NIH Proposal Development
A page within Research & Sponsored Programs
Proposal Planning & Development Resources
Funding
- NIH current funding search
- NIH grants & funding homepage
- NIH RePORTER: searchable repository of NIH-funded research
- NIH Matchmaker: enter abstracts or other scientific text to find potential program officials, institutes/centers, and review panels for research
- List of NIH institutes & centers
- Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREA) (R15): As a predominantly undergraduate institution, UWL is eligible to submit applications to AREA (R15) program. Research areas and program officer contacts are listed on the NIH webpage.
Proposal planning & timeline
A successful proposal starts with thorough planning before you begin drafting the application. Keep in mind that substantive proposals (e.g., federal applications, collaborative projects) should be developed over a much longer timeline - typically six months to a year in advance of the deadline. See below for the required NIH proposal planning resources:
- NIH Proposal Development Guide & Checklist: extensive compilation of the required UWL forms, relevant NIH guidance, and templates
- NEW Federal Review Requirements & Timeline
- Federal proposal development timeline calculator
To get started:
- Use the federal proposal development timeline calculator to generate a customized proposal timeline.
- Initiate your application by completing the INTAKE questionnaire.
- Review the applicable proposal development information on this webpage for the NIH proposal development guide & checklist, budgeting guidance, templates, and other resources.
Required UWL forms
- INTAKE Questionnaire
- Required for all federal proposals:
- Required for sponsors following Public Health Service (PHS) financial conflict of interest (FCOI) regulations, including NIH:
- FCOI training and assessment (a score of at least 80%)
- Self enroll in the Canvas course to access the training.
- FCOI training and assessment (a score of at least 80%)
- Required for proposals involving subawards:
Budgeting
Sponsor Guidance
- R&R budget (>$250,000 direct costs)
- Modular budget (≤$250,000 direct costs)
- Subaward budget(s)
- AREA (R15) budget (PAR-21-155)
- NIH: Develop Your Budget
Budget Templates & Rates
- Budget Helper Spreadsheet
- Budget Justifications:
- R&R Detailed Budget (>$250,000 direct costs): General Budget Justification Template
- Modular Budget (≤$250,000 direct costs):
- Cost Sharing Template
- Fringe Benefits and Indirect Costs - Current Rates
- Budget Guidance: Fringe Benefits Overview
Faculty & Staff Compensation
Student Compensation & Tuition
- Undergraduate Student Wage Guidance
- Graduate Assistant Compensation
- Tuition and Fee Information
Travel & Meals
- UWL Travel Information
- Lodging & Meal Per Diems
- Current rates until June 30, 2025:SFS Lodging & Meal Per Diem Calculator
- NEW calculator for travel occurring July 1, 2025 or later: Lodging & Meal Per Diem Calculator
- Ground Transportation
- UWL Food Hosted Meal Rates
Data Management & Sharing
- NIH Budgeting for Data Management & Sharing
- Data Submission Cost Estimation Tool (NIH NDA)
- NIH DMSP Budgeting & Application Instructions Tip Sheet (Harvard)
Facility Rental
- For rental of on-campus facilities, contact Reservations for facility and cost information. A facility rate sheet is also available.
Narrative & supplementary documents
- SF 424 (R&R) Form
- PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement Form
- R&R Other Project Information Form
- Project Summary/Abstract
- Project Narrative
- Bibliography & References Cited
- Facilities & Other Resources
- Equipment
- Other Attachments
- AREA proposals require an eligibility certification letter (see PAR-21-155, Section III). Request from ORSP. It must be uploaded to ASSIST as ProvostLetter.pdf.
- Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form
- Senior/Key Person Profile Form
- Biographical Sketch guidelines
- Biographical Sketch template & instructions (or use SciENcv to generate an automatically formatted biosketch)
- Sample Biosketch Personal Statement
- Biosketch FAQs
- NIH Disclosures Table
- PHS 398 Research Plan Form
- Introduction to Application
- Required for resubmission and revision applications
- Specific Aims
- Research Strategy
- AREA proposals: also see PAR-21-155, Section IV
- Progress Report Publication List
- Required for renewal applications
- Vertebrate Animals
- Select Agent Research
- Multiple PD/PI Leadership Plan
- Consortium/Contractual Arrangements
- Letters of Support
- Resource Sharing Plan(s)
- Other Plan(s)
- Data Management & Sharing Plan: required for all research applications that will generate scientific data
- NIH templates: Sample DMS Plans, Blank DMS Plan template
- FDP templates
- DMPTool
- Data Management & Sharing Plan: required for all research applications that will generate scientific data
- Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources
- Appendix
- Introduction to Application
- PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information
- PHS Assignment Request Form
- NIH Assisted Referral Tool (ART): recommends potentially appropriate study section(s)
- NIH RePORTER: searchable repository of grants to identify where related research was funded by NIH
- NIH Matchmaker: enter abstracts or other scientific text to find potential program officials, institutes/centers, and review panels for research
- NIH Project Roles
- Logic models guidance and templates (UW Extension)
Sponsor guidance
- NIH Application Guide & Resources
- NIH: Develop Your Budget
- NIH: Sample Applications, Attachments, and Other Documents
- NIH: Write Your Application
- NIH Research Enhancement Award (R15) Information
- NIH Disclosures Table
- NIH Guide for Grants & Contracts: Find Funding or Subscribe for Weekly Updates
- NIH Decision Tool: Am I Doing Human Subjects Research?
- Human Subjects Research: Principles and Best Practices for Protecting Participant Privacy
- Artificial Intelligence in Research: Considerations, Guidance, & Resources