This document is a comprehensive guide on preparing NIH F-award applications, providing essential principles and a structured approach to grant writing. It emphasizes the need for a proper biosketch, an exceptional mentoring team, strong recommendation letters, and an individualized development plan. The presentation details sections of the grant, critical take-home messages about peer review, and resources for successfully navigating the NIH grant process.

1. The First (F) award?
No, F does not mean first
but Fellowship
TL1 Subcommittee on Funding Opportunities
PJ Simpson-Haidaris, PhD
Association for Clinical & Translational Science
April 20, 2017
1
Session: Preparing an F-Award at the Pre-Doctoral Level
(same information works for the F32 postdoc NRSA too)
Extended Version for SlideShare distribution and update
Updated and uploaded to SlideShare April 29, 2017

2. Disclosures
PJ Simpson-Haidaris, PhD
Director, Translational Biomedical Science
PhD Program
Clinical and Translational Science Institute
University of Rochester, NY
pj_simpsonhaidaris@urmc.rochester.edu
PJ has no actual or potential conflict of interest
in relation to this program or presentation.
2

3. Table of Contents (1)
Topic Slide number
Speaker’s Credentials and Disclosures 1,2, 9, 10
Table of Contents 3 - 7
What is a Grant? And How do you get one? 8
Outline describing how presentation organized 11
Four Critical Take Home Messages About F-awards 12, 101
Four Critical Take Home Messages About Peer Review 13, 115
How Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA F-award program started 14
NIH structure and NIH Path to a Successful F-award 15-17
Getting Started: F Kiosk is your Friend, Types of F-awards 18, 19
Reading and Understanding the Funding Opportunity Announcement 20-28, 31
PJ’s recommended F-award Checklist per SF424 attachments 29, 30
Craft a Robust Title 32-33
Training Specific Sections of F-award 34
Other grant sections to include depending on Research Conducted 35
Sections needed for Research Grant 36
PI is the Trainee (Applicant); Need eRA Commons ID as Trainee and PI 37
3

4. Table of Contents (2)
Topic Slide number
First Critical Take Home Message: Prepare Proper NIH Fellowship Biosketch 38 - 50
Interim Reports, what they are and how to cite them in grant and Biosketch 51-54
NIH example of Fellowship Biosketch 55-58
University Representative Submits Grant on Your Behalf 59
Cover Letter Requirements and Suggested Format (Example Provided) 60
Second Critical F-award Take Home Message: Build an Exceptional Research and
Career Development Mentoring TEAM
61-73
Back to the SF424 instructions and attachments 74
PD/PI and Key Personnel information required 75-76
Sponsors and Co-Sponsors Information ($$, former trainees, Mentoring Plan) 77-80
Third Critical F-award Take Home Message: Recruit outside Referees who can
write the STRONGEST possible letters attesting to your potential to launch an
independent research career
81-83
Fourth Critical F-award Take Home Message: Prepare a Research and Career
Individual Development Plan (IDP) to define gaps in training, and design activities
and metrics to meet career goals
84-91
4

5. Table of Contents (3)
Topic Slide number
Applicant’s Background and Goals for Fellowship Training (in 3 parts) 86
A) Doctoral Dissertation and Research Experience 87
B) Goals and Objectives 88
C) Activities Planned Under This Award (and Examples) 89-91
Respective Contributions (Example) 92, (93)
Selection of Sponsor and Institution 94
Responsible Conduct of Research (Example) 95, (96)
Training in Data Rigor and Reproducibility 97
Other Research Training Plan Information 98
Resource Sharing Plan (Example) 99
Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources 100
Research Grant and Other Important Sections on SF424 102, 103
Project Summary/Abstract 104
Project Narrative/Public Health Relevance 105
Bibliography & References Cited 106
5

6. Table of Contents (4)
Topic Slide number
Facilities & Other Resources (include intellectual resources) and example 107, 108
Equipment 109
Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training (new section in 2016) 110-113
Certification of Eligibility for Diversity Award (F31 Diversity only FOA) 114
Four Critical Take Home Messages About Peer Review 115
SF424 attachments Specific Aims Research Strategy 116
Peer Review Message 5. They are not called “Vague Aims but “Specific Aims;”
Specific Aims Page Importance, Format and Language
117-121
Peer Review Message 6. Reviewers have limited time to review YOUR grant 122
Research Strategy: Significance and Innovation 123
Purpose of Significance Section (Scientific Premise) 124
Research Strategy: Approach 125-126
Peer Review Message 7. Demonstrate (on paper) Enthusiasm and Passion for
Research and Prepare Visually Splendid Figures
127
Figures and Tables “Dos and Don’ts” 128
Diagrams and Drawings 129
Grant Schematics Dos and Don’ts 130-133
6

7. Table of Contents (5)
Topic Slide number
Some Sections Depend on Type of Research Conducted 134
Human Subjects Protection Sections 135
Vertebrate Animal Care and Use Section 136
Peer Review Message 8. 15 Minutes of Fame (aka Peer Review) 137
The NIH Grant Process: What Reviewers Are Looking For 138
Criteria for Reviewing F-awards 139-143
What will immediately cause an application to go un-reviewed
(because you did NOT READ the FOA)
144
Where FOA specific instructions Found? 145
What does it take to write an F-award application? (refusal to take “No” for an answer) 146-147
Timeline for how long it takes to write a grant 148
Acknowledgements 149
Source Material 150-151
Helpful NIH Websites and Videos (links) 153
Disclaimer 153
7

8. What is a grant?
noun
1. a sum of money given by an organization,
especially a government, for a particular
purpose.
= gr + ant?
How do you get one?
8

9. Seek formal instruction in Grant
Writing to increase success rate
Funding success
rates of
individual
predoctoral grant
recipients at the
University of
Rochester who
attended a
semester-long
grant writing
class (Dr. PJ’s)
9

10. • Mentored >80 MS, PhD & MD-PhD
students as primary, co-mentor or
thesis committee member.
• Served on 80+ peer-review grant
panels for NIH, DoD, AHA, Komen
Foundation, US Army, Air Force &
Combat Casualty Care & others.
• Awarded many grants (over 20
million dollars direct costs) as PI, Co-
Investigator or Institutional Training
Program Director!
• Written many grants not awarded;
some triaged.
• Knows what NOT to do to get grants.
• What to do RIGHT is the hardest part
of successful grant getting!
Dr. PJ’s mentoring and grant
reviewing & getting experience
10

11. Outline
• The presentation is organized around “Critical Take
Home Messages” about F-awards and Peer Review.
• Brief introduction to NIH and reading the Funding
Opportunity Announcement
• Detailed tips and examples of F-award grant sections
you need to get to next career stage
– Career Development and Skills acquisition — the training
sections
– Research Strategy—the science
• NIH Peer Review—what reviewers are looking for in an
F-award application.
• Resource Materials and Useful Links
11

12. Critical take home messages
about F awards
1. Prepare a proper NIH Fellowship Biosketch.
2. Build an exceptional Research and Career
Development Mentoring TEAM.
3. Recruit outside Referees who can write the
STRONGEST possible letters attesting to your
potential to launch an independent career.
4. Prepare a Research and Career Individual
Development Plan (IDP) to define gaps in training,
and design activities and metrics to meet career
goals.
12

13. Critical take home messages
about Peer Review
5. They are not called “Vague Aims”… they are
called “Specific Aims”
6. Reviewers are assigned 8-10 grants so they
have limited time to review YOUR grant.
7. Demonstrate your enthusiasm and passion
for research and attaining career goals with
Clear, Concise and Compelling writing and
prepare Visually Splendid Figures.
8. You get 15 minutes of Fame at Peer Review
– (if you are lucky to have your grant discussed).
13

14. Ruth L. Kirschstein, MD NRSA
Individual Fellowship Funding
Opportunity Announcements (FOA)
• Role in development of safe
and effective polio vaccine
• First woman director of major
institute at the NIH (NIGMS)
• Champion of basic biomedical
research and training
programs for all talented
students, and particularly
underrepresented minorities.
http://www.nih.gov/about/kirschstein/
14

15. By now, you know what
NIH is, but maybe you
don’t know how it works
15
• The good news is, there are lots of resources to help you understand
how NIH works.
• The bad news is, there are so many its hard to know where to start.

