In This Issue:

• NIH - Interested in the Administration of NIH Grants?


• NIH - The NIH Wants to Know What's on Your Mind


• NIH - NIH RePORTER Updates


• NIH - NIH Launches New Programs to Promote Diversity


• NSF - NSF Plans for Comprehensive Public Access


• NSF - Challenge Issued to STEM Graduate Students


• NSF - NSF and Twitter: A Match Made in Cyberspace


• Grant Opportunities

Upcoming Workshops

Click a workshop or webinar for more information or to register:

Professional Grant Development

April 1 - 3
University of Mississippi
University, MS

April 8 - 10
Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, OK

April 15 - 17
Utah State University
Logan, UT

April 17 - 19
State University of New York (SUNY)
New York, NY

April 24 - 26
Portland State University
Portland, OR

Writing and Designing NIH Proposals

April 9
University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

April 17
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA

April 22
North Carolina Research Campus
Kannapolis, NC

April 30
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN

April 30
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

Writing and Designing NSF Proposals

April 10
University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

April 16
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA

April 23
North Carolina Research Campus
Kannapolis, NC

April 29
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI

Nonprofit and Educators Proposal Development

June 3
Howard University
Washington, DC

ONLINE! Webinar Sessions
2:00-4:00 PM EST

April 12
Professional Grant Development Companion

April 19
NIH Grant Development

April 25
NSF Grant Development

April 26
Fundamentals of Grant Development

April 29
K-12 Grant Development

May 3
Professional Grant Development Companion

Note From the Director

The articles and opportunities collected here each month are just one way in which we help you find funding opportunities. We want to assist you every step of the way, whether that means giving constructive criticism or encouraging your endeavors.

You will receive our publication once a month. Each issue will focus on a different area of funding, including federal, foundation, corporate, and individual giving. No matter where your interest lies, we provide valuable resources and news.

To enhance your understanding of the constant changes that take place in grant funding, the selected articles and opportunities update you on what's happening now. Reading our newsletter will strengthen and sharpen your ability to submit winning grant proposals. If you are in need of any further information, please send us an email or call us at 571-257-8864.

Mathilda E. Harris, Ph.D.
Director

NIH & NSF Funding Executive Summary

For those of you not familiar with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the National Science Foundation (NSF), these agencies provide a large portion of the federal grant funding for their namesake research areas. Frequently, the projects sponsored by these two agencies produce significant and innovative results which can be commerialized or applied for the consumption of the general public.
Biomedical and behavioral research is the bread and butter of the NIH. New medicines, more efficient surgical techniques, and surprising early-detection methods are just a few of the ways in which NIH-funded research has changed the way we look at our health. Meanwhile, the science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) projects are the wheelhouse of the NSF. Innovative and cutting-edge technology, interdisciplinary approaches to software, and smart solutions to industrial problems are a handful of the results produced by NSF-funded projects.
This month's newsletter features the following NIH & NSF articles:

• NIH announces the date for sole regional seminar this year.
• NIH solicits opinions on their new Individual Development Plan program.
• NIH updates the RePORTER to make it more user-friendly.
• NIH begins new programs aimed at increasing diversity in the workplace.
• NSF prepares for public access to research results.
• NSF issues challenge to graduate students in STEM programs.
• NSF project results in analysis software purchased by Twitter.

In addition, this newsletter highlights current funding opportunities provided by the NIH & NSF.

Success From Our Participants

Winning Grant From Our Community

Sue Garrett is a Professor of New Testament and Dean at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. She attended the 3-Day Professional Grant Development workshop held at the University of Louisville - Shelby Campus in Kentucky. Ms. Garrett kindly sent us notice that her organization had been awarded a grant in the amount of $375,000! Read the story here. When we asked her a few questions about her success, she told us the following:
How many people worked on the grant? Additionally, what was your specific role?
I was the coordinator of the grant writing team. Our President, Michael Jinkins, and four faculty members were also on the team, and we had substantial input from other administrators (including our CFO Patrick Cecil) as well as other faculty members.
What do you feel were the winning techniques or methods you learned from your training with the Grant Training Center?
The most important thing I learned was the importance of clarifying intended outcomes and specifying evaluation procedures that will be implemented. Our application included detailed evaluation plans using a form that Tillie provided at the workshop. I also learned from her the importance of choosing the right granting agency and of demonstrating that one's institution has the resources and will to carry out the intended program effectively. I believe it helped our application that we could amply demonstrate how the proposal reflected our longstanding institutional mission and curriculum, and the commitments of our faculty. It was also helpful that the funding commitments of the Henry Luce Foundation are fully congruent with our intended use for the award.
Are there any tips you would give to future participants?
If you are the only one at your institution who has taken a course at the Grant Training Center, encourage colleagues to do so and encourage the institution to support their efforts by paying the costs and offering the release-time to attend. The investment will benefit the institution in multiple ways, not only by increasing the chances of receiving grants but by helping employees to think more creatively and analytically about intended outcomes for a variety of endeavors, and about how to build in methods of evaluation.

WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

If you have taken a Grant Training Center workshop or webinar and have a story to share, please send us either a short, two sentence blurb or a one hundred to three hundred word article. We accept anecdotes about individual and institutional successes, strategic planning for external giving, current grant activities, and more. Our next issue will be published in early May; please submit your article via email to training.coordinator@granttrainingcenter by April 15th.

Interested in the Administration of NIH Grants?

This year, the NIH is holding just ONE official regional seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration. The seminar will have a heavy focus on the administrative process, and will be held in on June 27 and 28, 2013. An optional workshop on the eRA Commons will take place on June 26, and requires an additional fee. The location of the seminar will be the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. The breakout sessions are open to all; however, the NIH has provided two agendas. Attendees may choose to follow a layout according to descriptors or tracks. A few of the specific topics covered will be compliance, financial conflicts of interest, career development awards, and research and development contracts. Some of the breakout sessions will be repeated, so attendees can configure a schedule that suits their or their organization's particular needs. NIH officials that will be present include, but are not limited to, the following individuals:

• Dr. Sally J. Rockey, Deputy Director of Extramural Research
• Megan Columbus, Director for the Division of Communications & Outreach
• Dr. Sally Amero, NIH Review Policy Officer & Extramural Research Integrity Liaison Officer
• Dr. Erica Brown, Director of the NIH AREA (R15) Grant Program

As mentioned above, the overall focus will be grant administration. For more information about the regional seminar in Baltimore, click here. For more information about NIH seminars in general, click here.

The NIH Wants to Know What's on Your Mind

Ensuring the future numbers of biomedical and behavioral researchers is always a concern for the NIH. The agency conducted a study on the future of the biomedical research workforce back in 2010. The group charged with the task presented their findings in report, and offered recommendations for training of graduate students and postdoctoral faculty and improvement of data collection in June of 2012. The NIH has created a plan for implementation of these recommendations. With regard to training the junior faculty, the agency has come up with ideas for an Individual Development Plan (IDP). To reduce the chance of known problems and issues coming up during implementation of the IDPs, the NIH is asking members of the biomedical research field for their advice. Some of the points for consideration are as follows:

• Establishing time limits on NIH support for graduate students
• Standardizing benefit packages for postdoctorates
• Development of an information collection system for NIH training grantees

The deadline to respond is April 22, 2013. To read the complete notice, and to participate in the dialogue, click here.

NIH RePORTER Updates

Many of you are likely familiar with the NIH resource, the RePORTER. For those of you who have not used this website, it is a massive digital warehouse of all the projects funded by the NIH going back to 1989. If you have used the site recently, you may have noticed a modification in some of the tools available. The NIH has implemented a few changes that might affect the way that you view information on the site. Currently, RePORTER is on version 5.3.0, with the latest updates having been placed into operation on February 28, 2013. Many researchers and administrators will find that they can access more details for articles and publications included on the site. A few of the new points of interest are as follows:

• Project costs are broken down by Direct or Indirect Costs for the majority of listed grants
• Primary Investigators can enter a link to their NCBI bibliography using the new "My Bibliography" section
• Registration numbers for ClinicalTrials.gov are now listed for grants on the Publications tab

The NIH believes that these changes will facilitate research of articles, create a faster application process, and allow better methods to convey meaning of data in proposal submissions. To read the complete update list, click here.

NIH Launches New Programs to Promote Diversity

Diversity in the sciences has been an acknowledged issue for at least a decade. To better ensure that the NIH recruits only the most talented people from any group, the agency has begun to execute programs to do so. The Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) is the group tasked to help kickstart the programs. Read more about the ACD and their path to diversity here. The NIH Common Fund will direct the three programs, which utilize the existing infrastructure of grants. The three programs are as follows:

• NIH Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD)
• National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN)
• Coordinating and Evaluation Center

BUILD and NRMN will be open to applications early this year, and the first awards issued in the fall. In the future, both programs will have a full-year cycle between solicitation and award. The Coordinating and Evaluation Center will be open to applications over the summer, and the awards will be given the following summer. In the future, this program will have a full-year cycle between solicitation and award, which will begin in winter 2013. For information about any of the three programs, click here to learn more.

NSF Plans for Comprehensive Public Access

One of the major tenets of the NSF has been to increase the general public's understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics. To better underscore that principle, the agency has renewed its commitment to allow public access to fundamental research results. Currently, the pledge for widespread dissemination is all that has been announced, but details will continue to emerge as the NSF begins to implement the tentative plan. Some of the anticipated major changes are as follows:

• New business models for universities, libraries, and publishers
• Shifts in the method of access to data for the public and the researchers
• Increase in international collaborations to ensure global access to research results

For more information about the changes to come, what they might mean for STEM programs, and to read what the leadership of the agency had to say, click here.

