The National Institutes of Health (NIH), is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and is the primary US Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. Its mission is the pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behaviour of living systems and the application of that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. Composed of 27 Institutes and Centres, the NIH provides leadership and financial support to researchers in every state and throughout the world.

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The NIH is moving to electronic submission of all grant applications through the Grants.gov website in 2007, so you must carefully read the Application Package to ensure that you use the correct mechanism.

 

Step by step instructions for researchers at UNSW wanting to submit an application to the NIH via Grants.gov are available here. However, applicants should also refer to the NIH Grants.gov Application Guide and information in the relevant Application Package and Program Announcement.

 

Information on UNSW institutional codes and registrations is also available.

 

Note that UNSW is registered with Grants.gov and that researchers will also need to be registered as a PI on the eRA Commons system to submit an application to the NIH. Please contact Deirdre McKay or your Grants Officer for further information.

 

You must submit a draft version of your application to the Grants Management Office (send to research@unsw.edu.au) for compliance checking and approval at least 10 days prior to the external due date. 

UNSW is defined under NIH policy as a foreign institution.


Applications from foreign institutions are evaluated and scored using the standard assessment criteria but also have to address some additional criteria

1. How the project will use unique or unusual talent, resources, populations or environmental conditions that are not readily available in the US or that build on existing US resources

2. Whether the proposed project has specific relevance to the mission and objectives of the Institute and has the potential to significantly advance health sciences in the US


Budget

1. All applications from foreign institutions need to submit a detailed budget (This has changed recently as previously applications requesting under US $250,000 p.a used the Modular Budget forms (PH398))

2. For all NIH applications 8% indirect costs should be included. This is the maximum % that can be requested by a Foreign Institution.

3. UNSW oncosts of 27.84% should be included will all salary requests (note that the US oncosts are referred to as Fringe Benefits)

4. The application budget, and your justification should be stated in US dollars and the exchange rate used be clearly stated in your justification.

5. NIH will not compensate foreign grantees for changes in exchange rates.