NIH Resources for International Investigators


NIH Information for Foreign Applicants and Grantees: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/foreign/index.htm

NIH Office of Extramural Research Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/frequent_questions.htm

Fogarty International Center (FIC): Global Health Resources: http://www.fic.nih.gov/Global/Pages/default.aspx

FIC: E-learning Resources for Global Health Researchers:  http://www.fic.nih.gov/Global/Pages/training-resources.aspx

NIAID: Grants Policy and Management Training for Foreign Investigators:  https://www.niaid.nih.gov/researchfunding/grant/strategy/pages/default.aspx

NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools (RePORT): http://report.nih.gov/index.aspx Provides access to reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities.

The RePORT Web site publishes NIH extramural awards by Foreign site by fiscal year

NIH World RePORT: http://worldreport.nih.gov/
An illustrative mapping database system designed to facilitate communication and coordination of biomedical research funded by major government agencies and philanthropic organizations around the world. The initial effort, created by the NIH focuses on research performed in Sub-Saharan Africa using data supplied by several members of the Heads of International Research Organizations (HIRO), of which the NIH is a member.

Limited Connectivity E-learning Resources – eGranary Digital Library: http://www.widernet.org/egranary/
An off-line information collection providing instant access to over 30 million Internet resources to institutions lacking adequate Internet access.

Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS): http://gwas.nih.gov

Additional NIH Resources:

NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html

NIH Forms and Applications: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm

NIH Rigor and Reproducibility: http://grants.nih.gov/reproducibility/index.htm

NIH Grant Writing 101 (01/13 video): https://videocast.nih.gov/Summary.asp?File=17759&bhcp=1

PDF: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/meetings/2013/Documents/Milgram_grants_nichd_080213.pdf

NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy: https://gds.nih.gov/03policy2.html

NIH Glossary – Abbreviations, Definition of Terms:   http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/HTML5/section_1/1.1_abbreviations.htm

Recommended NIH Listservs

H3Africa Mailing List: Join by filling this form

NIH Extramural Nexus:  http://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/subscribe/

NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts:  http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/listserv.htm

Electronic Submission and eRA Commons News and Updates:  http://era.nih.gov/about_era/get_connected.cfm

NIH/Fogarty International Center Funding News for global health researchers and partners:  http://www.fic.nih.gov/News/Pages/subscribe.aspx

NIH Grant Process (videos):  
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1ZUJIWDf-3ItBo8301YF-A

NIH Social Media:  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/social_media.htm

NIH Resources for Applicants and Grantees

When you are preparing to apply for funding please bear in mind that the organisational director, the primary investigator and your institutional unit will be required to undertake a number of pre-registration processes which must be completed before you submit your application for funding. These include:

  1. Institutional Pre-registration with a number of international bodies which can take a minimum of six weeks.
  2. Setting up an eRA account for the Director or PI/PID.
  3. Registering with eRA Commons in order to receive and transmit information electronically. This can take 2– 4 weeks.
  4. Registering with Grants.gov, which can take eight weeks.

NIH Grants Policy

NIH Grants Policy Statement (NIHGPS) is intended to make available to NIH grantees, in a single document, the policy requirements that serve as the terms and conditions of NIH grant awards. This document is also designed to be useful to those interested in NIH grants by providing information about NIH—its organization, its staff, and its grants process.

NIH Grants Policy Statement (11/15) (NIH GPS): http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/HTML5/introduction.htm

GRANTS TO FOREIGN INSTITUTIONS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND DOMESTIC GRANTS WITH FOREIGN COMPONENTS (11/15):

Follow this link to find out more about how the NIH approaches funding foreign institutions.

  • Public Policy Requirements and Objectives
  • Funding and Payment
  • Allowable and Unallowable Costs
  • Reporting and Record Retention

Electronic Submission

Required Registration: Electronic submission of grant applications is required for most NIH application types. Applicants from foreign institutions and international organizations must fulfill additional requirements to register for electronic submission of grant applications. Registration can be a lengthy process and foreign organizations are especially encouraged to register early.

Applicant Organizations: Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations as described in the SF 424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible.

The NIH Policy on Late Submission of Grant Applications states that failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission.

  1. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) – All registrations require that applicants be issued a DUNS number. After obtaining a DUNS number, applicants can begin both SAM and eRA Commons registrations. The same DUNS number must be used for all registrations, as well as on the grant application.
  2. System for Award Management (SAM) (formerly CCR) – Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually. The renewal process may require as much time as the initial registration. SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code.
  3. NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code – Foreign organizations must obtain an NCAGE code (in lieu of a CAGE code) in order to register in SAM.
  4. eRA Commons – This is the NIH electronic Research Administration system that allows applicants/grantees to electronically receive and transmit application and award information. All PD(s)/PI(s) must have an eRA Commons account. PD(s)/PI(s) should work with their organizational officials to either create a new account or to affiliate their existing account with the applicant organization in eRA Commons. If the PD/PI is also the organizational Signing Official, they must have two distinct eRA Commons accounts, one for each role. Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the eRA Commons registration. Organizations can register with the eRA Commons as they are working through their SAM or Grants.gov registration.

Grants.gov – This is the U.S. Federal government’s single online portal to find and apply for Federal funding.  Applicants must have an active DUNS number and SAM registration in order to complete the Grants.gov registration. Institutions and the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) should register on Grants.gov.

For more on the NIH Submission Process you may find these links useful:

NIH Registration Requirements:

Applying Electronically: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/index.htm

Applying Electronically – Finding Help: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/ElectronicReceipt/support.htm

NIH eSubmission Tips: Webinars: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/webinar_docs/webinar_20120927.htm

Research Involving Human Subjects: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/hs/index.htm

Research Involving Animals: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/air/

CONTACTS

General Grants Information
  • Phone: 301-435-0714
  • Fax: 301-480-0525
  • Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov
  • Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST
Contact for assistance with:
  1. Finding grant-related information, resources, guidelines, and contacts
  2. Identifying grant programs
  3. General questions about the electronic submission process and application forms, and the review and award processes

Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS)
Toll-free: 1-866-705-5711
Email:govt@dnb.com
URL:  http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

Contact for assistance with: Obtaining a DUNS number (required for CCR and Grants.gov registration)

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) = NCAGE Code
Toll Free: 1-888-227-2423
International: 269-961-7766
Email: NCAGE@dla.mil

Contact for assistance with: Obtaining an NCAGE code (required for CCR registration)

System for Award Management (SAM)
Fed Info: 1-800-FED-INFO
Toll Free: 866-606-8220
International: 334-206-7828
Web: https:www.fsd.gov
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST
URL:  http://www.sam.gov

Contact for assistance with:

  1. Registering your organization
  2. Registering your e-Business Point of Contact
  3. Renewal of entity registration and information update

eRA Service Desk (formerly the eRA Commons Help Desk) http://grants.nih.gov/support/

Toll-free: 1-866-504-9552
Phone: 301-402-7469
Hours: Mon-Fri, 7:00a.m. to 8:00p.m. U.S.Eastern Time (closed on federal holidays)

Contact for information/questions on:

  1. ASSIST
  2. eRA Commons
  3. eRA Commons Registration
  4. eRA errors and warnings
  5. Status of the application
  6. Post-award administration
  7. Grants.gov Contact Center

International: 606-545-5035
Toll-free: 1-800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed on Federal Holidays)
Web ticketing/live chat:  https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

Contact for assistance with:

  1. Grants.gov Registration
  2. Downloading or navigating forms
  3. Technical aspects of submitting to the Grants.gov system