Challenge Issued to STEM Graduate Students

Many of us remember sitting in a classroom or a lab thinking, "If only I could improve the way this material is being taught!" Now is the chance for graduate students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM) fields to make their voices heard. The NSF announces the 2013 Innovation in Graduate Education Challenge. The challenge is open to currently-enrolled graduate students in the STEM disciplines. The NSF is looking for ideas about how to improve the state of graduate education and professional development with a focus on the STEM programs.

Winners of the challenge will be awarded between $1,000 - 3,000 and receive recognition for their idea on the national stage. This challenge has a Twitter account and a Facebook page, where more information may be found. Additionally, voting is open to the public to help select the winners. For more information about the challenge, and to access the links for social media, click here.
Idea Submission Deadline: April 15, 2013
Community Choice Voting: May 15-29, 2013

Back to top

NSF and Twitter: A Match Made in Cyberspace

Bluefin technology is what marketing strategists dream about. Many of you have probably heard of Nielsen ratings, which deliver viewing estimates on television programs. NSF-funded Bluefin Labs has taken this concept of popularity ratings and taken it to the next level. The technology measures, analyzes, and reports on topics people tweet about.

Essentially, the software can determine the favorite brand, flavor, or genre of anything a user includes in his or her tweets. As an example, if you tweet about American Idol, the software will figure out what else you are interested in (or disinterested in!), and how closely your interests align with others that tweeted about American Idol. Additionally, the software can make determinations and predictions about what you will like, based on your tweets. Bluefin Labs has created a piece of technology that produces data that most advertisers would love to have in their hands. To read the article and learn more about Bluefin Labs, click here.

Grant Opportunities

CURRENT NIH & NSF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

In an effort to better understand the progression of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) via observation in newly-diagnosed adults, the NHLBI announces "The National Myelodysplastic Syndromes Natural History Study." The NHLBI wishes to improve the diagnosis and care of people with MDS through basic and translational research.

Proposal Due: June 5, 2013

To learn more, click here.

National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

The NIDA is seeking innovative and unconventional investigations on HIV/AIDS and substance abuse. Any genre of research within the Trans-NIH Plan for HIV-Related Research is acceptable for the project. A detailed research plan is not required for this FOA, but proposals should demonstrate creativity and risk.

Letter of Intent Due: July 1, 2013
Application Due: August 1, 2013

To learn more, click here.

National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

The NINR wishes to increase the number of researchers that use interdisciplinary methods to solve complex clinical and research problems through the Scholars Training for the Advancement of Research (STAR) program. Desired applicants will submit revised proposals from Schools of Nursing currently funded by T32 grants. The applicants will demonstrate their ability to provide STAR trainees with innovative multidisciplinary research opportunities. If selected, the institution will receive funds to instruct 2 trainees in addition to those already supported by the program.

Letter of Intent Due: April 14, 2013
Application Due: May 14, 2013

To learn more, click here.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Agency Wide

The NIH is open to revision applications which incorporate basic research on behavioral and social mechanisms underlying stigma into active R01 research projects. The sample subjects may be those being stigmatized, those holding the stigmatizing beliefs, or both. The focus of the project must be on the underlying mechanisms, not just the manifestations of stigma.

Letter of Intent Due: July 2, 2013
Application Due: August 2, 2013

To learn more, click here.

NSF Directorate for Engineering

As the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (NNIN) approaches its ten-year award life, the NSF is pleased to announce the Next-Generation NNIN award. The NG NNIN will build upon the infrastructure of the NNIN, but with an enlarged scope and user base. Support will be provided from the NSF in entirety, not just the Directorate for Engineering.

Letter of Intent Due: April 1, 2013
Application Due: May 13, 2013

To learn more, click here.

NSF Industrial Innovation and Partnerships

The NSF is promoting two options to increase and foster innovation under the Partnerships for Innovation (PFI): Accelerating Innovation Research (AIR) program:

• Technology Translation - encourages research discoveries toward commercialization
• Research Alliance - promotes collaborations between currently-funded alliances and other public and private entities to help research discoveries onto a commercial path

Closing Date: May 15, 2013

To learn more, click here.

NSF Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation

The NSF is providing the opportunity for the earthquake engineering community to submit applications to manage the second generation of the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES2). The grant will cover a five-year period of operation support. Multiple components will be involved in the management of the project.

Full Proposal Deadline: May 24, 2013

To learn more, click here.

NSF Division of Antarctic Sciences

The Antarctic Artists and Writers Program invites those whose work requires time in the Antarctic for project completion to submit proposals. The grant covers ONLY the cost of operational support and airfare. Desired applicants will help increase understanding and appreciation of the Antarctic and human activities therein.

Full Proposal Deadline: May 31, 2013

To learn more, click here.

National Science Foundation (NSF) - Agency Wide

The NSF's Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program seeks to develop long-term partnerships among industry, academia, and the government. The grants provide a catalyst to begin collaboration, and the NSF will manage the development process. Both domestic and international collaborations are encouraged for this program.

Letter of Intent Due: June 28, 2013
Application Due: September 27, 2013

To learn more, click here.