Revisit Funding Opportunity Announcements Within 30 Days of the Due Date

Many NIH funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) have multiple due dates each year for up to three years. A lot can change over three years (e.g., application form updates, implementation of new policies, changes to due dates, institutes can add or discontinue participation on an FOA).

Here’s the good news …

We talk about big changes – like new data management and sharing policies – months to years ahead of implementation. So, you can learn about upcoming changes by following the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts (subscribe for weekly updates) and the Extramural Nexus blog (subscribe for real-time or monthly updates).

Here’s the even better news …

NIH provides at least 30-days notice prior to any substantive change in requirements. So, revisit your FOA within 30 days of your due date (pay extra attention to the Related Notices section) and you can ensure you are aware of the latest requirements before finalizing and submitting your application.

A timely example …

If you revisit any active FOA, you’ll find NOT-OD-23-012 (FORMS-H reminder) in the Related Notices section which includes this important information

Updates to NIH FOAs

NIH is in the process of updating all active FOAs with due dates on or after January 25, 2023, to include information regarding DMS Plan requirements in Sections IV, V, and VI. These updates are expected to be completed by December 25, 2022.

As promised, all active NIH FOAs were updated by December 25 to include new Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan requirements. Preparing an application for a due date on or after January 25? You better revisit your FOA and ensure your application is in line with those added requirements.

A final thought …

If you submit more than 30 days prior to the due date (it happens, not often, but it does happen), the same advice applies. Revisit the FOA and check to ensure your submitted application meets all current requirements. If it doesn’t, officially withdraw the application, make the needed adjustments, and submit again before the deadline.