CORE Grants: Application Overview

Preparing Grant Applications All interested grant applicants must submit their applications electronically.

You will be required to convert your documents from standard word processing formats to Adobe Acrobat. This is not to be confused with the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is used to READ .pdf documents only. If you do not have access to this software, we suggest you inquire through your department or institution about purchasing the Adobe Acrobat software. Normally these can be purchased for a significantly reduced fee. Visit Adobe's website for more information on this product.

Also, please take into consideration that once you begin completing your application, technical support through Altum proposalCENTRAL is limited to normal business hours (9 a.m.–5 p.m.), Monday-Friday, EST.

APPLICATION OVERVIEW

The following table lists the sections of the application. Some of the material has been adapted from the NIH National Cancer Institute NCIDEA.

PLEASE NOTE THE SAMPLE PAGES SHOULD NOT BE USED TO COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION. APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETED ONLINE THROUGH OUR AGREEMENT WITH RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, INC.

Hint: You may want to print out these instructions for reference while you are trying to use ProposalCentral, our online application website.  OR You may wish to download a copy of the How to Complete Your CORE Grant Application article that was published in the October 2007 issue of the Bulletin.

Step 1:  Read the CORE FAQ (NOTE:  the last three pages will need to be printed on legal paper).

Step 2: Choose the type of grant you'd like. CHOOSE ONE (1) GRANT. 

Alternate Funding Source:  While we will keep your application active in the grant you applied for, we would also like to encourage you to designate an alternative CORE funding source.  This will allow us to consider your application for funding in muptiple grant categories, and will improve your changes of being funded.  Please only completed one LOI in proposalCENTRAL and then send an email to Stephanie L Jones to designated which alternative funding sources you'd also like to be considered for.

• Review the three main grant categories available:

Research Project Grant: Independent or assisted project using existing skills and resources; hypothesis-based, with specific aims and timetable.

Research Training Grant: Research project that is designed to help you refine existing research skill set or acquire new skills. Requires mentor and evidence of training process.

Career Development Grant: Formal, mentored period of research combined with coursework; designed to help researcher become independent researcher. Recommended as preliminary step for applying for NIH K08 or K23 Mentored Clinician-Scientist Award.

• Review the comparison table of grants (NOTE: this will need to be printed on legal paper to view all of the criteria).
• Review the table of selected allowable expenses (salaries and travel expenses only)

Step 3: Review the individual policies for the grant(s) available in the current cycle that you are interested in.  (NOTE: THESE ARE NOT THE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS) 

Step 4: Complete a Letter of Intent by December 15th, using the online application system. Once you have selected a grant, go to the online application site, ProposalCentral to begin your application and complete your letter of intent. If you have not used the ProposalCentral system previously, you will need to begin by setting up a user account and password.  Login, enter under "Applicants", and click on the "Grant Opportunties" tab to search for your desired grant mechanism.  You can filter "American Academy of Otolaryngology" as the grant maker for all CORE mechanisms. 

There are four sections required for the Letter of Intent: (1) Title Page, (2) Applicant/PI Information, (3) Institution Information, and (4) Abstract.  The system will walk you through the initial steps of the application that are required to create your letter of intent.  Be sure to click the "Submit" button.

THE LETTER OF INTENT IS DUE BY DECEMBER 15TH IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO THE GRANT DUE DATE. Your letter of intent will be approved by the AAO-HNS before you can begin your application. BE SURE TO CLICK THE "SUBMIT" BUTTON!

REMEMBER, YOU MAY ONLY APPLY FOR ONE GRANT (UNLESS YOU HAVE MULTIPLE PROJECTS).

Step 5: Through December and January and once your letter of intent is approved, continue working on your application using the ProposalCentral online system. After logging in and entering under "Applicants," the welcome screen will appear each time you access the system.  Follow the instructions carefully. You may want to click on the "help" tab to get an overview of using the online application system.

DON'T FORGET TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS COMPLETELY IN THE TEMPLATE SECTIONS. The "FAQs" document also provides useful instructions.

Step 6: Compare your application against the criteria and policies for the grant mechanism.  These criteria are used in evaluating your application and can help you understand what the reviewers are looking for.

Step 7: Obtain the necessary signatures before the January application deadline. Click on the "Cover Sheet" link on the proposal website (in the grey box); print and obtain signatures. Allow enough time to get all appropriate departmental (Preceptor statement as needed) and institutional (face page; IRB/IACUC approvals) documents or signatures before the application deadline. You will have three (3) calendar days after the application deadline to mail in your signed cover sheet/proposal summary (available on the Proposal site) and any miscellaneous items such as letters, IRB/IACUC's etc.

Step 8: Submit your application before 12 o'clock midnight EST on January 15, 2008.  Don't forget to mail your signed cover sheet/proposal summary and any miscellaneous items to:

Stephanie L. Jones, Senior Manager, Research and Quality, AAO-HNSF, 1 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Research Project Grant: Independent or assisted project using existing skills and resources; hypothesis-based, with specific aims and timetable.   Research Training Grant: Research project that is designed to help you refine existing research skill set or acquire new skills. Requires mentor and evidence of training process. Career Development Grant: Formal, mentored period of research combined with coursework; designed to help researcher become independent researcher. Recommended as preliminary step for applying for NIH K08 or K23 Mentored Clinician-Scientist Award.

IMPORTANT TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS!

All applicants must purchase or have access to the Adobe Acrobat software (not the Acrobat Reader) to convert the Microsoft Word templates into a .pdf file, which will then be "returned" or "uploaded" to the application submission website. Visit Adobe's site for more information. This may be purchased at a reduced fee for institutions.

QUESTIONS?

Scientific questions? Call the Foundation from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST weekdays at (703) 519-1586, or by email
Technical Support? Contact ProposalCentral from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST weekdays at (800) 875-2562) or by email

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION

• See North Carolina A & T's extensive list of links for help in writing a proposal.
• Planning to use animals in your research? Refer to the PHS Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Animals.
• Read the Belmont Report, a summary of the ethical principles to be used in research with human subjects, developed by the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research.
• Human Subject Regulations Decision Charts - This DHHS site helps you determine not only if your research involves human subjects, but also if you are eligible for an IRB waiver. Also see the IRB exemption flowchart.