NIH regional grants seminar in Arizona

April 27-29 in Scottsdale, to be precise. Click for info.

New NIH blog

The blog will provide information of interest to the extramural grant community. You can subscribe to the RSS feed or follow it on Twitter.

NIH policy on late grant submissions

The policy discusses examples of reasons that might and might not be accepted. Being very busy is not a valid reason for making a late submission.

Application tips from NIH

Yes, you really should read the 250-page application guide, and other sage advice.

New NIH podcast: Responsible conduct of research

Listen to the details while on the treadmill at the gym!

Grants.gov Contact Center closed Dec. 25 & Jan. 1

Plan accordingly.

At NIH, early stage investigators succeeding

NIH hopes to fund new investigators as the same rate it funds experienced investigators. The latest statistics indicate it's having some success.

Grants.gov takes weekend off

Grants.gov will be unavailable during a database upgrade. Check its official blog for details.

Tales of the NSF OIG

The investigations discussed in the most recent NSF OIG report indicate that the agency takes plagiarism very seriously.

Grants.gov password changes

Grants.gov has new password requirements. All passwords will expire every 90 days, in compliance with the security recommendations of NIST. Click the headline for details.

Details on NSF data management plan requirement

Plan requirements vary by directorate and sometimes by division. Check it out.

Resubmitting an NIH grant? Now hear this

NIH has a podcast ( and its transcript) providing advice on resubmitting a grant. There's some useful advice, particularly now that only one resubmission is permitted.

FYI: Simpler FOAs at NIH

NIH is transitioning to a new format for its funding announcements. The new will be "shorter, easier to read and more scientifically focused," according to the agency.

NIH self-help for grant applicants

NIH is teaching grantees to fish with its new web page of "Self-Help Resources." The latest news and FAQs are all here.

NSF has new GPG

NSF has updated its Grants Proposal Guide. One link summarizes the significant changes, which include a ban on voluntary cost-sharing. The new GPG is effective for proposals submitted on or after Jan. 18, 2011.

Citations in eRA Commons? Read this

If you have manually entered any citations into eRA Commons, you must transfer this information to a different account to retain it. Click the link for details. Act now; Oct. 22 is the deadline.

The NIH forms, they are a-changin'

Updated electronic application forms will be required for proposals submitted after May 7, 2011.

Proposed federal R&D funding for FY11 down from current year

A table of statistics is available at the link above.

A place in the sun: NIH regional seminars

NIH regional seminars on program funding and grants administration are scheduled for April in Phoenix, AZ, and June in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Space is limited. Click the link for registration details.

Don't blow off the title and abstract for your NIH grant

The title, abstract and project narrative are often viewed by Congress and members of the public who are not scientists. Make them understandable if you want the federal funds to keep flowing. Check out the NIH podcast on this topic.