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Important New Requirements for NSF Grant Recipients
As of January 4, 2010, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will have two new significant requirements in place for grant recipients.
1. Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training
As of January 4, 2010, all grant applications to NSF must certify that the institution has a plan, “to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who will be supported by NSF to conduct research.” http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf10_1/aag_4.jsp#IVB
OSPR has considered various options to address this new requirement and, having discussed this with the Research Board, we will be setting up a subscription with an online resource, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI), to provide access to training in RCR core areas, as well as discipline-specific areas.
PIs will be responsible for not only overseeing and mentoring their students and researchers in the responsible and ethical conduct of research, but also for ensuring that all undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by their NSF awards are successfully completing the designated modules of the online course.
More information will be communicated in the coming weeks on the setup of and access to the CITI program, as well as guidelines for PIs on their role in Clark’s compliance with this new requirement.
2. Project Outcomes Report for the General Public
This is a new requirement of PIs that, “Within 90 days following expiration
of the grant, a project outcomes report for the general public must be submitted
electronically via Research.gov. This report serves as a brief summary, prepared
specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the project.” More
information on the format and content of this report can be found at:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf10_1/aag_2.jsp#IIE3
Major Changes to NIH Applications
Are you planning to submit an NIH grant application? If so, please note that all applications intended for due dates on or after January 25, 2010 require the use of new forms and instructions. Major changes include:
- Restructured forms to align with review criteria
- Significantly shorter page limits
These changes apply to all competing applications, so whether you are submitting a new, renewal, resubmission or revision, you must take action now to ensure a successful submission!
For more details, see Enhancing Peer Review, which has a page dedicated to the upcoming application changes, as well as a number of additional resources.