NIH Director's Early Independence Award
NIH Director's Early Independence Award
Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
1. General Information
2. Information for Institutions
3. Eligibility Requirements
4. Application and Submission
5. Budget
6. Letters of Reference
7. Review and Selection
8. Award Administration
General Information
1. What is the NIH Director's Early Independence Award?
The NIH Director's Early Independence Award, established in 2011, is part of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program managed by the Common Fund. The award provides an opportunity for promising junior scientists to skip the traditional postdoc and start an independent research career at a supportive institution soon after the completion of their graduate degree or clinical training.
2. What distinguishes this award from traditional NIH grants?
The NIH Director's Early Independence Award is different in several ways. It is designed to support a small group of promising newly graduated scientists wishing to skip the traditional postdoc and accelerate their entry into independent research careers. Applicants are required to have a commitment for an independent research position from a host institution. The process for evaluating applicants is distinct from the traditional NIH peer review process and emphasizes the qualities of the investigator, the environment provided by the host institution, and does not require preliminary data in the proposal.
A comparison of all four NIH Director's awards is available online.
4. How many awards will be made?
The NIH expects to make approximately ten awards, depending on the merit of the applications and the availability of funds.
5. Are women and members of underrepresented minority groups encouraged to apply?
To support innovative and novel research across the NIH mission, the NIH recognizes the need to foster a diverse research workforce across the nation. Talented researchers from diverse backgrounds (including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, and women; see Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity), are strongly encouraged to work with their institutions to develop applications for this funding opportunity.
Not at all. The Early Independence Award makes only a few awards each year. The breadth of NIH’s interest is not fully represented in current or previous awards. Just because your particular area is not yet represented doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply.
7. My institution is not research intensive. Will this be an issue?
NIH recognizes that outstanding researchers are at a great variety of institutions. NIH seeks to support the best possible research across the nation and so strongly encourages applications from the full spectrum of eligible institutions.
No, the NIH Director's Early Independence Award will count as your first substantial NIH grant, so you would no longer be considered an "Early Stage Investigator" or "New Investigator."
9. Will another funding opportunity be available next year?
Yes, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we anticipate releasing a funding opportunity for the next fiscal year. To receive funding announcements and other High-Risk, High-Reward Research program news, register for our LISTSERV or watch for the announcement on the website.
10. Can someone at NIH review my idea and let me know if it is a good fit for this award?
NIH staff cannot provide comments on specific ideas or plans for individual research grant applications. The external review will evaluate the merit of your application. However, questions about the scope and intent of the NIH Director's Early Independence Award should be directed to Dr. Becky Miller in the Office of the Director at [email protected].
11. What is the competition timeline?
| Funding Year | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Letter of Intent Due Date | August 6, 2024 |
| Earliest Submission Date | August 6, 2024 |
| Application Due Date | September 6, 2024 |
| Scientific Merit Review | March 2025 |
| Council of Councils Review | May 2025 |
| Award Notifications | July 2025 |
| Earliest Project Start Date | August 2025 |
12. Have evaluations of the Early Independence Award been conducted?
Yes, an independent evaluation on the outcomes of the Early Independence Award was completed in November 2020 by the Science and Technology Policy Institute. The complete report is posted on our website.
13. What is the success rate for the Early Independence Award?
The success rate of Early Independence Award applications for fiscal years 2019-2023 is 21%.
Information for Institutions
1. How does an institution select potential applicants?
Institutions may establish any selection process that best meets the needs of the candidate and the institution while ensuring eligibility requirements are met as indicated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
2. What is meant by "independent research position?"
For the purpose of this award, the Principal Investigator (candidate) will control the budget for the award along with the space and resources necessary to conduct the funded research project. In addition, the position will confer eligibility to apply for grants and other types of research support. The application must include a written commitment of an independent research position that will be activated no later than the start date of the award. These positions should not involve significant teaching or administrative requirements imposed by the host institution.
3. Is there a limit to the number of applications that can be submitted by an institution?
Institutions may only submit two applications for each funding opportunity. An institution is defined as an organization by its Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). For example, if a university-affiliated school of medicine, school of dentistry, and hospital all have one UEI, that institution may submit up to two applications in total. However, if each entity of that institution (school of medicine, dentistry, and hospital) has a separate UEI, each entity can submit up to two applications per UEI for a total of six applications.
