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BRIEF
GUIDE TO DEVELOPING AND SUBMITTING RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS
The development
and submission of a research grant application can, at first glance,
appear to be a daunting process, especially if one has not done
this previously. However, if one proceeds in an organized, stepwise
fashion, the process becomes more readily manageable. The purpose
of this guide is to assist you by presenting the basics of the process.
Three phases will be considered: 1. Creating the Research Proposal;
2. Submitting the Grant Application; 3. Post-submission requirements.
The information presented will likely not cover all possibilities
and contingencies. You should consider the Office of Research as
a resource and feel free to call upon us for assistance at any point
in the process.
Creating
the Research Proposal
Each sponsor
typically has its own format for grant requests. For NIH grants,
the most frequently used form is PHS 398 which can be accessed online,
along with instructions for completion, at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.
It is important that the instructions be noted and followed closely,
as even seemingly small details (e.g., the font style and size used)
can affect how the application will be evaluated. Attention should
be paid to developing the detailed budget to assure that the funds
requested will be adequate to support the proposed research and
that you are using up-to-date percentages to calculate such items
as fringe benefits, Facilities and Administration Costs ("Indirect
Costs"), and projected annual increases in salaries and supply costs.
(Current rates can be obtained from Mr. Frank Cangelosi in the Office
of Grants and Contracts or on the web at http://njms.umdnj.edu/research/orsp/CurrentRates001.htm.
) The Office of Research can assist you in preparing the detailed
budget.
Submitting
the Grant Application
Once the grant
application is completed, the next step is to obtain internal review
and approval prior to submitting it to the funding agency or sponsor.
The form needed for this is the UMDNJ Transmittal and Approval Form
for Grants and Contracts ("GAFA" form) which can be obtained from
the Research Office (Room D-741). If the research will involve human
subjects or animals, approval should also be obtained prior to or
contemporaneously with the internal approval. Research involving
human subjects and/or the use of human materials (e.g., pathology
specimens, serum samples, etc.) requires protocol review and approval
by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). If the research is eligible
for exempt review, this determination must be made by the IRB, and
cannot be made by the investigator. IRB information and application
forms can be found at http://www.umdnj.edu/irbnweb/.
(Note: The IRB staff can assist you in preparing your protocol so
that it will be IRB-approvable. Please contact Carla Rodriguez, Director
of the Newark Campus IRB [2-0898] Research involving animals requires protocol
review and approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
(IACUC). IACUC information and application forms can be found at
http://njms.umdnj.edu/research/iacuc/index.cfm
Approval need not be received by the time the grant is circulated
for internal approval or submitted; however, by this time the IRB
or IACUC application should have been submitted and, accordingly,
the GAFA form should be marked "Pending" on the appropriate line(s)
(8 and/or 9). In addition, you will need to complete the Investigator
Financial Disclosure Form which will be included with the proposal.
After you and your department chair have signed the GAFA form, the
form and budget should be submitted to Mr. Frank Cangelosi in the
Office of Grants and Contracts for his review and signature. Then
bring one complete final copy of the proposal and signed GAFA form
to the Office of Research (D-741) for review and approval by the
Associate Dean for Research. In many cases, the Associate Dean will
also have to sign the completed grant face page, and it is important
that all information be entered correctly to expedite this. You
should provide one copy of the completed proposal for the Office
of Research files. In cases in which the study involves a contract
(e.g., industry studies, subcontracted work, etc.), the GAFA form
and grant application will also have to be reviewed by the University's
legal and finance officers, and a GAFA form with these approvals
forwarded to the Office of Research. In all cases, a copy of the
fully signed GAFA form should also be forwarded to the Office of
Grants and Contracts. When final IRB or IACUC approval is received,
a copy of the approval form should be sent to the Office of Research
for inclusion in the study file.
Please take into consideration the deadline for submitting
the grant to the funding source when going through the above process
so that there is sufficient time for the application to be reviewed
and approved internally. The final application and GAFA form should
be sent to the Office of Research for review at least two weeks prior to the online grant submission deadline.
Post-submission
Requirements
After the grant
application is submitted and reviewed, a copy of any correspondence
or e-mail concerning the grant should be sent to the Office of Research
to keep your file up-to-date. This may include, for example, notices
concerning the outcome of peer review and the funding decision,
annual renewal applications/progress reports, annual IRB renewals,
etc. If a grant has not been funded on the first attempt and is
being revised and resubmitted, the submission procedure should be
followed once again. Note that IRB approval should be renewed during
each year of the grant period.
At
any point, if you have questions or would like assistance, you should
not hesitate to contact the Office of Research, as it is our job
to help you succeed!
The following
schematic summarizes the process: 
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