New Grantee Workshop: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

NCI’s Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and anti-Harassment

Where can I find information about NCI efforts focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion? 

NCI efforts and initiatives working to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion can be found at the NCI Equity and Inclusion Program website. 

Individuals can also subscribe to receive email updates about the NCI Equity and Inclusion Program. 

Are there active funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) related to NCI’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts? 

Yes. Information about FOAs and Requests for Information related to NCI’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts can  be found on the NCI Equity and Inclusion Program Funding Opportunities webpage. 

Where can I find information about the NIH efforts addressing structural racism that may exist within the NIH and throughout the biomedical and behavioral workforce?

NIH efforts and initiatives addressing structural racism through the UNITE initiative, including the UNITE Progress Report, Events, and a summary of Milestones and Progress, can be found at the UNITE website.

Are diversity, equity, and inclusion being considered in peer review?

The Commitment by the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) to Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Peer Review can be found in a CSR Review Matters Blog.  

How can individuals notify NIH about concerns that harassment or other forms of inappropriate conduct are affecting an NIH-funded project?

Individuals can inform NIH about harassment or discrimination concerns using this web form or by calling (301) 480-6701. 

Additional information on what to expect when notifying NIH about harassment can be found at this NIH Extramural Research webpage. 

Can retaliation related to a harassment investigation be reported to NIH? 

Yes. 

NIH recipient institutions are required to notify NIH when individuals identified as Program Director/Principal Investigator or other Senior/Key personnel in an NIH Notice of Award are removed from their position or are otherwise disciplined by the recipient institution due to concerns about retaliation, harassment, bullying, or hostile working conditions. 

More information can be found in NOT-OD-22-129.

Additional FAQs related to NIH anti-harassment policies can be found on the NIH Office of Extramural Research website. 
 

The NCI Budget and Managing Your New Investigator Grant

How does NCI allocate its budget?

Information about how NCI allocates its budget can be found on the NCI Budget and Appropriations webpage.

Where can I find information on NCI-funded research like my own? 

NIH Reporter Matchmaker can be used to find Program Officers/Directors with grant portfolios in your area of research or funded projects that are like yours. A video showing how the tool can be used can be viewed on the NIH Grants YouTube. 

What are my responsibilities as a Principal Investigator (PI) during the Post-Award Phase? 

PIs are required to monitor the day-to-day operations of their grant and expenditures through interactions with the administrative officials from their Institute Center (IC). Additional information can be found on the NCI Manage Your Award website section. 

What budget modifications for an award require prior approval and where do I submit a prior approval request?  

The NIH Grants Policy Statement provides information for requests that require prior approval, including a summary of actions requiring NIH prior approval.

A prior approval request must be submitted via the eRA Commons Prior Approval Module by your Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Additional information can be found on the NCI Prior Approval Requests webpage. 

Details about prior approval requests can also be found in the New Grantee Workshop presentation slides on Post-Award Administration.

Am I allowed to rebudget my grant?

The recipient institution is permitted to rebudget between budget categories within the total costs awarded to meet unanticipated requirements, provided the expenditures: 

• Are within the scope of the approved project
• Enhance and do not impede the successful continuation or completion of the project
• Are allowable under governing regulations and policies

Some rebudgeting actions may require specific prior approval from the NCI. The NIH Grants Policy Statement and the terms of the award should be consulted regarding current policies on rebudgeting and prior approval authority. The grants management specialist assigned to the project may also be contacted for advice.

What details should be included in a Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR), and when should it be submitted?

RPPRs for R01 awards subject to the Streamlined Noncompeting Award Process (SNAP) are due the 15th of the month preceding the month when the budget period ends. Fellowship and non-SNAP award progress reports are due 2 months before the beginning of the next budget period.

Details about what should be included can be found in the New Grantee Workshop presentation slides on Communicating with Your NCI Program Director: It's a Two Way Street.

Where can I find the most up-to-date information on the Program Officer/Director or Grants Management Specialist assigned to my  award?

The contact information can be found in eRA Commons. 

Should I reach out to my Program Officer/Director when my research is going well?

Yes. You can reach out to your Program Officer/Director to share good news related to your research and laboratory.

Does my grant have carryover authority? 

Most grants have automatic carryover authority, and recipients do not have to request approval from the NCI to carryover funds from one budget period to the next. The Notice of Award (NoA) indicates if your grant has automatic carryover authorized. 