4. What is the expected institutional commitment to awardees?
The institution should provide independent research space, support staff, and access to necessary resources, supplies and equipment for the conduct of the research project. The institution may provide full or partial salary support. The institution is also expected to integrate the awardee into the faculty environment of the host department or other unit of the institution. Mentorship (equivalent to that provided to assistant professors) should be provided.
5. Is it expected that an applicant have laboratory space?
Yes, independent laboratory space should be included if appropriate for the type of research to be conducted. During the review process, significant attention is paid to the amount of resources provided by the institution as an indication of the institution's level of commitment to the applicant.
Eligibility Requirements
1. What are the eligibility requirements?
- Receipt date for terminal research degree or completion of clinical residency must occur between May 1, 2023, and September 30, 2025
- Must receive a PhD, MD, DO, DC, DDS, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), PharmD, DSW, PsyD, or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution (it is the responsibility of the sponsoring institution to determine if a foreign doctoral degree is equivalent) by time of appointment to the grantee institution
- Must be in a non-independent research position at the time of application submission
- Must commit at least 9.6 person-months each year during the first 2 years to the award project, followed by 9.6 person-months each year towards independent research in general for years 3-5
- Must not have served as a post-doctoral fellow for more than 12 months following a previous, non-terminal doctoral degree
For more help, use the Eligibility Tool to help determine eligibility.
2. How much time/effort must be devoted to the project?
Awardees are expected to commit a large fraction of time/effort to activities supported by the award. At least 9.6 person-months (80% effort) is required for the first 2 years. In the final 3 years, effort may be reduced toward the award project, but the total effort towards independent research must still be at least 9.6 person-months (80% effort) each year.
3. Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to apply?
There are no U.S. citizenship or residency requirements. Foreign scientists are eligible to apply if they apply from a U.S.-based institution.
4. May I apply from a foreign institution?
No. You may only apply from institutions within the United States or its territories. For the types of eligible domestic institutions, please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
5. What is meant by “non-independent” research position?
Non-independent research positions must have all the following characteristics:
- Current research agenda is set through concurrence with mentors
- Research is funded primarily through support to other investigators (mentored fellowships such as NIH F31/32 Fellowships or NSF Graduate Research Fellowships do not preclude eligibility)
- No space is directly assigned by the institution for the conduct of research
- Applications for an NIH R01 grant are not allowed without a special institutional waiver or exemption according to institutional policy
6. Are recent faculty appointees eligible?
Faculty appointees are eligible only if the faculty position is a non-independent research position as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, and the candidate meets all other eligibility requirements.
7. If I receive an independent research position after I submit my application, am I still eligible?
Yes. Candidates must be non-independent at time the application is submitted but may become functionally independent prior to time of award and still retain eligibility.
8. Are postdoctoral fellows eligible?
Postdoctoral fellows are eligible only if they have not served as a postdoctoral fellow for more than twelve months following a previous (non-terminal) doctoral degree and meet the other eligibility requirements outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Postdoctoral fellows must also have the commitment of an independent research position at an eligible institution for the conduct of the research project.
9. Are Multiple Program Directors/Principal Investigators allowed on a single application?
No. Multiple Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) are not allowed. There can only be one candidate listed as the PD/PI on the application. Other Senior/Key Personnel are not allowed on the application.
10. Are collaborators and consultants allowed?
Yes. You may include collaborators and/or consultants on your project. However, they may not be listed as Senior/Key Personnel nor may their Biographical Sketches be included anywhere in the application. Inclusion of Biographical Sketches from anyone other than the PI may result in the application being withdrawn. Collaborators, contractors, and consultants may provide Letters of Support, and you may discuss their roles and experience in the Research Strategy essay.
11. Can collaborators, contractors, and/or consultants submit Letters of Support?
Yes. Collaborators, contractors, and consultants are welcome and encouraged to submit letters of support. However, they may not be listed as Senior/Key Personnel nor may their Biographical Sketches be included. Inclusion of Biographical Sketches from individuals other than the PI may result in the application being withdrawn. You may discuss their roles and experience in the Research Strategy essay.
12. Can collaborators, contractors, and/or consultants submit Biographical Sketches?
No. Collaborators, contractors, and consultants may not submit Biographical Sketches. Only the PI is allowed to submit a Biographical Sketch and be listed as Senior/Key Personnel. Inclusion of Biographical Sketches from individuals other than the PI anywhere in the application makes the application non-responsive to the funding opportunity, and the application may be withdrawn. Attaching collaborators, contractors, and consultants' Biographical Sketches to their Letters of Support is not allowed.
