Strategy for NIH Funding
Get Ready Now to Apply Electronically · Pick a Research Project
Strategy to Pick a Project
Choosing the right topic is the most important step you'll take in creating a grant application. On this Strategy page, you will find action items for each step, summarizing the information on Pick a Research Project.
The page also gives you links to other resources that have in-depth information and advice on topics such as funding opportunity approaches and grant types.
If you are not sure how your research fits in at NIH, read Part 1. Qualify for NIH Funding before proceeding.
While this document is geared toward the basic research project grant, the R01, much of our advice is useful for other grants.
Choose a Research Topic and Project
Start with a long-term plan.
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Conduct a self-evaluation.
See whether you qualify to apply for an independent research grant such as an R01.
Consider the level of position you need to qualify to apply for different types of grants at your institution.
Before applying for an R01, make sure have significant experience and a publication record (first or last author) in respected journals, or a history of overseeing projects, in your field.
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Our Advice
Part 1 in What Funding May You Qualify For?
Hatch a Plan for Your Career in Pick a Research Project in Part 2
Strategy for Staying Funded in Part 7
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Find your niche.
Identify the most promising research needs and opportunities in your field.
Look for an area where you have the skills be an expert and make an impact.
Look at the other players and judge whether you can compete.
Talk to colleagues and meet new people at scientific meetings to get more ideas for projects in your field and niche.
Plan a series of research goals to accomplish during the next 10 or so years.
Divide your long-term goals into smaller components you could accomplish during the four or five years of a grant.
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Just the Facts
Find people and publications.
Our Advice
Part 2
Strategy for Staying Funded in Part 7
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Follow these steps to pick and plan a project.
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Use an iterative approach to plan your project.
- Staying in your niche, propose a project that:
- Addresses a highly significant problem.
- Is innovative—can create new knowledge.
- Outline draft Specific Aims and one or more hypotheses.
- Identify a potential funding institute and a study section that would likely embrace your research.
- Outline experiments.
- 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.
- If you hit a roadblock, go back to the failure point and revise your plans.
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Just the Facts
Find and research study sections.
Contact Staff for Help in Start Here to Use the Strategy for NIH Funding
Our Advice
Pick a Research Project in Part 2
Investigate Committees and Members in Know Your Audience in Part 3
Getting a Grant for Innovative Research
Sample Applications and Summary Statements
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Understand Award Type and Approach
Should you determine the activity code?
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If you are highly experienced in this area, look for an activity code online.
If you are highly knowledgeable about NIH grants, go to NIH's Activity Codes Search Results and our Other Grant Types portal.
If you do not know the repercussions of applying for different grant types, get help.
- Talk to an NIAID program officer.
- Read our information and advice in Choose the Grant in Part 2.
For links to information about different activity codes, such as fellowships and career and small business grants, go to Part 1. Qualify for NIH Funding.
For information about FOAs, see the section below called "Find a funding opportunity announcement that has forms and instructions for preparing your application."
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Just the Facts
NIH's R01 and R21
Definitions
Our Advice
Choose the Grant in Part 2
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Decide whether to apply with an investigator-initiated application (the most common route) or use a different approach.
Approach 1. Submit an investigator-initiated application in any area of science NIAID supports.
Approach 2. See whether you are a published expert in any of the high-priority areas announced in our initiatives.
- Look at our initiatives: requests for applications (RFA) and program announcements (PA) on our NIAID Funding Opportunities List.
- Choose an initiative only if you are an expert in the area.
Approach 3. Use a high-priority topic as the basis for an investigator-initiated application.
- To learn about possible upcoming priorities, scan our Council-approved Concepts: Potential Opportunities.
- Call a program officer to learn more about our initiatives and to discuss topics for an investigator-initiated application.
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Just the Facts
Choose Approach and Find FOAs in Part 2
Concepts May Turn Into Initiatives
Five Steps to Finding NIAID's High-Priority Areas
RFAs, PAs, and Solicitations questions and answers
Opportunities and Announcements portal
Definitions
Our Advice
Choose Approach and Find FOAs in Part 2
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Find a funding opportunity announcement that has forms and instructions for preparing your application.
For any announcement you find in the NIH Guide, see if NIAID participates.
NIH opportunities—announced in the NIH Guide
Investigator-initiated
Solicited research—Requests for Applications
NIAID opportunities—announced in the NIH Guide and on our NIAID Funding Opportunities List
Investigator-initiated
Solicited research—RFAs on the NIAID Funding Opportunities List
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Just the Facts
Part 2
Application portal
Definitions
Our Advice
Timing Factors That Affect Your Application and Award
Choose Approach and Find FOAs in Part 2
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Strategy for NIH Funding
Get Ready Now to Apply Electronically · Pick a Research Project
See the other sections of
Part 2. Pick and Design a Project
Table of Contents for the Strategy
We welcome your comments, questions, or suggestions. Email deaweb@niaid.nih.gov.