16. NIH Path to a Successful
F-Award, in a Nutshell
• When choosing the
institute for your grant
oversight, consider
whether your research
project fits the
Funding Mission of
the Institute.
– Seek advice from
mentors and contact
NIH officials listed on
FOA
• Choose the Study
Section that best fits
your research topic.
– http://www.crs.nih.gov
16
8 Ways to Successfully Navigate NIH Peer Review and
Get a Fellowship Grant
URL in Source Materials slide

17. 27 Institutes and Centers (IC)
at NIH
17
http://www/nih.gov/icd

18. Getting Started with FOA:
“F Kiosk” is your Friend
18
Always check for most recent
Funding Opportunity
Announcement
Although no longer called
the “F Kiosk, if you Google
“F Kiosk”, the NIH Individual
Fellowship page of NIH’s
Research Training (Fs) and
Career Development (Ks)
Funding Opportunity
Announcements is one the
top links

19. 19
Types of F-awards
• Predoc
• F30 dual degree
• F31 (not diversity)
• F31 diversity
• Postdoc
• F32
• Predoc to Postdoc
• F99/K00 transition
• Sr. Fellow
• F33

20. Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA)
PA-16-308
20
The grant sections (grant
body parts) described in this
workshop are almost the
same for F30 and F31
funding mechanisms.
PA-16-308 used as model.
Make sure the most recent
version of FOA

21. Hard Part is Over
• Almost.
• Your know what kind of grant you will write
(F-award).
– Saves time navigating the landscape of all possible
funding agencies and different rules and types of
grants to write, i.e., finding the correct Funding
Opportunity Announcement
• You know what NIH Institute or Center (IC) will
most likely want to fund your research
– Because your advisor is already an expert in the field
and had been a successful “grant getter” with funding
from that institute
21

22. Must Check Which Institutes
and Centers (IC) Participate
Must determine
IC specific rules
and
opportunities
for each
F-award
mechanism
22
Understand
how to read
the FOA

23. PA-16-308 Diversity F31
IC-specific info and contacts
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/
parent_F31_diversity.html
23
Scroll
down
web page
to see
info
specific
to your IC

24. Before submitting grant, discuss Specific
Aims and Impact of Research with PO to
make sure fits IC funding mission
• Program Official (PO)
– Programmatic, scientific and technical
aspects of grant
– Pre- and post-award contact for
guidance
• Scientific Review Officer (SRO)
– Contact during Peer Review
– Assigns grants to reviewers
– Oversight for fair and unbiased review
of grants
– Provides evaluation summary of review
technical and scientific merit
• Grants Management Officer
– Negotiates awards
– Evaluates administrative content and
compliance with policy
– Post-award mostly
24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNwsg_PR90w

25. How do you obtain the
electronic application?
25
Look for the
“Apply Online Using
ASSIST”
button in program
announcement and
click on it
OR click on
Grants.gov in FOA
and download the
SF 424 Adobe
FORMS-D package

26. Grants.gov gives you
two options
26
The SF424
Make sure you have the
correct form for grant you
will be submitting and that
the FOA has not expired.

27. Make sure to download the
Fellowship Instruction Guide
27
• Look for new and
updated instructions
in section F.120 –
Significant Changes

28. PJ uses SF424
Form upload
fields as the
Checklist by
attaching most
recent completed
documents
Note: all fields
highlighted in yellow are
required
BUT
Not all fields required are
highlighted! 28
PJ also created a word
document as a checklist
downloadable from SlideShare
(Google “Simpson-Haidaris SlideShare”)

29. PJ’s
F-award
Checklist
per SF424
instructions
page 1
29

30. PJ’s
F-award
Checklist
per SF424
instructions
page 2
30

31. FOA
PA-16-308
Diversity F31
(Parent)
specific SF424
FORMS-D
31
If using human
subjects, select
optional forms too.
Create name for
application—include
Institute, your last
name and brief
subject identifiers

32. Craft a Robust Title—
Title Wins Over Grant
Reviewers
• Create a title that stands out from others and
virtually compels reviewers to read your
application.
• The significant piece of information must be a
unique, relevant and intriguing description of
your research plan — all packed into about 80
to 200 characters (including spaces and
punctuation).
32

33. • Limit in title length for
NIH 200 characters
and spaces
1
• Can use Greek and
special symbol
characters
2
• Reviewers will ding
you for a lousy title3
NIH Grant Titles—Key Points
https://principalinvestigators.org/no-126-how-to-craft-a-winning-
title-for-your-research-proposal/ 33
TIP
Be sure the title
you create when
starting your
project remains
accurate to
reflect all
revisions and
changes in
Specific Aims of
submitted
project!
Highly recommended link

34. Knee joint connected to the leg
bone…Training-Specific Sections
34
Institutional
Environment
and
Commitment
to Training
(2-page limit)
Applicant's Background and Goals
for Fellowship Training (6-page limit)
Respective
Contributions
(1-page limit)
Selection of
Sponsor &
Institution
(1-page limit)
Sponsors Training
Plan, Mentoring
History and
Resources ($$)
(6-page limit)
Responsible
Conduct of
Research
(1-page limit)
Diversity
Eligibility Letter
If this section is missing from
F31 diversity application, it will
NOT get reviewed.

35. Some Sections Depend on Type
of Research Conducted
35
Risks
Benefits
Human
Subjects?
Enrollment
Women
Children
Minorities
DSMP/DSMB
Vertebrate
Animal
Research?
Vertebrate Animal
Section
• Description of
Procedures
• Justify Species Used
• Minimization of Pain
and Distress
• Euthanasia
Select Agents?
Resource
Sharing Plan
Stem Cell
Research/Bio-
hazards?
Facilities & Other
Resources;
Equipment
(required, but include only facilities
related to YOUR research)
Data Sharing
Plan

36. Don’t Forget the
Research Grant!
Summary/
Abstract
(30 lines max)
Narrative/
Public Health
Significance
(2-3 sentences)
Introduction, if
resubmission
(1-page limit)
Specific Aims
(1-page limit)
Research
Strategy
(6- page limit)
Bibliography
(no page limit)
Cover Letter
(required)
PHS assignment
request form (optional)
Biosketches
• PD/PI (You!)
• Sponsor
• Co-sponsor
• Advisory
Committee
Members
• Consultants
3 Outside (Referees)
Letters of
Recommendation
Letters of Support
Consultants/Collaborators
(6-page limit)
36

37. Key Personnel: PD/PI is
automatically populated
PD/PI must include
eRA Commons ID
37
You must be listed in your
eRA Commons account as
a trainee AND as a PI

38. First critical take home
message about F awards
1. Prepare proper NIH Fellowship Biosketch.
• Use NIH legal font
typeface and size
• Arial
• Garamond
• Georgia
• Helvetica
• Palatino Linotype
• Times New Roman
• Verdana
• Black font color; 11
points or larger
• Smaller font sizes can be used in
figure legends and tables, but no
smaller then 8 pt; Color font can be
used in figures and graphs in
Research Strategy
• No figures or graphs can be included
on the Biosketch!
• Arial 11 pt most
frequently used font
– Limit of 15 characters (letters &
spaces) on average per inch
(horizontal)
– Max of 6 lines per inch vertical line
spacing (set to exactly 12 point)
– BUT exact 12 point is TOO DENSE;
set at single or EXACT 13 point for
line spacing
38

39. 39
NIH Biosketch Format has a
5-page limit
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm

