Instructions for Grant Proposals

The following text is extracted (with some omissions to make it more comprehensible) directly from the latest version of the instructions for an NIH grant (pp. R-81 through R-84 of Research Instructions for NIH and Other PHS Agencies).

Specific Aims

• "State concisely the goals of the proposed research and summarize the expected outcome(s), including the impact that the results of the proposed research will exert on the research field(s) involved."
• "List succinctly the specific objectives of the research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.... "
• "Specific Aims are limited to one page."

Research Strategy

• (a) Significance
  • "Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses".
  • "Describe the scientific premise for the proposed project, including consideration of the strengths and weaknesses of published research or preliminary data crucial to the support of your application.".
  • "Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields."
  • "Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved."

• (b) Innovation
  • "Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms".
  • "Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions."
  • "Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions."

• (c) Approach
  • "Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Unless addressed separately in the Resource Sharing Plan, include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted as well as any resource sharing plans as appropriate."
  • "Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims."
  • "If the project is in the early stages of development, describe any strategy to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work."
  • "Explain how relevant biological variables, such as sex, are factored into research designs and analyses for studies in vertebrate animals and humans. For example, strong justification from the scientific literature, preliminary data, or other relevant considerations, must be provided for applications proposing to study only one sex."
    • "Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and precautions to be exercised."
• Preliminary Studies for New Applications: "For new applications, include information on Preliminary Studies. Discuss the PD/PI’s [Project Director's/Principal Investigator's] preliminary studies, data, and or experience pertinent to this application...preliminary data can be an essential part of a research grant application and help to establish the likelihood of success of the proposed project."