The Ins and Outs

of the R15

Grant Brought to you by: Principal Investigators Association

Funding and Management Advice for Scientists in All Fields of Research

www.principalinvestigators.org

Reader Question: I am interested in seeking R15 funding. Which key factors should I keep in mind before crafting my proposal?

Expert Comments:

If you’re considering NIH’s R15 grant, there are some facts you should know before you apply including:

Who is eligible to receive it and

What reviewers look for in R15 applications

What the grant is

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NIH designed the R15, or Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA), to support biomedical and behavioral sciences research at small health professional schools.

The grant aims to expose graduate and

undergraduate students to scientific

investigation and bolster the research

environment at these smaller institutions.

If you are currently preparing your R15 grant application, are soon to renew an existing grant, or will be seeking NIH R15 funding in the near future look no further. You can now get all the winning strategies you should apply in your next R15 grant application in one place:

http://www.principalinvestigators.org/nih-r15-grant-application-manual/

Determining your institution’s

eligibility There are two

criteria your organization must satisfy to be eligible for an R15.

First, your institution must meet NIH’s definition of a health professional school. This means it’s:

an accredited public school

or non-profit private school

that offers health science degrees.

Second, NIH funding to your institution _cannot exceed

$6 million. When you submit your R15 application, your college cannot have more than that in research grants for four out of the last seven fiscal years.

For a list of the nearly 300 schools and colleges that are not eligible for the R15, go to:

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_ineligible_list_2012.pdf

Evaluating Your Personal Eligibility NIH guidelines indicate that PIs with the

expertise, skills and backing from their institutions can apply for the R15. But you must consider your other research commitments and grants.

You cannot be the PI on an active NIH grant if you want to receive an R15 award. But you may conduct research as part of another PI’s grant.

Although you can have

successive R15 renewals, NIH will not award more than one of these grants

at a time.

In addition, you cannot apply

for funding that covers the

same work as that of a

pending R15 application.

Another thing reviewers want to know is whether your experience will mesh well with your collaborator’s expertise. For example, Robert Ward, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Food Sciences Department at Utah State University, is co-PI on an R15 proposal with Abby Benninghoff, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Department at the same institution.

Examine Collaborations

The pair’s project deals with multigenerational exposure to a western diet in rodents. Ward’s lab primarily focuses on fat analysis, and Benninghoff’s lab specializes in molecular biology. The combination allows them to produce the data needed for their project. “The NIH review panel complimented the fact that we had a good mix of skill sets,” Ward says.

To convey how your combined skills will enhance your project’s outcome, Ward suggests you refer to preliminary data. This is not a requirement for the R15. But if you can describe the interaction between collaborators in generating preliminary data, this offers proof of concept.

The 8-section how-to manual has been designed to help scientists submit more competitive applications for the highly-sought R15 grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the federal government's biggest funder of medical research. The 1st edition includes everything you need to know to craft a superior proposal, maximizing your chances for R15 funding.

NIH R15 Grant Application Mentor

http://bit.ly/R15Manual

Mind the Budget

Remember that an R15 award can last as long as three years and provide up to $300,000.

“That‘s not a huge sum of money,” Ward says. “Developing your proposal is going to be a balancing act.” If you are running over your budget, you should be able to trim it by examining the number of lab animals you plan to use. Including fewer animals will reduce the cost.

“But keep in mind that you don‘t want to sacrifice the power of the study: the likelihood that you will observe a statistically significant effect, that your results will still be meaningful by lowering the number of subjects to meet costs,” Benninghoff says.

Keep Students Active

One of NIH’s goals with the R15 is to give students a hands-on, active role in research. The agency strongly recommends discussing your experience working with students.

To show you have the necessary background, Benninghoff suggests the following:

• List your documented history. Include publications that show you have worked with undergraduates.

• Explain that you have data collected by undergraduate students, and this data supports the case for your project to receive the grant.

• Partner with other institutions that attend graduate student symposiums, or find other presentation opportunities.

• Highlight the undergraduate program at your institution.

Don't waste your precious time going through vague grant-writing guides. This manual offers everything you need to know to craft a superior proposal, maximizing your chances for NIH R15 funding.

Each section includes checks to ensure you’re following NIH guidelines every step along the way.

http://bit.ly/R15Manual

Demonstrate You’re in the Right Place

Once you determine you’re eligible for an R15, you should consider the elements reviewers find important. NIH suggests you provide a thorough explanation of why your institution is suitable for this grant.

the scientific environment your institutional support and the core facilities that might maintain and provide the equipment you will be using.

The agency recommends highlighting the following areas:

NIH warns that not discussing these elements may cause reviewers to look at your application less favorably.

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