NIH is converting to a completely electronic grant application process by October 1, 2007. This process will be phased in as a function of the grant award mechanism. A complete timeline is available at http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/files/Electronic_receipt_timeline_Ext.pdf.

NIH will rely on the Grants.gov Web site as the gateway through which it will receive all electronic applications. NIH will also use the NIH eRA Commons for certain aspects of the process and for the submission of other documents (e.g., progress reports, just-in-time information, final technical reports, etc).

NIH is requiring that new forms (SF424 R&R) be completed when submitting an application to them through Grants.gov. These forms can be viewed at: http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm.

UMN is already registered with Grants.gov and the NIH eRA Commons.

Faculty do not need to register in Grants.gov, but do need to register with the NIH eRA Commons. Most UMN faculty are already registered. However, if you are not already registered (or don’t know if you are registered), use the instructions at http://www.ospa.umn.edu/electronictools/niheraPIs.html.

At the present time, users will need to download PureEdge Viewer software to be able to submit an application through Grants.gov to NIH. PureEdge is available as a free download at http://www.grants.gov/DownloadViewer.

The University of Minnesota is working to enable submission of proposals through EGMS directly to Grants.gov. Over the next year, the integration of EGMS with Grants.gov will be phased in. Prior to full implementation of “system-to-system” submission from EGMS to Grants.gov, EGMS will offer users Grants.gov-related functionality in phases. In the first phase:

• users will continue to use EGMS Proposal Prep to complete their applications as they do now.
• users will be able to use EGMS Proposal Prep to generate individual PDF copies of attachments needed to go with their Grants.gov application.
• users will be able to use EGMS Proposal Prep as a guide for data input into PureEdge forms, much like EGMS forms are used as models for completing online NSF FastLane forms now.
• users will need to enter data in a few new fields to capture all the data needed for the new form styles. Applications prepared in EGMS that need to be submitted to Grants.gov will be subject to the same Proposal Prep audits that are currently used for applications now. The data in the new fields will not fall under the current EGMS audit checks and will be reviewed by grant administrators at the time of application submission.

Note: Contact your grant administrator well in advance to discuss how the process, including validation, will occur.

1. Search for and FIND a grant opportunity on the Grants.gov Web site.
2. Download the grant application package and APPLY.
3. Complete the application offline, saving a local copy.



Note: NIH requires all attachments be in PDF format.


4. E-mail your completed electronic applications (PureEdge attachment) to proposal@umn.edu with the Proposal Routing Form (PRF) number, PI last name, and sponsoring agency in the subject line of your e-mail. Do not deliver any paper copies to SPA.

• SPA logs in the application, prints a copy of the PRF from EGMS, reviews the application, and submits the application to Grants.gov. After the application is received and validated in Grants.gov the, application is sent (by Grants.gov) to NIH.
• When the application gets to NIH, the eRA Commons software checks the application against NIH's business rules. NIH then notifies both the Project Director (PD)/Principal Investigator (PI) and signing official (SO) at SPA by e-mail.
  • Errors in the application must be corrected and re-submitted through Grants.gov again. Warnings are advisory in nature and do not require correction.
• If there are not errors, PIs have the opportunity to view the 'assembled image' of their application in the eRA Commons within 2 business days of the application being downloaded. If the PI chooses (due to technical transmission difficulties only) to reject the application, he must contact SPA GA immediately, as only the SPA SO can reject an application once the image is available.
Detailed information about this process is available at: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/check_submission.htm.

• SPA must submit the application: Do not submit the application to Grants.gov on your own. SPA must submit the application for you.
• eRA Commons registration requirement: You must be registered in the eRA Commons prior to sending an application to Grants.gov.
• Planning is important due to high Grants.gov traffic levels near deadlines: Do not wait until the last minute to submit an application that needs to go through Grants.gov. Because NIH will require you to correct business rule errors that it identifies and then view and verify the application on the eRA Commons Web site, you must submit your PureEdge file with all of the completed forms to SPA within the standard SPA deadline.

Traffic has a huge impact on the speed and capabilities of Grants.gov. A high volume of applications being submitted slows access to the site and the ability to get applications submitted. Plan, prepare, and send application to SPA early.

Contact the Electronic Grants Application Helpline (612.624.8989 or grantgov@umn.edu) if you have questions about the Grants.gov forms or the process for submitting an application through Grants.gov.

More information about the NIH electronic application process, including forms, news, FAQs, etc., is available at http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt.