Grant-Funded Research
The information below is for VA investigators interested in obtaining extramural (non-VA) funding for a grant, for example from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or from a private foundation such as the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Center (PCORI).
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The application must be submitted by or through NFFRE.
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NFFRE provides assistance with grant application development.
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When the grant is funded, NFFRE manages the funds and assists with all aspects of conducting the research.
Developing and Submitting Grants
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Grants.gov: This gateway to grants offered by Federal agencies such as the NIH provides links to funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) disseminated by Federal agencies. Further, other non-federal grant agencies closely follow or use NIH forms and/or NIH procedures. Thus, grants.gov is an excellent grants resource.
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Learn Grants section: Extensive information about Federal grant procedures and policies.
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Applicants section: Explains how to apply and how the online grants.gov submission system works.
Grant Application Process
Submitting grants involves strict submission deadlines, complex grant forms, and complicated online systems for submitting grants. For example, see the NIH web section, How to Apply - Application Guide. Further, applying for grants is a highly competitive process (NIH Extramural Nexus, 2022.03.06). Therefore, it is in the best interest of investigators to notify NFFRE of grant application plans as early as possible, and investigators should take advantage of the services offered by NFFRE.
Grant Budgets and Indirect Costs
Budgets include both direct and indirect costs and projected amounts must be exact. For example, the period of a grant can often be 4 years, and salary for VA investigators must include any step increases that would occur during that time and also the fringe rate each year. Read this NIH guidance on budgets. NOTE:
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Direct costs. These are the costs for items that are only related to the specific grant, such as investigator and research staff salary, equipment, consultants, and participant payments.
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Indirect cost (IDC), also called Facilities and Administrative costs (F&A). These are costs that are accounted for by the recipient organization and cover expenses related to infrastructure and activities that occur with all grants managed by the organization.
NFFRE Grant Procedures
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Info and Forms: Available on our Policies and Procedures webpage.
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Timing: Unexpected issues can arise suddenly and grant deadlines are final, therefore, make grant preparation your priority. For best results with a minimum of complications, begin the actual submission process at least 6 weeks before the grant deadline.
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First steps: Whether you will be a PI or a co-investigator through a subaward:
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Use the Grant Support Request Checklist to guide development of the application.
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Notify NFFRE of your plans – As noted on the Checklist, this should occur ideally at least 6 weeks before the submission deadline and should include submitting the Grant Feasibility Questionnaire to VHANFLNFFREAdmin@va.gov
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Grant Budget
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The budget must be as exact as possible. Once the grant is approved, the budget cannot be changed.
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Use the NFFRE Budget Spreadsheet (Excel) to develop your budget.
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There are many notes and links included to provide guidance.
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Salary: As noted above, cost of living and VA step increases must be accounted for.
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Send a complete draft of the budget to VHANFLNFFREAdmin@va.gov. A meeting with the NFFRE Executive Director may be needed.
Subawards/Collaborations
Investigators at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (NF/SGVHS) often collaborate on grants with investigators at universities or other organizations. For example, a University of Florida (UF) investigator may recruit a VA investigator to be a co-investigator on a grant that is being submitted by UF. NOTE:
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Collaborations will always require a subaward to NFFRE to:
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Assure that VA resources used for the research are accounted for.
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Enable NFFRE staff to provide guidance on VA policies or procedures.
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Links to Grant Agencies and Information
General
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Department of Defense (DOD)/Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program CDMRP
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This link provides a table of dates for all research topics with links to FOAs, amounts and durations of awards, and IDC info.
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The CDMRP Webinar series archive has guidance on grant strategy and preparation.
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guide for Grants and Contracts
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Lists grants by cycle and type of program.
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A search function has filters for granting agency, type of research, type of funding opportunity, and release date.
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Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Funding Opportunities
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The search function has filters for open/upcoming, year, and grant type
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Condition-Specific
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The link lists new opportunities and information on ACS priority areas.
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Lists funding opportunities and webinars.
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Lists current funding opportunities.
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Craig H. Nielsen Foundation (spinal cord injury)
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Lists areas of funding with links to application guides.
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Send suggestions to VHANFLNFFREAdmin@va.gov.