40. Sections of NIH Biosketch for
a Fellowship (F), Mentored
Career Development (K) or
Researcher-initiated (R) Grant
• Education and Training in Table Format
A. Personal Statement (can include 4 citations)
B. Positions and Honors (Fs-list grant support in
honors)
C. Contributions to Science (5 contributions with up
to 4 citations for each contribution)
D. Scholastic Performance (F-grants) or Research
Support (K- and R-grants)
40

41. NIH Fellowship Biosketch
eRA Commons User Name
Tip: Be sure to get your
Commons ID and have you
listed in Commons as PD/PI
Education/Training Format same for all NIH
Biosketches for R, K and F awards 41

42. A. Personal Statement SF424
Instructions - Overview
• Describe collaborators or scientific environment; past
performance in this or related fields
Ø May identify up to 4 peer-reviewed publications or work products
including preprints that specifically highlight your experience and
qualifications for this project.
Ø The citations may be different or also listed in Section C.
• May explain impediments to your past productivity by
describing factors such as family care responsibilities,
illness, disability, and active duty military service.
• Describe why well-suited to receive the award
for which you are applying (relevant previous
training, experimental work and technical
expertise).
42

43. A. Personal Statement must be
specific for current application!
– Start Personal Statement with Proposal Goal and
your role on project
– Predocs with few publications may describe
research experiences demonstrating expertise for
this proposal
– Sponsors (R-Bios) include leadership and mentoring
history qualifications
– F- and K-Bios include Training Potential to take you
to next career stage, which include brief mention of
skills to be gained from training components
43

44. Tip: Well-written personal statements really help reviewers write their critiques for
review criteria of applicant, sponsors, and training potential.
In Personal Statement, describe Training
Potential (F-predoc) or Launch to
Independence (F-postdoc and Ks)
§ Describe how new training plan will provide you with the
skills to launch next career stage.
§ Outline (briefly!) set of career development activities,
didactic coursework, workshops, seminar series, etc. that
will enhance your abilities to become an independent
investigator.
§ Explain how your primary mentor/sponsor and mentoring
team members will foster your career goals and why your
institution is perfect place for training.
§ Spell out the names of mentors and collaborators so reviewer does not
have to go back to other section to look up
44

45. NIH Fellowship Predoc Personal
Statement Example
Highlight
Diversity Status
Highlight
manuscripts
Briefly Describe WHY sponsor
(mentor) and project is best
choice for YOU 45

46. NIH Example of Personal
Statement for R-award, or
Sponsor on F-award
Be careful that you do not dig a hole to
fall into because reviewers want to see
innovative research with high impact to
address NIH mission—remember F-awards do not have
innovation sections because the science falls thematically under
Mentor’s established and productive research program
Best to tell what that expertise is.
Statements with no specifics do
not help reviewers assess your
ability to carry out research
Your Sponsors, Co-sponsors and
Collaborators Biosketches must
include their history of mentoring
trainees and their specific role on
YOUR grant
46

47. Personal Issues
in Personal Statement
• NIH recognizes that personal factors affect
career advancement and productivity.
– Taking care of a terminally ill relative
– A complicated pregnancy requiring bed-rest
– A natural disaster that wiped out a valuable resource
– Death of a mentor (PJ has reviewed grants when
this has happened after submission of the grant)
• Optional, but best to explain if big gaps in training,
job history or publications occur!
Source—Modification of the Biographical Sketch in NIH Grant
Application Forms. Notice Number: NOT-OD-11-045
47

48. B. Positions and Honors
Remember to
List Oldest First
48
Put grant support
received in Honors:
e.g., T32, pilot
funding, foundation
award, travel award

49. C. Contributions to Science
Instructions (1)
§ Considering your level of experience, briefly describe up to 5 of
your most significant contributions to science (e.g., research
papers, abstracts, book chapters, reviews, as well as non-
publication research products, such as materials, methods,
models, or protocols).
§ Graduate students and post-docs encouraged to consider high-
lighting 2 or 3 research experiences considered most significant.
§ For each contribution, indicate historical background that frames
the scientific problem; the central finding(s); relevance of the
finding(s) to science, technology, or public health; and your
specific role in the described work.
§ For each contribution, you may reference up to 4 peer-reviewed
publications or other non-publication research products—no
more than 4 per ”Contribution”!
49

50. C. Contribution to Science
Instructions (2)
§ Can list audio or video products; patents; data and research
materials; databases; educational aids or curricula; instruments
or equipment; models; protocols; and software or netware that
are relevant to the described contribution.
§ Description of each contribution no more than ½ page including
citations (Figures, tables, graphs no longer allowed per NOT-OD-16-004).
§ Provide a URL to full list of your published work found in a
publicly available digital database such as SciENcv or My
Bibliography, which are maintained by the US National Library of
Medicine.
§ Manuscripts listed as “pending publication” or “in preparation”
should be included and identified as such (Fellowship Bios only).
§ Indicate if you previously used another name that is reflected in
any of the citations.
URL for My Bibliography—can only use
Government based URL (.gov) No Google Scholar
50

51. Interim Reports: what are they
and why should I care?
51

52. What are Interim
Research Products?
• Interim Research Products are complete, public research
products that are not final.
– Preprint, a complete and public draft of a scientific
document
• Preprints are typically not reviewed manuscripts written in the style
of a peer-reviewed journal article.
• Preprints issued to speed dissemination, establish priority, obtain
feedback, and offset publication bias.
• Preprints must be electronically archived to be cited
– Preregistered protocol
• Publicly declare key elements of your research protocol in advance.
• Helps enhance the rigor of your work.
52
NOT-OD-17-050 — Reporting Preprints and Other Interim Research
Products https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-17-050.html

53. Interim Reports:
Why should I do it? Will it affect publication
in peer-reviewed journals later?
53
http://biorxiv.org
• bioRxiv (pronounced "bio-
archive") is a free online archive
and distribution service
for unpublished preprints in the
life sciences.
• Operated by Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory, a not-for-profit
research and educational
institution.
• By posting preprints on bioRxiv,
authors are able to make their
findings immediately available to
the scientific community and
receive feedback on draft
manuscripts before they are
submitted to journals.
Concerns about “prior publication.”
List of academic journals by preprint policy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_academic_jo
urnals_by_preprint_policy

54. How to Cite Interim
Research Products
• To cite the product, must include the Digital Object
Identifier (doi) and the Object type (e.g. preprint,
protocol) in the citation.
• List any information about the document version (e.g.
most recent date modified), and if relevant, the date
the product was cited.
– Example: Bar DZ, Atkatsh K, Tavarez U, Erdos MR, Gruenbaum Y, Collins FS.
Biotinylation by antibody recognition- A novel method for proximity labeling.
BioRxiv 069187 [Preprint]. August 11, 2016 [cited 2017 Jan 12]. Available
from: https://doi.org/10.1101/069187.
• Proper citing of preprints helps reviewers understand that the
product is public, interim, and identifies the specific version that
is being referenced.
54

55. Can highlight in prep or
submitted manuscripts in
personal statement on K
or R Bio
Mention of High
School Research at
University Level is not
typical unless really
sophisticated research
OK to list abstracts and in
prep manuscripts on
Fellowship Bio but abstracts
only on K or R Bio
NIH Fellowship
Biosketch
Example
Although no longer required, PJ recommends
including all authors names and PMCID numbers
55
Why does PJ recommend including
all authors names? As a reviewer of
100s of training/career development
grants, I want to see who you have
published with!

