Transcript Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Program Erica Brown, PhD NIH AREA Program Director NIH Regional Seminar Scottsdale, Arizona April 28, 2011

Academic Research Enhancement
Award (AREA) Program
Erica Brown, PhD
NIH AREA Program Director
NIH Regional Seminar Scottsdale, Arizona
April 28, 2011
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Overview
• Goal of AREA program
• Applying for an AREA grant
• Funding for the AREA program
• Strategies for successfully competing for AREA
funding
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Purpose of the AREA Program
Support small research projects in the
biomedical and behavioral sciences
conducted by faculty and students in
educational institutions that have not been
major recipients of NIH research grant
funds
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Goals of AREA Program
• To support meritorious research
• To expose students to research
• To strengthen the research environment of the
institution
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Research Supported by the AREA Program
• Pilot research projects and feasibility studies
• Development, testing, and refinement of
research techniques
• Secondary analysis of available data sets
• Similar discrete research projects that
demonstrate research capability
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Applying for an AREA Grant…
• Funded through the R15 grant mechanism
– Program Announcement (PA) Number: PA-10-070
– http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10070.html
• Receipt dates
– Standard application deadlines: February 25, June
25, and October 25
– AIDS-related research deadlines: May 7, September
7, and January 7
• All NIH ICs participate in the AREA program,
except FIC and NIMHD
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Applying for an AREA Grant…
• Project period is limited up to 3 years
• Direct cost limited to $300,000 over entire
project period
• Research Strategy limited to 12 pages
• Multiple PIs are allowed
• Preliminary data are not required but are
allowed
• Grants are renewable
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Eligible Institutions
• Institutions offering baccalaureate or advanced
degrees in biomedical or behavioral sciences
• Receives < $6 million per year in NIH research
support in at least 4 of the past 7 years
• Applicants should consult the list of ineligible
institutions on the AREA Program website
– http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm
• Foreign institutions are not eligible but may be
included as a collaborating institution
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Eligible Individuals
• Any individual with the skills, knowledge, and
resources necessary to carry out the proposed
research at an eligible institution
• PI can not have an active NIH research grant
– May be a collaborator on an active NIH grant held by
another PI
• PI may not be awarded more than one AREA
grant at a time
• PI may not submit another application to the NIH
for essentially the same research project
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Special Submission Requirements
• A profile of available and former students at the
institution
– Demographics
– Number who are enrolled in baccalaureate and
doctoral degree programs (if applicable)
– Number who have obtained advanced degrees in the
health-related sciences
• A description of the special characteristics of the
institution that make it appropriate for an AREA
grant
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Special Submission Requirements
• For any proposed research sites other than the
applicant institution, provide a brief description
of the resources
• If relevant, a statement of institutional support for
the proposed research project
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A Special Note about the Budget
• Include the total requested budget for all years of
the proposed project in Budget Period 1.
– For example, if applying for a 3-year grant, request all
funds in year 1.
• If the direct costs for all years is $250,000 or less,
use the Modular Budget format
• If the direct costs for all years is more than
$250,000, use the R&R Detailed Budget
• Unlike most NIH grants, funds for all project years
are awarded upfront (project start date)
• Progress reports due annually
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Data for AREA Program – Last 5 Years
Fiscal Applications Applications
Reviewed
Awarded
Year
Success
Rate
Total
Funding
2006
725
184
25.4%
$37,938,780
2007
862
216
25.1%
$45,228,704
2008
759
213
28.1%
$44,395,633
2009
805
178
22.1%
$37,299,776
2010*
992
185
19.0%
$52,352,418
* Policy change: Increased institutional eligibility cap to
$6M/year and increased cap on individual awards to
$300,000
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Data for AREA Program – Last 5 Years
Fiscal Applications Applications
Reviewed
Awarded
Year
Success
Rate
Total
Funding
2006
725
184
25.4%
$37,938,780
2007
862
216
25.1%
$45,228,704
2008
759
213
28.1%
$44,395,633
2009
805
178
22.1%
$37,299,776
2010*
992
185
19.0%
$52,352,418
* Policy change: Increased institutional eligibility cap to
$6M/year and increased cap on individual awards to
$300,000
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Data for AREA Program in 2010
NIH
Institutes/Centers
NIAAA
NIA
NIAID
NIAMS
NCCAM
NCI
NIDA
NIDCD
NIDCR
NIDDK
NIBIB
NIEHS
NEI
NIGMS
NICHD
NHGRI
NHLBI
NLM
NIMH
NINR
NINDS
NCRR
FY Total
Applications
Reviewed
9
48
134
26
10
120
21
13
9
38
27
37
24
199
81
3
71
1
41
28
49
3
992
Applications
Awarded
3
4
21
6
2
24
4
1
3
19
3
10
5
36
8
1
11
0
6
3
15
0
185
Success
Rate
33.3%
8%
16%
23%
20%
20%
19%
8%
33%
50%
11%
27%
21%
18%
10%
33%
16%
0%
15%
11%
31%
0%
19%
Total
Funding
$754,973
$1,351,672
$6,054,043
$1,432,869
$408,651
$7,475,247
$923,025
$219,369
$974,267
$5,368,154
$836,901
$3,047,112
$1,608,391
$9,686,918
$1,917,869
$316,455
$2,936,353
$0
$1,543,010
$803,313
$4,693,826
$0
$ 52,352,418
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Strategies for Success
• Find the NIH Institute or Center that supports your area
of research
– Research objectives of the NIH Institute and Centers
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_grant_objectives.htm
– AREA contacts at each NIH Institute and Center
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/contacts/parent_R15.html
• Include a cover letter suggesting an appropriate Institute
and up to three appropriate study sections
– Study Section rosters
http://www.csr.nih.gov/Roster_proto/sectionI.asp
– Study Section expertise
http://cms.csr.nih.gov/PeerReviewMeetings/CSRIRGDescription
New/
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Strategies for Success
• Address the AREA-specific programmatic goals in the
application
– Experience of the investigator in working with students
– Profile of available and former students at the institution
– How students will benefit from this research experience
– The suitability of the institution for an award
– The impact the AREA grant will have on the institution
• Include a collaborator or consultant if you don’t have the
necessary expertise or resources
• AREA grant is a research award, not a training award
– Focus on hands-on research not course work
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Thank you…
Questions?
Erica Brown, PhD
NIH AREA Program Director
[email protected]
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