a roadblock, go back to the failure point and revise your plans.

As you design the experiments, keep a running tab of "who, what, when, where, and how (much money)."

Our Advice

Part 2

• Pick a Research Project
• Make a Plan in Design a Project

Sample Applications and Summary Statements

Plan your Research Plan.

To test your hypothesis, create Specific Aims—the concrete objectives you will accomplish with the time and money you plan to request.

Start planning the experiments you will perform to accomplish each aim.

Our Advice

Make a Plan in Design a Project in Part 2

Sample Applications and Summary Statements

Find out which resources and support your organization can give you and determine what to do about other needed resources.

Determine whether you have access to all needed equipment. Can you share or collaborate to gain access?

Ask staff in your institutional business office whether your institution will give you a budget to purchase equipment.

Consider whether to request funds for equipment in your application.

Just the Facts

Resources for Researchers

Our Advice

Assess Feasibility in Design a Project in Part 2

Sample Applications and Summary Statements

Create a team with the expertise to conduct all the experiments.

If you do not have all the needed expertise, it's fine to enlist collaborators, but know the pros and cons.

Consider carefully before deciding on a multiple PI application.

• Use only for team science.
• If you are a new investigator, read the information and caveats in the New Investigator Guide to NIH Funding.
  • Are You "New"?
  • Should You Be One of Many PIs?

Just the Facts

Design a Project in Part 2

• Consultants or Collaborators—How They Differ
• Where to Add Consortium and Contractual Information

Opportunities and Guidelines to Facilitate Scientific Collaborations

Our Advice

Part 2

• What About Expertise? in Design a Project
• Team Science

Sample Applications and Summary Statements

Understand innovation.

Design a project that is a bit outside of the box—but not too far.

• Think of innovation as what your project will contribute to your field if it succeeds.
• If you are a new investigator, strive for significant incremental progress, not a giant leap forward.
• It's enough to show how the work you propose is new and unique and will add significantly to existing knowledge.

Our Advice

Be Innovative, But Be Wary in Design a Project in Part 2

Sample Applications and Summary Statements

Determine the scope of the work and how much time you can put into it.

Figure out how much work you can accomplish with the time and resources you request.

• Limit scope. Avoid being too ambitious. Create a project of limited scope that is doable within the time and resources appropriate for you to request, especially if you are a new investigator.
• Budget accurately. Significant over- or under-estimating indicates that you don't understand the scope of the work.
• Think about effort. Make sure you have enough time to effectively manage and oversee your project.

Plan your design understanding that research often takes more time than you may think.

Even if you are a new investigator, it's okay to ask for the maximum number of years (five for an R01) as long as you can fill the time productively.

Just the Facts

Build a Budget in Design a Project in Part 2

NIH's Usage of Person Months questions and answers

Our Advice

Your Project's Scope: Plot Your Boundaries in Design a Project in Part 2

Sample Applications and Summary Statements

Determine whether your application will be affected by policies for sensitive areas, e.g., human subjects, vertebrate animals, and rDNA.

Certain areas involve extra policies and procedures that make applying more complex.

See if you can avoid these areas, especially if you are a new investigator.

• They create additional requirements for the application.
• Getting required approvals from an IACUC or IRB will take time.

Because rules are complex, you may inadvertently enter one of these areas, especially for human subjects research—see the definition for individually identifiable.

See if you can use an alternative route and still accomplish your goals.

Talk to your program officer early on for advice and to learn NIH's expectations.

Read a synopsis of requirements and find links to additional information at Will Your Application Involve Policy Areas With Special Requirements? in Part 2.

Just the Facts

Will Your Application Involve Policy Areas With Special Requirements? in Part 2

When to Contact an NIAID Program Officer

NIAID portals

• Animals in Research
• Human Subjects Resources
• Biodefense and Select Agents

Definitions

• animals in research
• human subjects
• institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC)
• institutional review board (IRB)
• research using human specimens or data

Our Advice

Will Your Application Involve Policy Areas With Special Requirements? in Part 2

Are you designing a project for an application other than an R01?

Though the information above is about designing a project for an R01 application, much of it is useful for other grants.

Find information tailored to other activity codes.

• Career development awards (K), fellowships (F), and training grants (T)—Advice on Research Training and Career Awards tutorial.
• Multiproject P01s—Guidance for Preparing a Multiproject Research Application.
• Small business awards—Advice Presentations for SBIR and STTR.

Just the Facts

Definitions

• activity code
• career development award (K)
• fellowship (F)
• multiproject grant
• training grant (T)

Our Advice

NIAID portals

• Training and Career
• R01 Investigator Resources
• NIAID International Awards
• Small Business Awards
• Other Grant Types