56. 56
D. Scholastic
Achievement
for Fellowship
F-award
Biosketches
Indicate whether 4.0
grading scale or other
scale used and
describe University
specific grading
definitions

57. § STICK to one format of your name for publication.
§ If you have a middle name use initial, especially if your
name is common and there are dozens of you in
PubMed!
§ Don’t do what I did—Published under 3 versions of name:
v PJ Simpson, PJ Haidaris, and PJ Simpson-Haidaris—eek
§ On my Biosketch, I used to include:
The following search string will retrieve the PI’s citations in PubMed:
v ("simpson-haidaris pj"[AU] OR "haidaris pj"[AU] OR “haidaris p” OR "simpson
pj"[AU] AND Rochester[AD]) OR ("simpson pj"[AU] AND "Gene"[Journal]) OR
("simpson-haidaris pj"[AU] AND "Thromb Res"[Journal]) OR ("simpson-haidaris
pj"[AU] AND "J Thromb Haemost"[Journal]) OR (“haidaris p”[AU] AND “Thromb
Haemost”[Journal])
§ Now I include:
v My NCBI | My Bibliography: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/pj.simpson-
haidaris.1/bibliography/40100400/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending
NIH Biosketch Pointer
57

58. NIH Biosketch Review
• List positions/jobs, education, honors, experiences,
memberships, AND publications from oldest to newest (i.e.,
chronological order unlike in CV where list newest first).
• Include Post-doc, Residency and Fellowship training in
Education table (include in Positions section as well).
• PJ recommends you include all authors names and
publication PMCID numbers NIH Public Access Policy.
Ø https://publicaccess.nih.gov
Ø Can include PMID numbers if no PMCID assigned
• Use NIH legal fonts and type size
58

59. University Authorized
Representative submits
grant on your behalf
59

60. Example
Format
for Cover
Letter
Indicate
Institute for
Review and
Names of
Outside
Referees 60
Communicate with Program
Officer before submitting grant to
make sure grant focus matches
expectations of Institute’s
Fellowship Training Mission.
You should use the optional PHS “NIH
Institute and Study Section Assignment
Request Form” in SF424 to request this—
cover letter still required to list names of
outside referees.

61. Second critical take home
message about F awards
2. Build an exceptional Research and Career
Development Mentoring TEAM (Key Personnel).
• Chose sponsors with complementary expertise in
scientific disciplines who will serve as role models for
career advancement and leadership skills.
• Add consultants and research content mentors for
training in highly unique skills.
• Pick mentors (sponsors) with substantial research
support ($$) and experience mentoring.
– If primary mentor/sponsor has expertise but “in between”
NIH grants, recruit a co-mentor with substantial funding
who commits to support research.
61
TIP

62. Who are Key Personnel?
• Principal Investigator/Program Director
(PD/PI) (Trainee is PI of F-award)
• Multiple PIs (MPIs)-not allowed for Fs or Ks
• Mentors/Sponsor
• Co-Mentors/Co-Sponsors
• Co-Investigators
• Consultants/Collaborators
62

63. Mentor or Supervisor?
• A “mentor for life” or a “pair of hands” to
advance the mentor’s career?
• A great mentor vs great supervisor focuses on
helping build the trainee’s career
63
• A mentor for life
o is inspirational
o shares networking
o provides opportunities
o maximizes trainee’s abilities
and learning style
o is part of extended family Lee et al, Nature 2007

64. An Inspirational Mentor is…
• Enthusiastic and Passionate
• Sensitive
• Appreciative of Individual Differences
• Respectful
• Unselfish
• Supportive of other trainees (not just
his/her own)
• A good communicator/teacher
• Available
64
Lee et al, Nature 2007

65. Enthusiasm and Passion
• Years of research has not diminished
mentor’s drive to discover new ideas and to
pass that passion on to students
65
Lee et al, Nature 2007
• Can find the “teaching
moment” in a bad
result
• Unexpected
observations may
provide novel insight
• Provides a big picture
view

66. One Size Does Not Fit All
• Trainees are not like
Money where
– “One Size Fits All” and
– “Is the Perfect Color”
66
Lee et al, Nature 2007
• Great mentor appreciates
individual differences
o Different learning styles
o Work ethics
o Cultural diversity
o Personalities
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/library/diversity1.jpg

67. One Size Does Not Fit All
(mentoring style) (trainees)
67
Lee et al, Nature 2007
http://live-language.com/wp-
content/uploads/2013/10/adult-learning-
styles.jpg
Mentor’s
management
style and
Trainee’s work
style need to be
compatible http://www.buzzle.com/img/article
Images/310162-38716-51.jpg

68. Respectful
68
Lee et al, Nature 2007
• Inspires confidence in trainees
as collaborators
• Team Builder
• Treats colleagues
and trainees with
same high regard
• Gives positive and
constructive
assessment of
trainee’s progress http://monkeypantz.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/the-
cycle-of-Respect.gif

69. Unselfish
69
Lee et al, Nature 2007
• Allows trainees to have experiences to build
career, network and be recognized for
contributions
• Shares own ideas—
lets trainees take
mentor’s ideas and
run with them
• Lacks defensive
manner http://www.isikplastik.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/career.jpg
• Delights in seeing younger scientists succeed

70. Picking a Mentor (1)
70
• Mentor needs to commit to the length of time
needed to accomplish your training
o Sufficient lab space, equipment and resources
o Financial resources from grants, start-up funds, industry
collaborations
o Does the professor plan to stay at the university?
• Mentor’s research is broadly aligned with your
research interests
o Is a recognized expert in the field
o Able to provide networking opportunities
o Publishes in a timely and regular manner
o Commits to trainee’s career development, hopefully lifelong
adapted from: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/faculty/ashwin/wisdom/how-to-choosean-advisor.html

71. Picking a Mentor (2)
71adapted from: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/faculty/ashwin/wisdom/how-to-choosean-advisor.html
• Are more advanced trainees happy with the
mentoring interaction?
o Check with 3rd or 4th year graduate students currently in the lab
o Are postdocs doing most of the mentoring?
o Is the lab environment congenial?
• Is the mentor’s lab in a department
associated with your training program?
• Are research projects identified such that a
“no” answer is still publishable?
o How are research projects assigned? (individually or several
people working on very similar projects?)—project “ownership”

72. Picking Mentoring Team
72
• Identify needed expertise to carry out research
project.
• Choose a co-mentor who complements the
primary mentor’s expertise.
o e.g., basic science researcher, clinician-scientist, or
population/public health researcher
• Advisory or thesis committee mentors who are
content mentors.
o Provide short-term training or expertise in special skills not
available in primary mentor’s lab
o Grant advisory committee members agree to meet 2-4
times/yr; Thesis committees usually meet 1-2 times/yr

73. Consultants & Collaborators
73
• Usually provide a very specialized reagent, method
or data analysis skill lacking on your mentoring
team
• Are often located at outside Universities
• Can be Advisory Committee Members and also
collaborators
• Must define their working relationship with you (PI)
o Provide reagents only
o Provide intellectual input, career guidance and authorship of
publications
o Consultants and collaborators provide letters of support agreeing to
their contributions
o Sometimes Consultants/Collaborators are also Key personnel, which
means must include their NIH Biosketch

74. Back to the SF424 form
• Now that you know who belongs on your
mentoring team and in what capacity,
• Solicit NIH Biosketches (for all listed as
Key Personnel) and
• Request Letters of Support from
consultants and collaborators
– altogether these letters cannot exceed 6
pages
74

75. PD/PI field populated from
front page information
Asterisks denote
required
information,
including eRA
Commons ID
75
Make sure you are listed in eCommons
as both Trainee and PI; Consult the
person who has authority to submit NIH
grants on behalf of your University

76. After PD/PI, enter Sponsor and
Co-sponsor, then rest of
mentors alphabetically
Attach Biosketches as pdf files
76
Other Support only for some K-awards

77. Sponsor’s and Co-sponsor’s
Research Support available to
trainee (PD/PI) (6-page limit)
77
Included in
Sponsors &
Co-sponsors
Statements:
Training Plan,
Mentoring
History and
Resources ($)

78. 78
Sponsors’
Track
Records of
Mentored
Training
• Reviewers want to see that
your mentors are
experienced and passionate
about training predocs.
• If Primary Mentor has little
experience, enlist co-mentor
with successful mentoring
history.