13. Is the NIH Intramural program eligible to apply?
Yes. For more information, see special application instructions under Section IV.7. "Applications Involving the NIH Intramural Research Program” in the funding opportunity. Each NIH Institute or Center with an Intramural Research Program may submit up to two applications.
14. What scientific areas are eligible to apply?
The NIH encourages applications from scientists from all disciplines, including the biological, behavioral, clinical, social, physical, chemical, computational, engineering, and mathematical sciences, who provide evidence of interest in exploring topics of relevance to the NIH mission. Research may be basic, translational, or clinical.
15. Can I work with a collaborator in a foreign country, and would I be able conduct research there?
The Principal Investigator of an award must be employed by a U.S. institution, and the performance site must be at that institution. However, there may be circumstances, such as studies involving a foreign population or a collaborative research project, in which the Principal Investigator must conduct part of the research outside the U.S. This research is allowable. However, the length of any single foreign research stay should not exceed the time allowable under NIH Grants Policy for a Principal Investigator to be away from his/her laboratory without appointing a temporary Principal Investigator (i.e., three months). Due to the special nature of the NIH Director's Early Independence Award, appointment of a temporary Principal Investigator is not allowable.
16. Is research conducted in a foreign country allowed?
The Principal Investigator must be employed by a U.S. institution and the performance site must be at that institution. However, there may be circumstances, such as epidemiologic studies in other countries, in which the Principal Investigator must conduct part of the research outside the U.S. This research is allowable. However, the length of any single foreign research stay should not exceed the time allowable under NIH Grants Policy for a Principal Investigator to be away from his/her laboratory without appointing a temporary Principal Investigator (i.e., three months). Due to the special nature of the NIH Director's Early Independence Award, appointment of a temporary Principal Investigator is not allowable.
Since applications are submitted by an institution on behalf of an investigator, the application must be submitted by the institution where you will hold an independent position and conduct the proposed research. In most cases, applications will be submitted in advance of the actual appointment date. You should consult the sponsored research office at your host institution to discuss this.
18. How can I find an institution willing to host me?
Prospective candidates may reach out and ask an institution to consider hosting them as an NIH Director's Early Independence awardee. Alternatively, institution officials may actively recruit individuals that they would like to host. Remember, only two applications are allowed per institution, so check to see if the institution has an internal selection process. The NIH does not facilitate matches between prospective candidates and institutions.
19. If I am not successful this year, may I reapply next year?
Yes. You may apply as often as you wish as long as you meet the eligibility requirements and a host institution is willing to submit the application on your behalf. However, all applications will be submitted and considered as "new" applications. In the application, you must not mention any previous submission or review.
20. If I change institutions, are awards transferable?
Yes. The award may be transferred to another eligible institution according to the same policies and procedures as traditional research grants. Please note that awards may not be transferred to foreign institutions.
Yes. An investigator may submit applications to other NIH funding opportunities while their Early Independence Award application is under review. However, the investigator must follow NIH policy prohibiting the submission of applications with overlapping scientific aims at the same time, even if they are submitted to different funding opportunities and for different activity codes. An application with overlapping scientific aims may not be submitted before the summary statement of the earlier overlapping application has been issued.
Yes. An investigator may submit a career development (K) award application at the same time as the Early Independence Award application. However, the investigator must follow NIH policy prohibiting the submission of applications with overlapping scientific aims at the same time, even if they are submitted to different funding opportunities and for different activity codes. An application with overlapping scientific aims may not be submitted before the summary statement of the earlier overlapping application has been issued. If an investigator receives a career development (K) award and is indicated for funding for the Early Independence Award, the investigator must relinquish the K award in order to receive the Early Independence Award. An investigator cannot hold both a K award and Early Independence Award simultaneously.
23. Can I simultaneously hold both an Early Independence Award and a career development (K) award?
No. An investigator cannot have an Early Independence Award and a career development (K) award at the same time. The time commitment required for both awards would exceed one hundred percent, which is not allowed (see NIH policy). Additionally, some K awards are mentored experiences to prepare investigators for independent research, while the Early Independence Award is meant for those who need no additional training or extensive mentoring to launch an independent research program.
