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Seven Steps
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Carol Nicholson, MD, MS, FAAP
Program Director, Pediatric Critical Care and Rehabilitation Research
NICHD-NIH

Step I : Get a BIG Notebook with divider

Quietly peruse all the material at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grant_basics.htm http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grants_process.htm until you feel ready to print out what you will need for your notebook. This will take an hour or so.
And, I think it is helpful to have a hardcopy of these forms in your Notebook so that you can flip through it when you are preparing your esubmission. So, go there, and add that now to your notebook, unless you are able to do without it.:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm

A. Download Forms and Instructions and make a Notebook with table of contents and Dividers….some people find that their funding mechanism or opportunity is NOT going to have esubmission….and so, they need to use paper!
So, here is the link to clarify that….go there!!!
http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/

And, for the old 398, if you or your mentor are used to that, and need to orient yourself.
ftp://ftp.grants.nih.gov/forms/phs398.pdf

In either case, You will need ALL the pages handy, and the table of contents...I also think it is useful to keep a blank PHS form in the front pocket of the notebook, and to download the FAQs as well and keep them there. Then, if you are applying to a specific RFA or PA from the NIH Guide, When you have questions that you need to ask someone besides me, you can call the grants info staff at 301-435-0714 or email them at GrantsInfo@nih.gov. They are very friendly, and when you have questions about electronic submission, mailing, labels, copies, FEDEX, etc....they are always there to help. Of course, we really love to hear from the investigators as well!

B. When you get to steps 4 and 5, below, it is helpful to keep handy the material at http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_development/previous_issues/
articles/2006_11_10/nih_s_center_for_scientific_review/.
So think about checking this out in the early stages, so you know what is there; you are writing for an audience of reviewers. Try to take their point of view by cruising the NIH CSR website, looking at the instructions given to reviewers.

C. You can read the instructions to reviewers, and I really recommend doing this ahead of time. This is how the reviewers are told by NIH to review your application. Your scientific priority score will be assigned using these guidelines. The instructions for reviewers can be accessed at :
http://www.csr.nih.gov/guidelines/guidelines.htm

I think it will be very helpful for you to spend some time cruising through the CSR ( Center for Scientfic Review) website ( checkout http: //www.csr.nih.gov/Committees/rosterindex.asp#A )before you go any further. You can see the roster and content area of many study sections. If you are responding to an RFA, you need to realize, that a special, one-time only study section will be convened to review the RFA applications, and the roster won’t be on the site….BUT the guidelines for the review of the funding mechanism specified in the RFA are….and the RFA itself will be very specific about the review criteria!

****Before you start, though, let me review your step #2 "three things"...*** (so, don’t plunge in yet!) So, this may be the time that you contact the NIH program staff…

D. Identify NIH program staff who will advise you. If not sure, contact me and I will help you find someone. If you and/or your research, do not fit into my program, we will find an NIH home together for your proposal.
Do not worry about that, please, at this stage. YOU are the investigator, and it is your scientific vision you are sending to the NIH….so, YOU will get to choose where it is submitted! But, you need help, no matter where you are submitting it, oK? Or if you are so experienced and successful that you do NOT need help, you do not need to do the SEVEN STEPS!

E. Make a timeline for the following six steps, working backward from your identified due date. Look at the NIH review cycles in your notebook/online, and think about what will work with your onservice time, etc. Your timeline should be written, realistic and generous.

F. So, that is it for today!
I really suggest that you review your notebook, and think about your three things
( see below) a little. Now, take a day to think about your commitment to research, and the NIH process. Promise yourself that it is your research career, and you will stay connected with YOUR vision, to make things BETTER !!!Let me know if you need more help with this very important FIRST step!