If you’re considering NIH’s R15 grant, there are some facts you should know before you apply — including what the grant is, who is eligible to receive it, and what reviewers look for in R15 applications. NIH designed the R15, or Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA), to support biomedical and behavioral sciences research at small health professional schools. The grant aims to expose graduate and undergraduate students to scientific investigation and bolster the research environment at these smaller institutions.

1. The Ins
and Outs
of the
R15
Grant
Brought to you by: Principal Investigators Association

2. Funding and Management
Advice for Scientists in
All Fields of Research
www.principalinvestigators.org

3. Reader Question:
I am interested in seeking R15 funding. Which
key factors should I keep in mind before
crafting my proposal?

4. Expert Comments:
If you’re considering NIH’s R15 grant, there are
some facts you should know before you apply
including:

5. 1.
2.
3.
What the grant is
Who is eligible to receive it and
What reviewers look for in R15
applications

6. NIH designed the R15, or
Academic Research
Enhancement Award
(AREA), to support
biomedical and behavioral
sciences research at small
health professional schools.

7. The grant aims to
expose graduate and
undergraduate students
to scientific
investigation and
bolster the research
environment at these
smaller institutions.

8. If you are currently preparing your R15 grant application, are soon to
renew an existing grant, or will be seeking NIH R15 funding in the near
future look no further.
You can now get all the winning strategies you should apply in your
next R15 grant application in one place:
http://www.principalinvestigators.org/nih-r15-grant-application-manual/

9. Determining your
institution’s
eligibility
There are two
criteria your
organization
must satisfy
to be eligible
for an R15.

10. First, your institution must meet NIH’s definition of a
health professional school.
This means it’s:
an accredited public school
or non-profit private school
that offers health science degrees.

11. Second, NIH
funding to your
institution
_cannot
exceed
$6 million.
When you submit
your R15 application,
your college cannot
have more than that
in research grants for
four out of the last
seven fiscal years.

12. For a list of the nearly 300 schools and
colleges that are not eligible for the
R15, go to:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/
area_ineligible_list_2012.pdf

13. Evaluating Your Personal Eligibility
NIH guidelines indicate that PIs with the
expertise, skills and backing from their
institutions can apply for the R15.
But you must consider your other
research commitments and grants.

14. You cannot be the PI on an
active NIH grant if you want to
receive an R15 award. But you
may conduct research as part of
another PI’s grant.

15. Although you
can have
successive R15
renewals, NIH
will not award
more than one
of these grants
at a time.
In addition, you
cannot apply
for funding that
covers the
same work as
that of a
pending R15
application.

16. Examine Collaborations
Another thing reviewers want to know is whether your experience will mesh well
with your collaborator’s expertise. For example, Robert Ward, PhD, Assistant
Professor in the Food Sciences Department at Utah State University, is co-PI on an
R15 proposal with Abby Benninghoff, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Animal, Dairy
and Veterinary Department at the same institution.

17. The pair’s project deals with multigenerational exposure to a western diet in rodents. Ward’s
lab primarily focuses on fat analysis, and Benninghoff’s lab specializes in molecular biology.
The combination allows them to produce the data needed for their project. “The NIH review
panel complimented the fact that we had a good mix of skill sets,” Ward says.

18. To convey how your combined
skills will enhance your
project’s outcome, Ward
suggests you refer to
preliminary data. This is not a
requirement for the R15. But if
you can describe the
interaction between
collaborators in generating
preliminary data, this offers
proof of concept.

19. NIH R15 Grant Application Mentor
The 8-section how-to manual has been designed to help scientists submit more
competitive applications for the highly-sought R15 grants awarded by the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), the federal government's biggest funder of medical
research. The 1st edition includes everything you need to know to craft a superior
proposal, maximizing your chances for R15 funding.
http://bit.ly/R15Manual

20. Mind the Budget
Remember that an R15 award
can last as long as three years
and provide up to $300,000.

21. “That‘s not a huge sum of money,” Ward says. “Developing your
proposal is going to be a balancing act.” If you are running over
your budget, you should be able to trim it by examining the
number of lab animals you plan to use. Including fewer animals
will reduce the cost.

22. “But keep in mind that you don‘t want to sacrifice the power of the
study: the likelihood that you will observe a statistically significant
effect, that your results will still be meaningful by lowering the
number of subjects to meet costs,” Benninghoff says.

23. Keep Students Active
One of NIH’s goals with the R15 is
to give students a hands-on, active
role in research.
The agency strongly recommends
discussing your experience working
with students.

24. To show you have the necessary
background, Benninghoff suggests
the following:

25. • List your documented history.
Include publications that show you
have worked with undergraduates.

26. • Explain that you have data collected by undergraduate students, and
this data supports the case for your project to receive the grant.

27. • Highlight the undergraduate program at your institution.
• Partner with other institutions that attend graduate student
symposiums, or find other presentation opportunities.

28. Each section includes checks to ensure you’re
following NIH guidelines every step along the way.
Don't waste your precious time going through vague grant-writing
guides. This manual offers everything you need to know to craft a
superior proposal, maximizing your chances for NIH R15 funding.
http://bit.ly/R15Manual

29. Demonstrate You’re in the Right Place
Once you determine you’re eligible for an R15, you should
consider the elements reviewers find important. NIH
suggests you provide a thorough explanation of why your
institution is suitable for this grant.

30. The agency recommends highlighting the following areas:
the scientific environment
your institutional support and
the core facilities that might
maintain and provide the
equipment you will be using.

31. NIH warns that not discussing these elements may cause
reviewers to look at your application less favorably.

32. The only Free eNewsletter focused on providing best
practices on obtaining grant funding, lab
management, career advice and much more!
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