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2026
What Should I Know About the New Biographical Sketch Common Form?
The Biographical Sketch Common Form must be used for all NIH grant application, Just-in-Time, Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR), and Prior Approval submissions to NIH with due dates on or after January 25, 2026.
Will My Application Be Withdrawn if I Don’t Use the Common Forms?
NIH has extended the leniency period for using the new Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support (CPOS) Common Forms through May 2026.
How Can I Find Funding Opportunities Now That They Are Not in the NIH Guide?
You have two options to find Notices of Funding Opportunities: search on Grants.gov or use NIH’s new Explore NIH Opportunities tool. The NIH tool includes additional options for NIH-specific filters, sorting, and advanced search.
2025
What if I Forgot to Include a Required Attachment of an Application?
NIH will contact the applicant in certain, limited situations if required attachments of an application were not submitted on time.
How Does the NIH Initiative to Prioritize Human-Based Research Affect Research Proposing the Use of Laboratory Animals?
In July 2025, NIH announced it will no longer develop new funding opportunities focused exclusively on animal models of human disease. Rather, going forward, new funding opportunities will be designed more broadly with language that also encourages various approaches be considered.
My First Substantial Independent Research Award Was Terminated Early. Can My ESI Status Be Reinstated?
In the event an investigator’s first substantial independent research award is terminated within the first three years of the project period, and this was not due to scientific misconduct or other disqualifying events, the investigator can request the reinstatement of Early Stage Investigator (ESI) status in eRA commons.
What's the Difference Between "Frozen" and "Current" Data in RePORT?
When you use the NIH RePORT tool Awards by Location and Organization, resulting data may be listed as either “current” or “frozen” depending on the time of year. This is because NIH updates current data for the ongoing fiscal year until September 30. Current data may change as new projects are funded or as funding levels and other information is updated for existing projects.
How Are Childcare Costs Issued to Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Awards?
NIH has recently revised the process by which NRSA childcare funds are distributed to institutional research training awards.
How Can You Effectively Prepare NIH Research Project Grant Applications for Due Dates in 2025 and Beyond?
The framework is a new way of reviewing the same research strategies you’ve always developed, which means neither the components nor the structure of your application are expected to change.
How Does NIH Determine Early Stage Investigator Eligibility?
Early Stage Investigator eligibility is calculated in the eRA Commons system, using information provided by the investigator in their eRA Commons Personal Profile. Learn more about how eligibility is determined on the ESI status page.