79. Additional Sections of
Sponsors’ Information
Sponsor’s training plan must mesh with PI’s goals
and activities planned to accomplish goals.
Activities Planned
Goals
IDP
Dissertation
Research and
Prior
Research
Experience
Respective
Contributions
Research
Approach
79
Section E is equivalent to the Sponsors Letter of Recommendation

80. Consultants and Collaborators
Letters of Support
(6-page limit in one pdf attachment)
• Consultant and Collaborator letters of support (LOS)
are NOT the same as the Reference letters provided
from 3 Outside Referees.
• Form an advisory committee of key collaborators,
consultants, or advisors who make substantive
contributions to the applicants planned project
• Contents of letter include their anticipated role and
contributions to the research training and/or career
development of the applicant.
80

81. Third critical take home
message about F awards
3. Recruit outside Referees who can write
the STRONGEST possible letters attesting
to your potential to launch an
independent research career.
Three Letters of
Recommendation
Submitted
Separately from
Application
Link to format for outside referees to
follow when submitting letters:
https://public.era.nih.gov/commons/public/refe
rence/submitReferenceLetter.do?mode=new 81
• Outside Referees are individuals not
directly involved in the application.
• May need to consider whether a
collaborator is really better suited to be
an outside Referee.

82. Information PI provides to
outside referees
• PI (Fellowship applicant)
Commons user name
• PI first and last name as they
appear on the PI’s Commons
account
• Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) under
which the applicant is applying
(in our example, PA-16-308)
82

83. Outside Referees should
comment on PI’s:
• Research ability and potential to become an
independent researcher
• Adequacy of scientific and technical background
• Written and verbal communication skills including
ability to organize scientific data
• Quality of research experiences and/or publications
• Perseverance in pursuing goals
• Evidence of originality
• Need for further research experience and training
• Familiarity with research literature
83

84. Fourth critical take home
message about F awards
4. Prepare a Research and Career Individual
Development Plan (IDP) to define gaps in training,
and design activities and metrics to meet career
goals and launch to next career stage.
84
Selection of
Sponsor &
Institution
A. Doctoral Dissertation
and Research Experience
C. Activities
Planned (from IDP)
B. Goals
(from IDP)
Respective
Contributions
Advisory (thesis)
committee members
Responsible
Conduct of
Research
Applicant’s Background and Goals
for Fellowship Training
An IDP is designed to be a blueprint for your success.

85. Research and Career
Individual Development Plan
• PI works with Sponsor to develop a research and career
individual development plan (IDP).
• All training grant mechanisms for NIH require that IDPs be
used and described in annual reporting to agency.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-14-113.html
• IDP is a “living document” where you define goals,
describe activities to meet goals, define benchmarks
and timelines to complete goals, define mentoring team
meetings to monitor progress in achieving goals and
plans to remedy situation if goals change.
– Goals, Respective Contributions, Selection of Sponsors, and
Activities Planned Under this Award are derived from IDP!
85

86. Applicant’s Background and
Goals for Fellowship Training
• This section is “new” in F-award FOAs released
June 2016.
• Increased to 6-page limit (from 4 pages)
• Combines three sections (as defined in past
FOAs) into one attachment (and presented in this
order):
A. Doctoral Dissertation and Research Experiences
B. Training Goals and Objectives
C. Activities Planned Under Award
86

87. A. Doctoral Dissertation
and Research Experience
• Summarize research experiences, including
undergrad experiences and lab rotations in
chronological order.
• Describe your contribution to the research and how
it addressed the “big picture” of research question —
did your contribution help move the field forward?
• Include narrative of doctoral dissertation (may be
preliminary); Do not list academic courses.
• Postdoctoral applicants should specify which areas
of research were part of thesis and which, if any,
were part of a previous postdoctoral project.
PJ Recommends limit to 2 of 6 pages in section. 87

88. B. Goals and Objectives
• Describe your overall training goals for the
duration of the fellowship and how the proposed
fellowship will enable the attainment of these
goals.
• Identify the skills, theories, conceptual
approaches, etc. to be learned or enhanced
during the award.
• Discuss how proposed research and career
development training plans facilitate transition to
next career stage and future career goals.
PJ Recommends limit to 2 of 6 page in section. 88

89. C. Activities Planned Under
This Award
• Perform Gap
Analysis of what
skills you have and
what are missing
to achieve goals
(This comes from
your IDP).
• Define activities to
fill those gaps.
• Remember to
mention training
activities to
enhance research
skills in the
Research Strategy
89
Example table taken from F31 in which the review
criteria of “Training Potential” scored 1 (Exceptional)

90. C. Activities Planned Under
This Award
• PJ recommends three areas of Activities Planned:
1. Didactic Coursework and Seminars
2. Mentored Research Activities
3. Career Development Activities
• Describe, by year, the activities (research, coursework,
professional development, clinical activities, etc.) you
will be involved in during the proposed award.
• Estimate the %-time devoted to each activity; should = 100% each year
• Describe the planned, non-research activities (e.g.
those related to professional development and clinical
activities) that you plan to engage in during the award
period.
90
Develop table with %-effort devoted to training activity, timeline
of completion, and benchmarks to measure success!

91. C. Example of Activities
Planned Under This Award
3 first-authored papers high impact journals
Career skills workshop How to Negotiate
Present at National Meetings
Teach Class or Two in Research Discipline
Research techniques to be learned; how learn and
mentors involved
Short Course on Specialized Techniques
Biostatistics/Advanced Programing
Grant Writing
Seminar Series in Discipline of Science
Student Seminars
Discipline-specific courses to fill gaps
Travel to Collaborators Lab for Specialized Techniques
Lab Meetings, Research in Progress
Write and Defend PhD Thesis
Submit Grant Application
Secure Postdoc Position and others…specific to YOU
Suggest start section with three
paragraphs corresponding to 3 major
areas of Research and Career
Development:
1. Didactic Coursework and Seminars.
2. Mentored Research Activities.
3. Career Development Activities.
Briefly explain where you are to date in
training activities in each category and
describe new activities to meet your
goals. Include specifics on didactic
course work (# credit hours, course ID
and Name and how this will accomplish
you training objective). Indicate time
needed to accomplish and percent of time
on each major area.
91
TIP: Include
Benchmarks to
document success
Reviewers like this!

92. Respective Contributions
This item is limited to one page.
• Describe the collaborative process between you and
your sponsor/co-sponsor in the development, review,
and editing of this research training plan.
• Discuss the respective roles in accomplishing the
proposed research.
• Include respective roles of Advisory Committee
members and consultants/collaborators.
92

93. Example
Template for
Respective
Contributions
Section for F31
93
TIP:
Include Milestones
and Benchmarks to
document
accomplishments—
Reviewers like this!

