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Important New Requirements for NSF 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
With the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and the Research Board, OSPR established a subscription with an online resource, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI), to provide access to training in RCR core areas.
Principal Investigators (PIs) are 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.
Please review Clark’s National Science Foundation (NSF) Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training Requirement Policy and Procedures statement for information on how to access 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
- Starting January 25, 2011, the error correction window that currently allows applicants to correct missing or incorrect portions of their applications during a two business day window after the submission deadline will be eliminated. Researchers should plan on submitting their proposals at least 1-2 days in advance of the deadline in order to allow for correction of errors. For more details see the official notice from NIH.
- On July 27, 2010, NIH announced a new policy on the submission of application materials during the period after a grant application has been submitted, but prior to initial peer review. If you are planning an NIH proposal, please review details on this new policy, including lists of acceptable and unacceptable post-submission materials, circumstances in which post-submission application materials are allowable (or not), and deadlines and instructions for submission of post-submission application materials.
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Beginning January 25, 2010, NIH requires the use of new forms and instructions for all grant proposals. 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.