How do I make a carryover request since my grant does not have automatic carryover authority? 

The NIH eRA Commons Prior Approval module is available for electronic submission of a carryover request. The Prior Approval module includes the ability for the request to be routed within the institution for Principal Investigator input and submission by the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). The system automatically tracks all requests for the institution and notifies the assigned NCI staff that a request has been submitted.

Additional information can be found at the NCI Carryover Unobligated Funds webpage.

If I move to a different institution, can I transfer my grant there? 

NIH prior approval is required for the transfer of the legal and administrative responsibility for a grant-supported project or activity from one legal entity to another before the expiration of the approved project period (period of performance). 

Additional information can be found at the NCI Transfer of a Grant webpage.

Awards to Support Cancer Research Trainees

Where can I find funding opportunities to support cancer research trainees? 

The NCI Center for Cancer Training website has information about funding for research training. 

Are there career development awards that are available to non-U.S. citizens? 

K99/R00 awards are available to non-U.S. citizens who must be working at a U.S. institution during the duration of the award. 

I am confused about avoiding scientific overlap of a student’s F31 or F99 to my R01. If there is no research funding, won’t the work have to be within the scope of my funded R01?

The F31 and F99 Research Training Plans should be developed in collaboration between the sponsor and the fellowship candidate. The fellowship project can be within the overall scope of the active sponsor’s research awards. 

However, NCI expects the fellowship candidate to make significant intellectual contributions to the project and write the Research Training Plan. There should be no text duplication or substantial duplication of the scientific aims, and the candidate ’s application should propose a scientific research question or approach that is distinct from the specific aims of the sponsor’s pending or active research grants.

Can you carryover unobligated funds from the K99 phase to the R00 phase of the award?

With K99/R00 awards issued by NCI, unobligated funds may not be carried over from the K99 to the R00 phase. 

What are the success rates of applications for NCI career development awards?

The success rates for NCI career development awards can be found in New Grantee Workshop presentation slides on Awards to Support Trainees.

Where can I find information about NCI Diversity Supplements, including eligibility and application requirements?

The NCI Diversity Supplements Guidelines provide information about the application process and highlight NCI-specific requirements.

Does a Principal Investigator (PI) need to have at least two 2 years left on the award or be 2 years into the award to be eligible for a diversity supplement?

To be eligible for a diversity supplement, a PI must have at least 2 years remaining on the award. Additional information about eligibility and requirements for Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research can be found in PA-23-189. 

Is there a limit to the number of diversity supplements that a grant can support? 

R01/R01-equivalent grants can support up to a maximum of two Diversity Supplement candidates.

R21/R21-equivalent grants can support a maximum of one Diversity Supplement candidate whose career level is graduate student or more junior. 

NIH Funding Opportunities, NCI Researcher Resources, and Workshops

How can I apply for funding through NIH Common Fund programs?

Current NIH Common Fund Funding Opportunities can be found at the NIH Common Fund website (and are also published in the NIH Guide). 

Where can I learn about DCB’s Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)?

You can get information about DCB NOFOs on the DCB Funding Opportunities webpage.

Recent funding opportunities supported by DCB are also shared on the DCB Twitter account (@NCICancerBio) and in the News from DCB email. 

Where can I get information on the latest NIH Guide announcements (e.g., PAs, RFAs, and Notices)? 

The NIH Guide LISTSERV sends a Weekly NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices e-mail. 

What are some considerations, especially for new grantees, related to Program Project applications?

Information about NCI Program Project applications can be found in PAR-23-059.

What are considerations when deciding whether to apply for an R01, an R21, or an R03 grant?

An NIAID article discusses some considerations when applying for an R01, R21, or an R03. 

Does NCI solicit R21 applications through an NIH Parent Announcement? 

No. NCI does not participate in the NIH parent announcements for R21 applications.

Can a new/early-stage investigator apply for a U01?

Yes. New and early-stage investigators can apply for U01s. It is recommended that researchers reach out to the scientific/research contact listed in the U01 funding opportunity to discuss the specific requirements of the U01.   

Why and when should I apply for an administrative supplement? 

Administrative supplements provide additional funding to a current grant to meet increased costs that are within the scope of the approved project, but that were unforeseen when the new or competing renewal application was awarded (e.g., COVID-19 related loses, increased animal costs). 

A request for supplemental funding should be submitted before the original grant expires. 

Where can I find NIH funding opportunities for administrative supplements? 

