Are you planning to apply for a research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)? Make sure your proposed research is truly new and unique. NIH understands how much time and effort go into writing an application, so they don’t want you to waste time proposing work that someone else has already done. Unless your goal is to replicate a previous study, NIH is unlikely to support your project if it duplicates someone else’s research.
You can use these 3 resources to help you identify completed and in-progress studies on topics closely related to the one you want to investigate:
Read the full blog post here.
Access the full info graphic and links here.
Currently, grant applicants submitting detailed budgets must request costs to support Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan activities as a single line item on the R&R Budget Form titled “Data Management and Sharing Costs.” This requirement will be rescinded for due dates on or after October 5, 2023 (NOT-OD-23-161).
For applications with due dates on or after October 5, 2023, DMS costs must be included with other costs in the appropriate cost categories (e.g., personnel, equipment, supplies, other expenses), following standard form instructions. For example, personnel costs associated with data management and sharing activities must be entered in section A. Senior/Key person or section B. Other Personnel. Supporting details, including a breakdown of any personnel effort and the estimated associated total direct costs must be included in the budget justification.
The application form instructions on the How to Apply – Application Guide page and the Budget/Costs FAQs on the Scientific Data Sharing site have been updated to reflect this change.
A list for full FAQs on the 2023 Data Management & Sharing Policy can be found here.
Calculating IRB Fees For Your Grants
Recently, President Phelps approved changes to ATSU's Policy Manual. The table shows fee structure for various IRB activities. ATSU will charge an IRB review fee in human subjects research protocol wherein the funder does not permit the use of the University's federally negotiated F&A rate. These fees will be assessed for any project wherein total funding exceeds $50K.
ATSU Policy No. 20-116: Institutional Review Board Fees - This policy was amended to ensure consistency with practice and policy. Additional clarity on use of IRB Reviews Fees was also updated in the policy.
The Division of Research, Grants & Scholarly Innovations (RGSI) consists of an administrative core and 3 departments: Sponsored Programs (SP), Research Support (RS), and A.T. Still Research Institute (ATSRI).
What to Know About Subrecipients, Contractors, and Consultants
Hello ATSU Grants Community! Sponsored Programs, in conjunction with the Finance Office, will be delivering a series of grants management coaching memos, directives, and updates to support project directors, principal investigators, project teams, ATSU operations teams, and staff in fiscal management of grants awarded to ATSU.
Topic: Subrecipients, Contractors, and Consultants
Detailed Information: External collaborations on sponsored projects provide opportunities to strengthen the project team and project outcomes. When a grant applicant proposes federal award funds to flow to another entity, there is an obligation to make a case-by-case determination if the entity receiving funds is a subrecipient, contractor, or consultant.
Subrecipients are entities and organizations that receive a portion of award funding and are responsible or a portion of the project. Subrecipients have responsibility for programmatic decision-making and their performance is measured in relation to whether project objectives are met. A detailed subrecipient budget and a budget justification should be included in the grant proposal. ATSU Sponsored Programs is responsible for reviewing subrecipient budgets and designing subaward agreements for legal review.
Contractors are entities that provide goods or services ancillary to the operations of the program. Contractors normally operate in a competitive environment and provide similar goods or services to different purchasers via an established fee schedule. Contractors typically do not engage in strategic problem solving and their performance is not measured in relation to whether project objectives were met. Contracts of this nature are subject to the requirements of ATSU policies including but not limited to 10-204 Contract Review and Approval Process, 75-101 Purchase Policy and Procedure, 55-102 Hardware/Software Procurement, as well as the sponsor’s terms and conditions.
A consultant is an individual or business whose expertise is required to perform the project. Consultant services are temporary and highly specialized or technical and generally not available within the applicant’s organization. Consultants should be budgeted and paid at a reasonable rate as determined by the going rate for the locale, type of work, what the organization normally pays for comparable work, and what the sponsor permits. These agreements are also subject to 10-204 Contract Review and Approval Process.
Summary Conclusion: Diligence in making an upfront determination of subrecipient, contractor, or consultant is a best practice for budgeting and procurement, as well as a federal requirement. Agreements that bind the university to a subrecipient, contractor, or consultant require several internal reviews and must be authorized by University general counsel and the CFO.
ATSU Departments Who Can Help: Sponsored Programs can assist with determinations regarding the allowability of subrecipient, contractor, or consultant relationships to be paid with grant funding. All University contracts must be routed through the vice president & general counsel for review and processing. The Purchasing team ensures goods and services are competitively selected and in compliance with University operating procedures. ATSU’s Financial Management Plan for Administration of Grants and Contracts provides deeper guidance on subrecipient and contractor determination.