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Timelines

The time to prepare, finalize and submit a polished training grant submission is often woefully underestimated, especially if competing with current work responsibilities.

Below is our suggested timeline for a high-quality submission:

12 months before submission:

  • Read the specific grant PA, PAR or RFP announcement.
  • Search for the PA, PAR, RFP in NIH Reporter (under Opportunity Number in Advanced Search) to view grants currently funded under the announcement. See what your competition is doing.
  • Review NIH Instructions for preparing Institutional Training Grants and Data Tables.
  • Contact the program officer to address any questions from your read of the announcement and # of slots (# per ~2 yrs)
  • Consider composing a mock study section for tables/narrative review about 4 to 6 months prior to due date.
  • For the core set of participating faculty if known this far in advance
    • Identify & contact alumni if you haven’t maintained regular contact (15 yr for established programs)
    • Search online for alumni CVs (or check Google, LinkedIn, ORCID profiles etc): need current position and funding for Table 8 Outcomes.
    • Inform faculty and current trainees about upcoming renewal if relevant – participation is important.

6 – 12 months before submission:

  • Shape and compose the participating faculty (preceptors) list by reviewing their trainee records (pubs & outcomes), funding (in particular NIH funding), mix of academic rank, other program roles.
  • Contact collaborating institutions if any.
  • Notify Rutgers business offices and leadership of your intent to submit an NIH training grant
  • Update Participating Faculty list and enter into xTRACT or NIH Table 2 template.
  • For Table 3 check the faculty overlap with participating faculty lists of other current NIH training programs (e.g. other T32; K12; R25) at Rutgers.
  • Contact Participating Departments or Programs for Program-specific data on trainees (entrants and applicants).
  • Send faculty admins their individual profiles for updates, including trainee mentoring. Request admins obtain NIH eraCommons ID for current trainees of the participating faculty!

6 months before submission:

  • Enter/update Program-specific data (Table 6, data training tables)
  • Fill in gaps in Program-specific data (Table 6, data training tables)
  • Prepare initial draft of data training tables for program director/leadership review.
  • Request NIH biosketches from faculty & other contributors and draft program specific language.
  • Review and confirm institutional data (grants other than NIH) in the training tables.
  • Use Pub-Med to compile trainee publications (can be done via xTRACT too). Confirm with trainees and mentors.

3 – 6 months before submission:

  • PD(s) draft text for Research Training Plan, Diversity, RCR, Rigor, Progress Report
  • Compile a working version of proposal package to ensure cohesion and identify gaps
  • Share draft proposal package and/or research training plan only with peers or an ad hoc mock review panel
  • Construct draft Institutional Letter of Support based on training plan and standard commitments and submit for review to institutional signatory
  • Identify specific training and program resources in Facilities and Environment
  • Collect Faculty biosketches – update in current biosketch format. Personal statements should include role and information on mentoring experience and mentoring activities as well as providing an inclusive training environment (contact TGSO staff for examples and guidance)
  • Collect trainee research progress statements, publications, awards for Progress Report
  • Transfer/enter data into xTRACT or training tables templates. Review draft training tables.
  • Fill in gaps in Program-specific data
  • Prepare Budget and Budget Justification
  • Collect other supporting documents

1 – 3 months before submission:

  • Complete data tables in NIH templates and/or xTRACT; adjust table formats as needed and add a cover sheet with notes – final template and/or xTRACT PDFs are submitted as attachments to application.
  • Attach table drafts, other attachments and letters of support, to grant application in ORSP system.
  • Review and finalize text in narrative and attachments.