Active administrative supplements can be found  in the NIH Guide.

What are some of the cancer research resources available through NCI and can they be used by those who are not funded by NCI?

Most of the resources found in the NCI Resources for Researchers directory are available to all researchers.

Additional NCI tools, databases, and resources are described in the New Grantee Workshop presentation slides on DCB/NCI Resources for Researchers.

Are any NCI (including DCB) workshops open to the public?

Many NCI workshops and events (including DCB activities) that are open to the public can be found at the NCI Events website. 

DCB upcoming events, which are usually open to the public, can be found on the DCB News webpage. 

Peer Review

How are conflicts of interest (COI) addressed during the grant peer review process? 

NIH Scientific Review Officers (SROs) work to identify and manage NIH peer reviewer COIs. Guidelines for the process can be found on the Managing Conflict of Interest in NIH Peer Review of Grants and Contracts webpage. 

Do reviewers have access to all documentation associated with a previously funded grant submitted for renewal? 

No. Grant application reviewers only have access to documentation included with the renewal submission and the summary statement associated with the previous  iteration.  

How can I get experience as a NIH grant reviewer? 

Individuals who have not held an R01 or R01-equivalent grant can gain review experience through the Early Career Reviewer (ECR) program. 

Additional information on the reviewer selection process can be found on a Center for Scientific Review (CSR) webpage. 

Is scientific overlap permitted between a currently funded project and a new grant submission by the same investigator? 

NIH does not allow scientific overlap in two or more applications or awards, regardless of the funding source. More information can be found in NOT-OD-18-197. 

Why was the grant that I submitted put in a different study section than the one that I requested? 

The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) assigns applications to review groups based on the fit between published guidelines for review groups and your application. In assessing fit, they typically consider the abstract, specific aims, broader goals, and methods used. 

Assignment to a review group also takes into consideration conflicts of interest between key personnel on an application and members of a review group. Your suggestions made via the Assignment Request Form can help CSR staff consider the full range of factors.

They designed the review groups to have some overlap, so more than one might have the expertise to review your application. CSR scientific staff make the final assignment after they carefully consider your suggestions and explanations in light of NIH policies. 

Additional information about the assignment of grant applications to scientific review groups can be found at the CSR website. 

Applying for Renewal Applications

When my project ends, should I renew my grant or apply with a new application? 

Considerations about submitting a renewal or a new grant application can be found in New Grantee Workshop Presentation slides on Review, Resubmission, and Renewals.

Additional information about renewals can be found at a NIAID webpage.  

Can I renew a grant funded under a now-expired Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)? 

You can submit a renewal application to a different FOA, such as a Parent Announcement (for unsolicited or investigator-initiated applications). Consult your Program Director for further information.   

What is the success rate of new applications vs. renewal applications (for R01-equivalent grants)?  

In 2022, the success rate of new applications (Type 1) submitted to NIH was about 20% and the success rate of renewal applications (Type 2) was about 42%. Additional information can be found in the NIH Data Book. 

Is there a limit to the direct cost budget I can request for a renewal application? 

Yes. No more than a 10% increase over the budget awarded for the last year of the prior project period (the last Type 5) may be requested. The policy applies to all Type 2 R01, U01 and P01 renewal applications regardless of the amount of the budget request or the budget format (modular or non-modular).

Additional information can be found in FAQs regarding the NCI budget cap.  
 

NCI MERIT Award (R37) for Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs)

What is the mechanism for “converting” an R01 to a MERIT Award (R37)? Is it automatically initiated by the NCI based on the grants score?

Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) R01 applications that receive a score within the NCI payline for experienced and new investigators are eligible for consideration to be “automatically” converted by NCI to an ESI MERIT Award (R37) if all PIs have ESI status at the time of award. Additional information can be found at the NCI MERIT Award webpage. 

Where can I find information on the MERIT Award (R37) Extension Process, including what will need to be included in the request?

Information and FAQs related to the R37 extension process can be found at the NCI MERIT Award (R37) Extension Process webpage. 

When do I need to submit a MERIT Award (R37) Extension Request?

MERIT Award Extension requests are due during the penultimate award year, either on March 1, July 1, or November 1 (based on the deadline table). The due date for the extension request is also listed in the Notice of Award.

Can I request additional funding in a MERIT Award (R37) Extension? 

The budget (modular or categorical as appropriate) that can be requested with your MERIT Award Extension will be indicated on the penultimate year Notice of Award.