Complementary and Integrative Health - Research Projects

NCCIH is the lead Federal agency for scientific research on the fundamental science, usefulness, and safety of complementary and integrative treatments and practices. NCCIH seeks to build knowledge across disciplines, focusing on the whole person, an

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) provides funding for research into complementary and integrative health approaches. Eligible entities (including, but not limited to: research and academic institutions, private companies) may submit research grant applications using the Grants.gov website. All applications undergo a rigorous, 2-stage, peer-review system, and funding decisions are made based on the review of applications that are most meritorious and responsive to the mission of NCCIH.

Universities, colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private nonprofit domestic institutions, including State and local units of government, and individuals are eligible to make application for grant support of research by a named principal investigator or a research career development candidate. For-profit organizations are also eligible.

Any nonprofit or for-profit organization, company, or institution engaged in biomedical research.

Research Project Grants (including most Cooperative Agreements): Awards are usually made for a 12-month period with recommendation of up to 4 years of additional support. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: The Notice of Award (NoA) is the legal document issued to notify the grantee that an award has been made and that funds may be requested from the designated HHS payment system or office. A NoA is issued for the initial budget period. If subsequent budget periods are also approved, the NoA will include a reference to those budgetary commitments. Funding for subsequent budget periods are generally provided in annual increments following the annual assessment of progress. This funding is also contingent on the availability of funds. The NoA includes all applicable terms of award either by reference or specific statements. It provides contact information for the assigned program officer and grants management specialist. The grantee accepts an NIH award and its associated terms and conditions by drawing or requesting funds from the Payment Management System, or upon the endorsement of a check from the US Treasury for foreign awardees. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum

Research grants: Single project grant applications must be prepared electronically through grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) using the SF 424 (Research and Research-Related) and PHS 398 instructions.Multi-project grant applications must be submitted through the A.S.S.I.S.T (Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking) system. Individual funding opportunity announcements will indicate the appropriate application format to be used. A listing of NCCIH and other funding opportunities can be found through the NCCIH web site (http://www.nccih.nih.gov/grants/funding), through the Grants.gov web site (http://www.grants.gov/), or on the NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts (https://grants.nih.gov/funding/searchguide/index.html#/). For applications that require the PHS 398, the most recent version of the form and instructions are available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html in an interactive format. Electronic applications are submitted through the Grants.gov website. Completed PHS 398 applications should be submitted to the National Institutes of Health, Center for Scientific Review, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1040 - MSC 7710, Bethesda, MD 20892-7710 or Bethesda, MD 20817 (for express/courier service). For assistance contact GrantsInfo, Telephone: (301) 435-0714, Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov. National Research Services Awards: Completed application forms should be submitted to the Office of Research Manpower, Center for Scientific Review, Grants, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892. This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR, Part 92 for State and local governments and OMB Circular No. A-110 for nonprofit organizations.

The major elements in evaluating proposals include assessments of: (1) the scientific merit innovation and general significance of the proposed study and its objectives; (2) the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; (3) the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; (4) the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; (5) the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project; (6) the relevance and importance to the announced program objectives and when applicable,and (7) the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for safeguarding human or animal subjects.

> 180 Days. Overall from 180 to 300 days. Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements: approximately 6-10 months

Research grants: renewals by competitive application and review. Extension by request and administrative action

An applicant institution (including the Authorized Organization Representative and the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)) may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of their application by submitting an appeal. An appeal is a written communication from the applicant that meets the following three criteria: 1) is received after issuance of the summary statement and up to 30 calendar days after the second level of peer review, 2) describes a flaw or perceived flaw in the review process for a particular application, 3) is based on one or more of four allowable issues (described below). The four allowable issues are: (1) evidence of bias on the part of one or more peer reviewers; (2) conflict of interest, as specified in regulation at 42 CFR 52h.5."Scientific Peer Review of Research Grant Applications and Research and Development Contract Projects", on the part of one or more peer reviewers; (3) lack of appropriate expertise within the scientific review group (which performed the peer review); and (4) factual error(s) made by one or more reviewers that could have substantially altered the outcome of review. A description of the NIH Peer Review Policy and Procedures is available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-064.html.