As long as an investigator has not served as a postdoctoral fellow for more than 12 months before their terminal degree or completion of clinical training, their eligibility would not be impacted. The limitation on postdoctoral experience only applies if an investigator holds multiple doctoral degrees and held a postdoctoral position for more than 12 months after a previous, non-terminal degree.
Unfortunately, no. A start date after September cannot be accommodated for the Early Independence Award. The federal fiscal year ends September 30th, and all award funds must be expended by then. You must be able to begin your independent position and research project by September or you are not eligible for the award. Note, this does not include pending approvals to conduct your research (e.g., IRB clearance, IACUC approval).
Yes. You can still receive an Early Independence Award if you have pending research approvals to conduct your research (e.g., IRB clearance, IACUC approval). The Notice of Award will place a restriction on the research area awaiting approval and will be lifted when approval is received.
Application and Submission
1. What are the important dates for applications?
Applications may be submitted to Grants.gov beginning August 6, 2024, and must be successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time of the investigator's institution/organization on September 6, 2024.
2. Will late applications be accepted?
Late applications will not be accepted. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.
3. Is a Letter of Intent (LOI) required to apply for this award?
A letter of intent is requested (but not required), is non-binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application. The information it contains allows NIH staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.
4. What must be done before I submit an application to Grants.gov?
It is important that you immediately check with your sponsored research office to determine whether your institution is registered with Grants.gov. Please note that the registration process could take up to six weeks. The institution’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) is responsible for completing the registration process. If your institution is not already registered, it must first register with the System for Award Management (SAM) and then with Grants.gov. Both the institution and the investigator must also complete a one-time registration in the NIH eRA Commons in order to submit applications to NIH. Institutional officials are responsible for registering investigators in the eRA Commons. You should work with your AOR (also known as Signing Official in the eRA Commons) to determine your institution’s process for registration.
5. Where can I find help registering for Grants.gov?
For help with the Grants.gov registration process, contact Grants.gov customer support at 1-800-518-4726 (Toll Free) or at [email protected].
6. Where can I find help in submitting my application to Grants.gov?
For help with the technical aspects of submitting to Grants.gov, check the resources available at Grants.gov. If you need assistance, contract Grants.gov customer support at 1-800-518-4726 (Toll Free) or at [email protected].
7. Where can I find help in registering for the eRA Commons?
For questions regarding the eRA Commons registration process, contact the eRA Service Desk at 1-866-504-9552 (Toll Free) or 301-402-7469 from Monday–Friday, 7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. (Eastern Time).
8. Who is an appropriate "institution official?"
An “applicant institution official” must be an individual with the authority to represent the institution and guarantee that the institution will be able to provide the resources stated in the application if the NIH Director's Early Independence Award is awarded. In many institutions, this person might be the department chair, but in others it might be the vice-chair or dean.
9. What components in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide are required?
All instructions outlined in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide should be followed for the NIH Director's Early Independence Award DP5 mechanism (including Abstract and Narrative sections) unless the funding opportunity gives alternate instructions or amendments. Directions in the funding opportunity supersede any instructions given in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. For more assistance, check out the Early Independence Award Application & Award Guide.
10. How should documents be formatted?
All documents must be in PDF format and cannot exceed page limits (if documents exceed page limits, the application will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated). Specific formatting instructions for each document are in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
11. Are the Specific Aims and Research Strategy sections separate documents?
Yes. The Specific Aims page is a document separate from the Research Strategy document and is attached to the application separately.
12. Should the Specific Aims page differ from traditional research Specific Aims on an R01?
Yes. The Specific Aims page is different from the typical R01 and should serve as a concise overview of the application. It must contain three sections with the following headings: "Research Objectives," "Institutional Support," and "Early Independence Rationale." See the funding opportunity for more information.
Yes. You should include what you consider to be critical citations in the essay. The citations may be in any format. A bibliography should be included in the R&R Other Project Information Form.
14. May I include figures and illustrations in my essay?
Yes. You may include figures and illustrations in the essay as long as they fit within the 12-page limit.
15. May I include movies, either as weblinks or as a CD, with my application?
No Applications must be self-contained within the specified page limitations. Internet website addresses (URLs) may not be used to provide information necessary to the review. However, applicants can list published articles that include movies or links to movies as citations in the essay. We cannot guarantee that reviewers will refer to citations, so any information critical to the evaluation of the research proposal should be included in the essay.
16. May I submit new data after submitting my application?
NIH accepts limited information between the time of initial submission of the application and the time of initial peer review as outlined in post-submission policies. The Scientific Review Officer should be contacted for more information.
