Timeline To Manage a Grant and Stay Funded

Learn how to manage your award and check timing for required reports. We suggest a strategy so you may be able to maintain funding through a series of awards.

Grants Management Steps and Timeframes

During your grant. Make sure you know how to Manage Your Award. Read your Notice of Award carefully and contact your grants management specialist with any questions. Learn what to do for any Changes to Project or Budget.

Foreign grantees and investigators, use the links here and also refer to Foreign Grants Management.

File annual and other reports. Follow all Reporting Requirements During Your Award. Some reports are annual, some quarterly, and some timing depends on your situation. Submit your Final Reports for Grant Closeout.

Stay Funded with Concurrent Grants 

The timeline shows the years remaining for a typical five-year R01. You could maintain continuous funding and apply for a renewal as detailed in the text below.

The timeline illustrates a strategy you might use to maintain continuous funding, as follows:

Avoid gaps in funding. Don’t wait until the end of your first grant to submit a renewal or new application. Find our advice at Approaches for Staying Funded.

During the first few years of your grant, you could apply for one or more grants in other areas of science. Read Create a New Application or Apply Outside of NIH. Avoid overcommitment as described in NIH's frequently asked questions on Usage of Person Months

Renewal. If you wish to Apply for a Renewal to continue your line of research, do so at least a year or two before your grant’s project period ends to avoid a gap in funding.

At grant end. Submit your Final Reports for Grant Closeout.

Other Timelines

Learn about other phases of the application process at Illustrated Application and Grant Timelines.

See NIAID’s main Timelines and Due Dates portal.

Content last reviewed on