94. Selection of Sponsor and
Institution
Predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows:
• Describe the rationale/justification for the selection of the sponsor and
institution to accomplish research training goals.
Postdoctoral fellows only:
• Training is expected to broaden a fellow's perspective, thus postdoc
applicants requesting training at either their doctorate institution or at
the institution where they have been training for more than a year
must explain why further training at that institution would be valuable.
This item is limited to one page.
94

95. Responsible Conduct
of Research (RCR)
This item is limited to one page.
–Cover the five REQUIRED items:
1. Format with substantial face-to-face contact (all
online training not acceptable)
2. Content/Subject Matter
3. Participating Faculty (name specific faculty
involved)
4. Duration of training (contact hours)
5. Frequency—at least once per career stage or every
four years, whichever is shorter time period
95

96. Example
Template of
Responsible
Conduct of
Research
(RCR)
covering
format, content,
faculty, duration
and frequency
96
Recommend including
Training in Data
Reproducibility and
Rigor in Science

97. Training in Data Rigor and Reproducibility
Institutional Training Grants = new attachment “Plan for the Instruction in
Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility.”
Not required as separate attachment in FORMS-D for F-awards
Based on the new online training modules in Rigor and
Reproducibility, as developed and released by the National Institute
for General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), the PI in discussions with
Co-sponsors will examine each step of the scientific method from the
standpoint of enhancing scientific rigor and reproducibility – starting
with experimental design, and progressing to methodology and
laboratory practices, statistical data analysis, reporting of results,
data interpretation, the confirmation of bias in hypothesis testing, and
the current system of scientific rewards and advancement - using
specific examples and cases. Furthermore, Authentication of Key
Biological and/or Chemical Resources will be carried out per NIH
recommendations as well.
97
Sample Language (by PJ not NIH) for
satisfying the need to address. Can include in
RCR, Research Strategy Approach and/or
Sponsor’s statement.

98. Other Research Training
Plan Information
• A select agent is a biological agent or toxin that has the potential to
pose a severe threat to public health and safety, animal or plant
health, or animal or plant product
• Include a “Select Agent Research” attachment if your proposed
activities involve the use of select agents at any time, either at the
applicant organization or at any performance site.
• Your Primary Advisor/Sponsor will know if your research involves
select Agents!
• HOWEVER, if you use biohazardous agents, include in Research
Strategy how you handle them (e.g., BL2 organisms, primary cells,
human tissue samples or viral constructs, etc.)
98

99. Resource Sharing Plan:
indicate how will distribute
99
• Sharing Model Organisms
– include a description of a specific plan for sharing and distributing
unique model organisms or state why such sharing is restricted or
not possible.
• Genomic Data Sharing (GDS)
– Examples of large-scale genomic data include genome-wide
association studies (GWAS), single nucleotide polymorphisms
(SNP) arrays, and genome sequence, transcriptomic, epigenomic,
and gene expression data.
• Other Unique Resources
– If generate other resources such as new monoclonal antibodies,
cell lines or other unique reagents not easily made or available,
must also include resource sharing plan.

100. Authentication of Key Biological
and/or Chemical Resources
• Do not submit an “Authentication of Key
Biological and/or Chemical Resources”
attachment unless it is specifically requested in
the FOA.
– However, if you are using unique resources not widely
available, best to include information in Research
Strategy on how the reagent was validated for
intended use
• Check frequently for release of updated FOAs
and notices (NOTs) from NIH to verify sections
required!
100

101. Critical take home messages
about F awards
1. Prepare a proper NIH Fellowship Biosketch.
2. Build an exceptional Research and Career
Development Mentoring TEAM.
3. Recruit outside Referees who can write the
STRONGEST possible letters attesting to your
potential to launch an independent career.
4. Prepare a Research and Career Individual
Development Plan (IDP) to define gaps in training,
and design activities and metrics to meet career
goals.
101

102. Don’t Forget the
Research Grant!
Biosketches
PD/PI
Sponsor
Co-sponsor
Advisory
Committee
Members
Consultants
+ their letters
Summary/
Abstract
Narrative/
Public Health
Significance
Introduction,
if resubmission
Specific Aims
Research
Strategy
Bibliography
Cover Letter
102

103. Other important sections of
F-award applications
Bibliography
Facilities & Other
Resources
Equipment
Summary/
Abstract
Narrative/
Public Health
Significance
Other
Attachments
1) Diversity eligibility
Diversity_Eligibility_Ltr.pdf
Only for F31 Diversity
PA-16-308
103

104. Project Summary/Abstract
(Max 30 lines of text)
• State the application’s broad, long-term objectives
and specific aims, making reference to the health
relatedness of the project (i.e., relevance to the
mission of the funding agency).
• Describe concisely the research training program
design and methods for achieving stated goals.
• Avoid describing past accomplishments and the
use of the first person.
• Do not include proprietary, confidential information
or trade secrets.
104

105. Project Narrative
Public Health Relevance
• Describe the relevance of this research to
public health.
• Be succinct and use plain language that can be
understood by a general, lay audience.
• Use no more than two or three sentences.
105

106. Bibliography &
References Cited
• Each reference must include names of all authors,
the title, Journal name, volume number, inclusive
page numbers, and year of publication.
• Include only bibliographic citations.
• Applicants should follow scholarly practices in
providing citations for source materials used in any
section of application.
• Provide PMCID number for PI’s articles that fall
under NIH Public Access Policy.
– https://publicaccess.nih.gov
106

107. Facilities & Other Resources
(no page limit)
• Identify only facilities used for this project and PI’s training activities
(Laboratory, Animal, Computer, Office, Clinical and Other such as Core
Facilities—some of this info is in Sponsors statement—make use of
sections to maximize information for reviewers).
• Describe how scientific & intellectual environment contributes to
probability of success (e.g., institutional support, physical resources,
and intellectual rapport/environment)
– Any Nobel Laureates, National Academy or Institute of Medicine members, etc., with
whom you interact or are invited to your institution to give seminars, lectures or
workshops? Be sure to mention!
• Discuss ways proposed studies will benefit from unique features of
scientific environment, subject populations or collaborative,
multidisciplinary arrangements.
• Include resources from Clinical and Translational Science Institutes
and support for Graduate Students at your University.
107

108. Describe the
physical layout of
research labs and
PhD training
program home
base and how
these resources
aid in training the
PI (F-award
applicant!)
108
Facilities and
Other
Resources
Section:

109. Equipment
(no page limit)
• List major items of equipment already available for this
project and, if appropriate identify location and pertinent
capabilities.
• List major equipment that will be used by PI in co-
sponsors’ and collaborators’ labs as well.
• Note, core facilities to be used by this project are usually
described in Facilities & Other Resources section.
109
Identify special equipment used in collaborator’s labs.
But, no need to identify every vortex stir plate in the lab…

110. Institutional Environment and
Commitment to Training
• Document a strong, well-established research program related to
the candidate's area of interest.
• Describe opportunities for intellectual interactions with other
investigators, including didactic courses offered, journal clubs,
seminars, and presentations.
• Indicate the facilities and other resources that will be made
available for both career enhancement and the research
proposed in this application.
• Refer to other sections: Equipment, Facilities, and Other
Resources, Sponsor and Co-sponsor Statement, and
Applicant’s Background and Goals for Fellowship Training.
110
New
Section
• These parts provided with input from Sponsors and PI (you)

111. Institutional Environment and
Commitment to Training
2-page limit
• Describe the dual-degree (F30) or graduate (F31) program
in which the applicant is enrolled.
• structure of the program, required milestones and their usual timing
• number of courses, teaching commitments and qualifying exams
• average time to degree over the past 10 years
• the progress/status of the applicant in relation to the program’s timeline,
and the frequency and method by which the program formally monitors
and evaluates a student’s progress.
• clinical tutorials during the graduate research years and any activities to
ease transition from the graduate to the clinical years of the dual-degree
program.
• research-associated activities during the clinical years of the dual-degree
program.
111
• This information is provided by the PhD and/or MD-PhD Program Directors.
• Include names of individuals providing this information at the end of section.