17. If my application is not funded, will I have an opportunity to revise and resubmit?
Resubmission applications (A1) are not allowed. If you remain eligible, you may submit a new application (A0) with the same idea or a refinement of the idea in response to a subsequent NIH Director’s Early Independence Award funding opportunity. In such an application, no reference must be made of any previous submission or review. Or you may be able to incorporate some elements of your proposal into a conventional R01 or R21 application.
18. What documents are needed for the application?
All documents and instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide must be followed along with additional instructions listed in the funding opportunity, which supersede SF424 (R&R) Application Guide instructions. Note: All documents must be in PDF format and must comply with prescribed page limits. No additional documents should be uploaded to the application, and applications containing additional materials may not be reviewed.
19. Does my application require a Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan?
Yes. All applicants planning research (funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH) that results in the generation of scientific data are required to comply with the instructions for the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan. See Notice OD-22-198, DMS website, and DMS FAQ page for more information.
Yes. All applicants planning research (funded or conducted in whole or in part by NIH) that results in the generation of scientific data are required to comply with the instructions for the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan. See Notice OD-22-198, DMS website, and DMS FAQ page for more information.
No. For proposed studies of human genomic data subject to the GDS Policy, applicants should complete the DMS Plan anticipating sharing according to the criteria in the Institutional Certification.
22. Can I see a Sample Data Management and Sharing Plan?
Yes. There are sample plans available on the DMS website.
23. How do I submit the Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan?
DMS Plans should be included within the “Other Plan(s)” field on the PHS 398 Research Plan Form as indicated in the Application Instructions. See the DMS website for more details on developing and formatting Plans.
24. What is the purpose of designating Areas of Science?
The Area of Science designations are to assist in assigning applications to reviewers. To select the most appropriate science area codes for your application, you should consider whether reviewers who are knowledgeable in one or another Area of Science would be most likely to appreciate the significance of the project, the innovativeness of its approaches, and its potential impact.
25. Where do I designate the Areas of Science for my application?
Up to 2 Areas of Science should be designated on the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide Agency Routing Identifier Field (Field 4b). The Areas of Science (one-digit code and abbreviation) must also be included at the top of the Essay.
26. What are the Areas of Science?
| Code & Abbreviation | Science Area |
|---|---|
| 1 BSS | Behavioral and Social Science |
| 2 CB | Chemical Biology |
| 3 CTR | Clinical and Translational Research |
| 4 IDI | Infectious Diseases and Immunology |
| 5 IE | Instrumentation and Engineering |
| 6 MCB | Molecular and Cellular Biology |
| 7 NS | Neuroscience |
| 8 HIB | High-Throughput and Integrative Biology |
| 9 BCB | Bioinformatics and Computational Biology |
27. May I designate more than two Areas of Science?
No. Only up to two areas may be designated. One science area designation is required, but an optional secondary area may be included.
28. Can someone at the NIH help me select my Areas of Science?
The designation of scientific areas by applicants is used solely to aid in selection of the most appropriate group of Mail Reviewers in Phase 1 of initial peer review (see the “Review and Selection” section). All nine scientific areas are considered as programmatically equivalent and compete for a single source of funds. NIH staff cannot advise you on the specific selection of Areas of Science for your project. We understand that for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research projects, more than two Areas of Science might be appropriate. To select the most appropriate Areas of Science for your proposed research (by selection of two of the nine options), you should consider whether reviewers with expertise in one or another Area of Science would be most likely to appreciate the significance of the project, the innovativeness of its approaches, and its potential impact.
Budget
You may request up to $250,000 per year in direct costs for up to 5 years. Applicable indirect (Facilities and Administrative (F&A)) costs will be determined at the time of award and will be in addition to the direct costs.
2. How do I put together a budget request?
Funds may be requested for personnel (including co-investigators, collaborators, and consultants), supplies, equipment, and other allowable costs up to $250,000 per year. Follow all instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide for completing a modular budget.
3. What format should my budget be in?
Submit a modular budget following the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
4. Can the project period be for less than five years?
You may request a project period of fewer than five years if your proposed project can be completed in less time. You should provide an explanation for the requested project period within the 12-page essay.
5. May I request more or less than $250,000 in direct costs per year?
Applicants may request up to $250,000 in direct costs per year for up to 5 years. You may request less than $250,000 per year but cannot request more than the $250,000 limit per year.
