The
AREA program has three objectives: (a) To develop the research environment
at "smaller, less prominent, four-year, public and private
colleges and universities which provide baccalaureate or advanced
training for a significant number of our nation's research scientists
but which have not shared adequately in the growth of the NIH extramural
program," (b) to expose students at such institutions to the
research experience, and (c) to support meritorious research.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
To support small-scale
research projects, including feasibility or pilot studies, in health-related
topics. The majority of the research must be conducted at the grantee
institution.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility:
(1) Individual health-professional schools and the combined other
components of domestic educational institutions granting baccalaureate
and higher degrees in the health sciences are eligible, except those
schools/components that have received NIH research grants totaling
more than $2 million per year in each of four or more of the last
seven fiscal years; and (2) faculty members of such institutions
who will not have an active NIH research grant at the time of award
of an AREA grant.
Beneficiary Eligibility:
Institutions as described above and the faculty and students of
such institutions will benefit.
Pre-application
Coordination: Not applicable. This program is
excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure:
Prepare and submit Form PHS 398 (Rev. 5/01) according to modified
(simplified) instructions in the AREA Program Guidelines. Form
PHS 398 may be obtained from NIH's Extramural Research Home Page
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm and the Program Guidelines
from the AREA home page http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm.
This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR 74.
Award Procedure:
Applications are reviewed for scientific and technical merit by
a scientific review group and for program relevance by a national
advisory council/board. When scientific merit and program relevance
are essentially equivalent, funding preference is given to institutions
with a strong record of educating undergraduates who have subsequently
obtained doctoral degrees in the health sciences.
Deadlines:
Except for AIDS-related projects, applications must be postmarked
by January 25, May 25 or September 25. Applications for AIDS-related
projects must be postmarked by May 1, September 1, and January
2.
Range of Approval/Disapproval
Time: The length of the review cycle is from
8 to 9 months for projects that are not AIDS related. 4 to 5 months
for AIDS related projects.
Appeals:
A principal investigator may question the procedural aspects of
the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff
of the NIH Institute or Center to which the application was assigned
for potential funding. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal
procedures is available on the NIH home page http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not97-232.html.
Renewals:
Renewal (competing continuation, type 2) applications are accepted.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching
Requirements: This program has no statutory
formula or matching requirements.
Length and Time Phasing
of Assistance: Awards are made in a single,
lump sum and are expendable for up to 3 years.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Annual progress reports are required. In addition, Progress, invention,
and expenditure reports are required at the end of the project period.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit
Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements
are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal
government officials.
Records:
Expenditures and other financial records must be retained for
3 years from the day on which the grantee submits the last expenditure
report for the grant period.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification:
75-0846-0-1-552.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $17,724,000 (Office of Director) and $5,895,316
(Institutes and Centers); FY 02 est $23,750,000; and FY 03 est
$24,000,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
Up to $100,000 in direct costs may be requested. In addition to
direct costs, facilities and administrative costs (formerly, indirect
costs) at the negotiated rate(s) for the institution are included
in the total award. The average award for FY 2001 was $136,000.
In fiscal year 2001, approximately
179 awards were made. This reflects the number of meritorious biomedical
or behavioral science research projects that were supported and,
at a minimum, the number of students who were exposed to research
and became aware of scientific research as a career possibility.
It is estimated that 180 awards will be made in both fiscal years
2002 and 2003.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND
LITERATURE:
45 CFR 74; 42 CFR 52.
NIH Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. 94-50,000, (Rev.)
March 1, 2001. The PHS 398 application form and the AREA Program
Guidelines may both be obtained from the NIH Home Page (See Application
Procedure above for URL addresses.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local
Office: Ms. Marie Willett, NIH AREA Coordinator,
Office of Extramural Programs, Office of Extramural Research, Rockledge
I, Room 3536, Bethesda, MD 20892-7910; Telephone: (301) 435-2689;
FAX: (301) 480-0146; E-mail: willettm@od.nih.gov. Also each NIH
Institute has an AREA contact person, whose information is listed
on the AREA home page (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm).
Headquarters Office:
Office of Extramural Programs, Office of Extramural Research,
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892. Telephone:
(301) 435-2689.
Web Site Address: http://www.nih.gov
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Awards were made for health-related
research projects that pertain to the missions of the various funding
components of NIH. Lists of the awards made in fiscal year 2001
are available on the AREA home page (http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm).
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Funding decisions are
based on scientific merit (42 CFR 52h), program relevance, and an
institution's record of having educated individuals at the baccalaureate
level who subsequently obtained doctoral degrees in the health sciences.
Scientific merit review encompasses: the significance, approach,
and innovation of the proposed research; the competency of the principal
investigator; the adequacy of the resources and environment; the
proposed budget and requested period of support; and, where applicable,
the adequacy of the measures for protecting against adverse effects
upon humans, animals, or the environment.