112. • Example information
included in
“Institutional
Environment and
Commitment to
Training” section.
• Received Criterion
Score of “1” from all
six reviewers on two
F31 applications
funded in 2017.
112

113. • Make sure information in this
section agrees with information
provided in other sections of
grant.
• Important for applicant to provide
PhD program director and
Sponsors with drafts of ALL
training sections of the grant AND
all Biosketches, including
Applicant, Sponsors and Advisory
Committee Members.
• Why is this important? Shows
the Reviewers that the applicant
TALKS to all faculty needed to
prepare the:
• BEST APPLICATION
POSSIBLE.
113

114. Certification of Eligibility for
Diversity Award Provided by Dean
of Graduate Studies Office
(e.g., Registrar or Dean)
114
Only needed for
Diversity F31
PA-16-308

115. Critical take home messages
about Peer Review
5. They are not called “Vague Aims”… they are
called “Specific Aims”
6. Reviewers are assigned 8-10 grants so they
have limited time to review YOUR grant.
7. Demonstrate your enthusiasm and passion
for research and attaining career goals with
Clear, Concise and Compelling writing and
prepare Visually Splendid Figures.
8. You get 15 minutes of Fame at Peer Review
– (if you are lucky to have your grant discussed).
115

116. Specific Aims and
Research Strategy
Specific Aims
Research
Strategy
116

117. • Only 3 of 20 or so reviewers
on study section panel read
entire grant.
• Rest of panel members
have equal vote.
• Specific Aims page may be
only part of grant they read.
• Needs to clearly convey
entire grant to 17 other
reviewers.
117
NIH Peer Review Process Revealed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzBhKeR6VIE
5. They are not called
“Vague Aims”… they
are called “Specific
Aims” for a reason!

118. Specific Aims Language
There is no innovation
section in F-awards,
although they can still
be “innovative” but not
risky!
118

119. Save space on specific aims page
to briefly describe training plan
and how it will launch you to next
career stage
This last sentence is more appropriate for K award than F
award, but describe specific details of your training plan.
119

120. A good format for a Specific
Aims Section is a Sandwich
120
Specific Aims: objectives (working hypotheses) and
description—state how things will change
(increase/decrease; better/worse)—BE SPECIFIC
theWhat
andHow
Impact and Outcomes: how findings will move field forward
and fulfill NIH mission; how findings will have broader
implications for other public health problems
theSo
What
Define Gap in Field and NEED for YOU to solve: pertinent
background to establish rationale, goals, objectives, and
central hypothesis—BE SPECIFIC and FOCUSED
the
Problem
andWhy
Consider use of visual models (schematics) to communicate
a complex subject and how aims relate to central hypothesis

121. TIP: Your aims must be written in such a way that, no matter
how the hypothesis tests – yes/no, up/down, left/right – you
will accomplish the aim’s objective.
Russell SW, Morrison DC. The Grant Application Writer’s Workbook
for NIH. 2015. http://www.grantcentral.com/ 121
We emphasize again that the importance of your specific aims cannot be exaggerated.
Therefore, before proceeding, we recommend that you review what you have just writ-
ten one more time with the following important questions in mind:
i. Are any of your aims descriptive, i.e., do any propose ‘look-to-see’ research, i.e.,
an unfocused fishing expedition?
ii. Are your aims directly linked to parts of your central hypothesis?
iii. Are any of your aims superfluous to testing a part of your central hypothesis?
iv. Is each aim driven by a working hypothesis that serves to focus the research that
is proposed under that aim?
v. Does your ability to pursue later aims depend in any critical way upon an expected
outcome of an earlier one?
If your answer is ‘Yes’ to question i, iii or v, or ‘No’ to either question ii or iv, you need
to reformulate your specific aims before proceeding.

122. Mail room 1
6. Reviewers are assigned 8-10 grants so
have limited time to review YOUR grant.

123. Research Strategy
Limited to 6 pages
1. Significance
• Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress
that project addresses.
• Explain how project will improve scientific knowledge, technical
capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields.
• Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments,
services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be
changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
2. Innovation
• Fellowship applicants should not include an Innovation section
except in the unusual circumstance where it is specified in the
FOA.
123
Innovation section is currently NOT included in F31
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms_page_limits.htm

124. Purpose of Significance Section
1) Justify the need for research you propose to do.
2) Establish the scientific premise (rationale) for your
application.
Ø Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the published
literature cited in support of your research project that leads to
defining the gap in the field and hypothesis to be tested
Ø Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your preliminary data
presented in grant demonstrating feasibility of your project
Ø Your data should provide support of your hypothesis and
demonstrate “doable” methods of approach
3) Inform reviewers as to why your research contribution
is expected to be significant.
124

125. Research Strategy
Limited to 6 pages
3. Approach
• Describe overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to accomplish
specific aims; how data will be collected, analyzed, interpreted and
how data or resources created are shared (include Resource Sharing
Plan as appropriate).
• Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and
benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims.
• Provide preliminary data or strategy to establish feasibility, and
address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed
work.
• Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be
hazardous to personnel and the precautions to be exercised.
125
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms_page_limits.htm

126. Research Strategy
• Remember to include discussion of potential problems,
alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success
anticipated to achieve the aims.
• Discuss robustness of methods, soundness of published
literature and your preliminary results used to establish
project rationale (scientific premise) and define “Gap in
Field” your research is intended to answer.
• Provide a Gantt chart timeline for Research project.
126

127. Tell a good story and make is
easy to read
7. Demonstrate (on paper) your enthusiasm
and passion for research and attaining
career goals with Clear, Concise and
Compelling writing
– Sorry, you have to get your help with writing
from other sources such as:
– ”The Nuts and Bolts of Scientific Writing”
http://www.academicpeds.org/espauthoring/page_21.htm
• and prepare Visually Splendid Figures.
127

128. Figures and Tables
“Dos and Don’ts”
• Figures and tables should stand on their own—
the legend should be informative and legible.
• Decide whether to present data in table, graph,
figure or in the text.
• Use the fewest figures and tables needed to tell
a story.
• Design figures, tables and graphs to have strong
visual impact.
128
Tip: place preliminary data near the text (narrative) that FIRST
describes the results. Don’t make the reviewer have to flip back
and forth from one page to another and back again.

129. Diagrams and Drawings
• Schematic (cartoon) representation of basic
principles, signaling pathways or summary of
results may be appropriate.
• This is a way to control amount of detail needed to
understand concepts or conclusions.
• Often schematics are overly complicated—more is
not always better.
…or, how not to get a grant…
129
Tip: Include ONLY data to support your proposed
research. If this means making a new figure to simplify
what you present—MAKE the New Figure!

130. Grant Schematic Don’t:
Fibrin(ogen)-mediated Mechanisms of
Wound Repair
130
How not to
get a grant
in 2001

131. Larson, G. The Complete Far Side. 2003.
131
The KISS
principle to
making
figures.
Keep IT
Simple, Stupid.

132. Loss of Function Schematic—
from funded grant!
132
Grant
Schematic
“Do”

133. Gain of Function Schematic—
from funded grant!
133
Grant
Schematic
“Do”

134. Some Sections Depend on Type
of Research Conducted
134
Risks
Benefits
Human
Subjects?
Enrollment
Women
Children
Minorities
DSMP/DSMB
Vertebrate
Animal
Research?
Vertebrate Animal
Section
• Description of
Procedures
• Justify Species Used
• Minimization of Pain
and Distress
• Euthanasia
Select Agents?
Resource
Sharing Plan
Stem Cell
Research/Bio-
hazards?
Facilities & Other
Resources;
Equipment
(required, but include only facilities
related to YOUR research)
Data Sharing
Plan

135. Human Subjects Sections
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/Supplemental
Instructions.pdf#4_1_protection_of_human_subject 135
Risks
Benefits
Human
Subjects?
Enrollment
Women
Children
Minorities
DSMP/DSMB
NIH now considers
individuals age 18 and
older as adults (i.e., 18, 19
and 20 yr olds no longer
children for NIH)

136. Vertebrate Animal Use
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/vertebrate_animal_section.htm
Worksheet for Applications Involving Animals
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/olaw/VASchecklist.pdf
Vertebrate
Animal
Research?
Vertebrate Animal Section
• Description of Procedures
• Justifications of Species
• Minimization of Pain and
Distress
• Euthanasia Method
136Vertebrate Animal Section updated per NOT-OD-16-006

137. 8. 15 Minutes of Fame
aka Peer Review
• Three reviewers are assigned to your grant
– Primary and Secondary Reviewers read; tertiary reviewer usually
reads very quickly
– Primary Reviewer BREIFLY describes proposal goals and
training plan; describes strengths and weaknesses of proposal
per 5 review criteria
– Secondary and tertiary reviewers concur or add strengths and
weakness that are different based on their perspective
• In 15 minutes, the rest of reviewers on the study section
panel will receive all the information they will get to score
your grant
• How can 20+ people decide how to score your grant
in 15 minutes? 137
Video on NIH Mock Study Section
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzBhKeR6VIE
Watch this video to understand
your 15 min (or less) of fame!