6. Are indirect costs provided in the award?
Yes, In addition to the direct costs, applicable facilities and administrative costs (indirect costs) are allowed and will be determined at the time of award based on the institution’s negotiated rate. Indirect costs do not count towards the $250,000 limit.
Use the Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A) rate negotiated by your institution and apply this to the modified total direct cost base. Contact your sponsored program office or equivalent at your institution for further information.
Yes. Indirect costs from subawards or consortiums are included in the "Total Direct Costs" of the award on the PHS 398 Modular Budget form. However, only direct costs count toward the budget maximum of $250,000 in direct costs per year. For more information, see the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.
9. May a collaborator be funded on the award?
Yes. Collaborators, contractors, and consultants may be funded on the award either directly or by a subcontract. They do no need to meet eligibility criteria for the NIH Director's Early Independence Award. Collaborators, contractors, and consultants may not be listed as Senior/Key Personnel nor may their Biographical Sketches be included anywhere in the application. Inclusion of Biographical Sketches other than the PI's may result in the application being withdrawn. Collaborators, contractors, and consultants may provide Letters of Support.
10. Are there grant resources that can help me through the NIH application process?
NIH has a number of resources for guidance through the application process. The NIH Grants & Funding website provides general information on navigating the NIH grants process and information on policies and compliance. The SF424 (R&R) Application Guide provides instructions and guidance for completing components of the application. Please note that instructions in the funding opportunity may deviate from instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Instructions in the funding opportunity supersede instructions from the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and must be followed. You can also use our Early Independence Award Application & Award Guide for more specific guidance.
11. Can I ask for additional funds for Data Sharing and Management?
No. The budget for the Early Independence Award should be flexible enough to manage data sharing. No additional funds should be added.
Letters of Reference
1. Are letters of reference required?
Yes. All applicants must arrange to have three (and no more than five) letters of reference submitted on their behalf.
2. What is the difference between a letter of reference and a letter of support?
Letters of reference are typically from scientists or other people who can speak to the PI’s qualifications and readiness for research independence. Letters of support are typically from outside individuals or organizations whose cooperation, assistance, or guidance is needed for the applicant to successfully complete the project. The letter of support affirms the person or entity’s commitment of promised assistance to the project.
3. In addition to my letters of reference, may I include letters of support?
Yes. You may include letters of support in the "Letters of Support" field of the PHS 398 Research Plan under "Other Research Plan Sections." Letters of support are encouraged for collaborators, contractors, and consultants participating in the project.
4. From whom should I request letters of reference?
It may be most useful to reviewers if letters are from scientists who can address your scientific qualifications, your record demonstrating scientific maturity, and your readiness for independence. It may not be best to choose referees based primarily on their official position, such as a departmental chair or institutional dean.
5. May I ask more than five individuals to submit letters for my application?
You should not request letters from more than five referees as only five letters will be accepted.
6. May a single letter of reference come from more than one individual?
No. Each letter must be from a single, unique referee.
7. How do my referees submit their letters in support of my application?
Letters of reference are submitted to the NIH eRA Commons. Letters must be submitted by the application due date no later than 5:00 p.m. (local time of the referee). See the Letters of Reference section in the Application Guide for more information.
8. Will I be notified when letters are submitted?
Yes. Applicants will receive an e-mail confirmation for each letter. The confirmation will contain the name of the referee and the date and time the letter was submitted. Applicants are responsible for contacting their referees to ensure the letters are submitted prior to the deadline. Applications with fewer than three letters may be considered non-responsive and may not be reviewed.
9. How can I check the status of my letters of reference?
Applicants may track the status of reference letters submitted by referees by logging into his/her eRA Commons account.
10. Can a referee also be a collaborator, contractor, or consultant on the project?
It is best to avoid conflicts of interest when selecting referees. Reviewers may look unfavorably at referees who also have a financial interest in the project being funded. Conflict may come from paid collaborators, contractors, consultants, or even department chairs. Applicants should use their judgement when selecting referees and try their best to avoid conflicts of interest.
Review & Selection
1. How will awardees be selected?
Applications will be reviewed in two phases by a multidisciplinary scientific review group of outside experts. In the first phase, applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by mail reviewers. In the second phase, an editorial-style panel will consider the applications and comments of the mail reviewers to select a subset of applications they deem to be the most meritorious. The panel with discuss and score this subset of applications in their panel meeting. The Council of Councils will conduct the final level of review. The Director of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Director, NIH, will select awardees based on the outcomes of the scientific peer review, the recommendations of the Council level review, programmatic considerations, availability of funds, and in consultations with NIH Institute and Center Directors.
