NIH MODULAR GRANT APPLICATIONS
The following information describes the criteria that determines whether a research proposal will be
processed as a modular grant by NIH.

NIH Modular Grant Application and Award Process:

1. Beginning with the June 1, 1999 receipt date, modular application, review, and award
procedures will apply to all competing individual research project grants (R01), small
grants(R03), and exploratory/development grants (R21) and Requests for
Applications (RFAs) whose total direct costs are $250,000 or less.

2. Unsolicited, investigator-initiated applications requesting more than $250,000 direct
costs in any year and applications for grant activities other than Small Business
Technology Transfer Grants, Phase 1 (R41); Small Business Innovation Research
Grants, Phase 1 (R43); Academic Research Enhancement Awards (R15); Competing
Individual Research Project Grants (R01);Small grants (R03); and
Exploratory/Development grants (R21) will be required to follow the traditional
application policies.

3. Modular Grant Applications will request direct costs in $25,000 modules, up to a total
direct cost request of $250,000 per year for all unsolicited new, revised, and competing
continuation R01, R03, R15, R21, R41, and R43 grants and competing supplements, as
well as applications responding to RFAs for these mechanisms.

A typical modular grant application will request the same number of modules in each year.

Application budgets will be simplified. Detailed categorical budget information will not be
submitted with the application; budget form pages of the application kits will not be
used. Total direct costs requested for each year will be presented. Information, in a
narrative form, will be provided only for Personnel and Consortium/contractual costs.

Additional narrative budget justification is required only if there is a variation in the
number of modules requested.

There will be no routine escalation for future years. Well-justified modular increments or
decrements in the total direct costs for any year of the project may be requested.
Other Support pages of the PHS398 will not be submitted with the application.
Information on other research activities of the principal investigators and key personnel
will be provided as part of the "Biological Sketch."

Submission, review, and award of competitive supplements will follow the modular
procedures.In the modular grant application process you are required to complete the
checklist page,indicating the currently negotiated F & A rate. It is important to identify
all exclusions that were used in the calculation of the F & A costs for the initial budget
period and all future budget years. In order for your representative in the Office of
Research & Sponsored Programs to verify the calculation of the F & A costs it will be
necessary for you to present a summary planning budget for each year of
support you are requesting. This summary budget need only to reflect costs allocations
to major budgeted categories, such as, Personnel; Fringe Benefit; Supplies; Equipment;
Consultants;Subcontracts, each listed separately, travel and other direct costs, breaking
out those costs not included in MTDC base, such as, tuition remission for GAs and TAs
and equipment repair costs. No details other than this will be required and the summary
planning budgets will be for internal use only and will not be submitted with your proposal.

For further information on the preparation of NIH Modular Grant applications please call
Donna Foster in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at (732) 932-0150 x2106.

May 20, 1999