138. The NIH Grant Process:
The Big Picture
138
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNwsg_PR90w
8 Ways to Successfully Navigate NIH Peer Review and Get a Fellowship Grant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gr-D68NawQ&t

139. Criteria for review of F-series NRSA
Individual Fellowship Awards (1)
-Overall Impact Score and Statement
Overall impact score reflects reviewer’s assessment of likelihood that the fellowship will
enhance the PI’s potential for, and commitment to, a productive independent scientific
research career in health-related field.
1. Fellowship Applicant
– Sections of grant that provide this information
• PI Biosketch
• Sponsor’s Statement
• Outside Letters of Support
• Applicant’s Background and Goals for Fellowship Training
• Enthusiasm and Passion must resonate throughout the entire application
139

140. Criteria for review of F-series NRSA
Individual Fellowship Awards (2)
2. Sponsors, Collaborators and Consultants
– Sections of grant that provide this information
• Sponsors, Consultants and Collaborators Biosketches
• Sponsors Statement
• Consultants and Collaborators Letters of Support
• May be found in Outside Letters of Support if referees know
your sponsors really well
140

141. Criteria for review of F-series NRSA
Individual Fellowship Awards (3)
3. Research Training Plan
Sections of grant that provide this information
– Specific Aims page
– Research Strategy
– PI Biosketch
– Vertebrate Animals and Human Subjects sections
– Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training
– Applicant’s Background and Goals for Fellowship Training
• Gantt Charts/Tables included in Research Strategy and Activities Planned
141

142. Criteria for review of F-series NRSA
Individual Fellowship Awards (4)
4. Training Potential
Sections of grant that provide this information
– Sponsors, Consultants and Collaborators Biosketches
– Sponsors’ Statement
– Specific Aims page
– Research Strategy (Gantt Chart/Table included in Research Strategy)
– Applicant’s Background and Goals for Fellowship Training
• Gantt Chart/Table included in Activities Planned (section C)
– Institutional Environment & Commitment to Training 142

143. Criteria for review of F-series NRSA
Individual Fellowship Awards (5)
5. Institutional Environment & Commitment to
Training
Sections of grant that provide this information
– Institutional Environment & Commitment to Training
– Facilities and Other Resources
– Equipment
– Sponsors Statement (including intellectual environment)
– Consultant and Collaborators Letters and Biosketches
– Sponsors Biosketches (demonstrating grant support history)
143

144. What will immediately cause an
application to go un-reviewed
(because you did NOT READ the FOA)
• Not following Appendix Requirements
• Missing information required for F awards
– Diversity_Eligibility_Ltr.pdf, which certifies eligibility for the F31
Diversity Award
• Not following instructions found in NRSA parent FOAs
• PA-16-309 – F31, Predoc (Parent)
• PA-16-308 – F31, Diversity Predoc (Parent)
• PA-16-305 – F30, MD-PhD Predoc (Parent) for institutions with NIH funded
dual degree programs (e.g., MSTP)
• PA-16-306 – F30, MD-PhD Predoc (Parent) for institutions without NIH
funded dual degree programs
• PA-16-307 – F32, Postdoctoral (Parent)
144

145. FOA-specific I Instructions and
Found in Section IV!
Required Application Instructions
It is critical that applicants follow the Fellowship (F) instructions in the
SF424 (R&R) Application Guide [URL below] EXCEPT where instructed
to do otherwise (this FOA or a Notice [NOT] from the NIH Guide for
Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the
Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced.
Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the
Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in
Section IV [of F-award parent FOA]. When the program-specific
instructions [i.e., NRSA F-fellowship program] deviate from those in the
Application Guide, follow the program-specific [in FOA] instructions.
Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be
delayed or NOT accepted for review.
Verbatim instructions from PA-16-308
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/forms-d/fellowship-forms-d.pdf
145

146. What does it take to write an
F-award application?
(refusal to take “No” for an answer) [1]
• Allow plenty of time to complete all sections.
– make sure when editing sections, such as goals you
also edit activities planned to accommodate changes in
goals.
– same goes for specific aims and research strategy—if
you add or delete an aim, make sure the experimental
design matches!
• Recommend you have at least 1 first-author
publication for F31/F30 (at least submitted) and
two-three for F32.
146

147. What does it take to write an
F-award application?
(refusal to take “No” for an answer) [2]
• Enlist mentors and outside referees early and
discuss project and goals so they can commit to
participate and write supportive letters because
they KNOW you.
• Work with sponsor and university representative
to complete all aspects of project.
• Read ALL instructions and Pay Attention to detail;
let others read, & edit, edit, edit.
• Oh, and edit some more after putting it aside for
awhile. 147

148. How long it really takes to
write a fundable grant
148Inouye & Fiellin Ann Intern Med. 2005;142:274-282.

149. Acknowledgements
• Heartfelt thanks to PJ’s students in the Translational
Biomedical Science PhD program at the University of
Rochester who have graciously agreed to share their
experiences in writing successful F-awards.
• Supported by the University of Rochester CTSA award
number UL1 TR000042, TL1 TR000096 and TL1
TR002000 from the National Center for Advancing
Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of
Health.
• The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and
does not necessarily represent the official views of the
National Institutes of Health.
149

150. Source Material
• PA-16-308: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service
Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote
Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31 –
Diversity)
• oppPA-16-308-cidFORMS-D.pdf (SF424 form)
• Fellowship Instructions for NIH and Other PHS Agencies
SF424 (R&R) Application Packages (Updated 24 March
2017).
• Fellowship Applicant Biosketch samples from NIH
• NIH websites as screen shots
• Section Templates constructed by PJ and students
150

151. Source Material
• “Nuts and Bolts of Scientific Writing”
– http://www.academicpeds.org/espauthoring/page_21.
htm
• “Clear, Concise and Compelling”
– http://www.georgia4hfoundation.org/documents%20fo
r%20grants%20page/Grant%20Writing%20Getting%2
0Specific%2009.pdf (retrieved 4-4-2017).
151

152. Helpful NIH Websites and Videos
• NIH Peer Review Revealed
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBDxI6l4dOA&feature=youtu.be
• 8 Ways to Successfully Navigate NIH Peer
Review and Get a Fellowship Grant
– https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2017/02/03/new-peer-review-videos-for-
applicants-and-
reviewers/?utm_source=nexus&utm_medium=email&utm_content=nihu
pdate&utm_campaign=jan17
• NIH Grants Process: The Big Picture (video)
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNwsg_PR90w
• Getting Started: Learn the Basics
– https://grants.nih.gov/grants/grant_basics.htm
• Grants Process Overview
– https://grants.nih.gov/grants/grants_process.htm 152

153. Disclaimer
• This presentation includes recommendations from successful F-award
applications of trainees, details of instructions extracted from the
Fellowship Instructions for NIH and Other PHS Agencies (Updated
March 24, 2017), PA-16-308 and NIH websites.
• Because NIH grant instructions change periodically, we recommend
that all information be verified as the most recent by frequently checking
for updated NIH instructions, notices (NOTs), and funding opportunity
announcements (FOAs).
• Finally, specific content to include in trainee and research sections is
the direct responsibility of the PI and his/her mentoring team
members—information provided here is for guidance only and should
not be used verbatim.
153