2. What criteria will be used to evaluate applications?
The review emphasizes the investigator's qualities and readiness for independence, institutional support and commitment to developing research independence in the investigator, and the innovativeness and potential impact of the project.
3. Which review criteria will be emphasized?
All standard review criteria will be weighed in determining the final impact score. Particular emphasis will be given to the strengths and potential of the investigator, as well as the suitability and commitment of the institution.
4. May I suggest specific reviewers for my application?
No. You should not name specific reviewers for your application. The NIH Center for Scientific Review will identify appropriate experts to assess the scientific and technical merits of your proposal in the specially convened Scientific Review Group. While you should not suggest specific reviewers, you could suggest the scientific areas most appropriate for reviewing your proposal. This information, if you chose to provide it, may be included in your cover letter.
5. Will I receive a summary statement or other comments?
Yes. Summary statements for applications not selected for discussion will contain brief comments from the mail reviewers and will not contain an overall impact score. Applications selected for discussion will contain comments from mail reviewers, a resume and summary of the panel discussion, and an overall impact score.
6. When will the awardees be announced?
The Common Fund will send unofficial award notifications to applicants selected for funding in the summer. The Notice of Award (NoA) is the official notification and will likely be issued in September. New awardees are expected to attend the High-Risk, High-Reward Research Symposium held the following summer.
7. Can the decision of the panel of reviewers be appealed?
No. There is no appeal process for the Early Independence Award.
Award Administration
1. What requirements must I fulfill during the term of the award?
Although there are no stipulations on the research agenda, you will be required to submit a two- to five-page annual report of your activities during the year and are expected to participate in the annual High-Risk, High-Reward Research Symposium in Bethesda, MD. You will also receive a site visit from the Program Officer late in your first year to assess your transition to independence and to ensure you are receiving adequate support. In addition, to help the NIH evaluate this program, you may be contacted periodically for at least five years and asked to report on your latest research efforts.
2. How will the award be administered?
Awards will be administered by the Office of the Director with Dr. Becky Miller serving as the Program Officer. However, an affiliated Program Officer from the NIH Institute/Center best matching the proposal topic will also be appointed. Grants management is provided by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
The Common Fund, housed in the Office of the Director, funds the majority of Early Independence Awards. However, NIH Institutes and Centers may support applications that they deem meritorious and that align with their missions. You can find out which NIH Institute or Center is funding your award on your Notice of Award. No matter which NIH Institute or Center funds your award, all Early Independence Awards are administered by the Office of the Director with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research providing grants management.
4. Do I need to submit an annual progress report?
Yes. An annual progress report (the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)) is required. The RPPR is discussed in the Notice of Award and due dates given in eRA Commons.
Yes. Be sure to identify yourself as an NIH Director’s Early Independence Award recipient in journal articles, oral or poster presentations, news releases, interviews with reporters, and other communications related to your research funded by this program. Although citing NIH support is always important, it is even more so in the case of the NIH Director's Early Independence Award. In journal articles, please cite the grant number as well as the name of the program. An example of how this might be worded is, "This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health through the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award, DP5-OD######."
6. Should I notify the NIH of any note-worthy publications or media coverage of my research?
Yes. Please notify us at [email protected] of any significant publications or media coverage so we can highlight you and your research on our website and to NIH and Congressional leadership.
7. Am I required to submit my journal manuscripts to PubMed Central?
Yes. As required by Federal legislation, the NIH Public Access Policy requires NIH funded scientists to submit final peer-reviewed journal manuscripts that arise from NIH funds to PubMed Central. Please visit the NIH Public Access site for additional information about the process of submitting your accepted publications.
8. Are there annual meetings I am required to attend?
Yes. As an awardee you are expected to attend the annual High-Risk, High-Reward Research Symposium held in Bethesda, MD in the summer.
9. Are these awards renewable?
No. These awards are intended to support the transition of junior scientists into independent research positions and are not renewable.
Yes. You may request a no-cost extension per NIH policy.
11. Is the award transferable if I change institutions?
Yes. The award may be transferred to another eligible institution according to the same policies and procedures used for traditional research grants. Awards may not be transferred to foreign institutions.
