Interim Support Fund (ISF) Call for Applications
MGH ECOR Interim Support Fund
For Basic and Clinical Research Investigators
(First call of three calls in FY13)
Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 – Midnight
Description of the award
The Executive Committee On Research (ECOR) is now accepting applications for Interim Support Fund (ISF) grants. This is open to principal investigators during a lapse or delay in their research funding from the NIH or another Federal agency (e.g., the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense). Investigators must have applied for an NIH or other Federal agency grant for independent, long-term support for the proposed research program (e.g., R01, R21, U01, and P01).
Award Expenditures and Award Start Date
· The awards are not transferable to any other institution.
· Awards for R01 or equivalent applicants are $57,500 ($50,000 direct costs plus $7,500 to cover 15% hospital administrative overhead).
· Awards for support of R21 applicants are $28,750 ($25,000 direct costs plus $3,750 to cover 15% hospital administrative overhead).
· The funds may be used for salaries and fringe benefits for principal investigators and/or their key laboratory personnel, supplies, and other essential items for the project. Equipment may not be purchased with the award funds.
· ISF awards will be effective no earlier than the nominal start date of the unfunded application for agency-sponsored research support.
· The nominal start date of the unfunded application must be no more than six months after this ISF application deadline; in other words, to be considered for this ISF award cycle, nominal start dates before July 15, 2013 are eligible, whereas start dates July 16, 2013 and beyond are not. If the nominal start date is more than six months away from the January 15 deadline of this call, the applicant is encouraged to apply to a future ISF Award Call for Applications. The awards are unrestricted as to area of study.
Guidelines
· A PI can submit no more than one application per review cycle and must indicate if he/she, or another PI on this project, has received previous funding from ECOR for any research project.
· Upon receipt of alternative funding for the research project supported by an ISF award, investigators must notify ECOR and must return the unspent portion of the ISF award to the ECOR Interim Support Fund.
· Applicants must have an MGH appointment at the time of application and during the entire award period.
· Researchers pursuing either basic or clinical investigation are eligible.
· New award applications and competing award applications (both A and A1) are eligible.
· Program project grant applications are eligible; only one award of $57,500 can be made but two projects may split one award.
· Researchers holding NIH "K" or other mentored awards who are transitioning to independent research support may apply for Interim Support for appropriate unfunded applications (i.e. R01, R21, U01 and P01) if they have applied as PI for independent research funding.
· If a PI applied for interim support during the last cycle and did not receive an ISF award, the PI may resubmit the same application in this cycle if they have not yet received external funding.
· Investigators may receive either Formulaic or Interim Support but not both for the same grant application submission.
· Investigators can submit no more than one application per review cycle.
Review Process
ISF applications will be evaluated and ranked by the ECOR Subcommittee on Review of Research Proposals (SRRP). These recommendations are reviewed for final approval by the ECOR Executive Committee. The reviewers consider how the PI has responded to the NIH (or other agency) Summary Statement and the likelihood that NIH will eventually fund the research. With the growing number of applications, the Committee also considers other resources available to the applicant. Applicants will not be provided with written or oral critiques of their applications.
Application Format
1. Completed Standard Partners Research Proposal Coversheet with original signatures. The form is available at the following address:
http://resadmin.partners.org/RM_Home/documents/forms/PartnersResearchProposalCoversheet.pdf
2. SRRP Reviewer Summary Page
3. Letter of support from Chief of Service, Department/Unit, or Center Director
-
For investigator transitioning from K awards or other mentored awards, please discuss independence.
4. Revised Research Plan (3-page limit, excluding bibliographic references), including:
· Specific Aims
· Background, significance and report of recent progress
· Description of key personnel
5. Biosketch of applicant in NIH format
6. Status of project funding, please include the following:
· Summary statement, critique or other written information from federal agency program staff.
· Summary of applicant’s response to this correspondence (including the introduction to a resubmitted application and revised abstract and aims).
· If the applicant is applying for support on an unfunded A1 application, please respond to reviewer critiques and describe, with scientific details, your plans for the project going forward (e.g., new grant submission).
7. List of all other current and pending research support with funding amounts, including previous interim support from ECOR with dates, in NIH format.
8. Proposed use of ISF funds
9. Anticipated impact of ISF funding (1-2 pages), including:
· Description of applicant’s plans for requested salary support if ISF support is not available
· Description of applicant’s plans if the pending application for long-term support is not funded
How to apply
Submit your application, as a single PDF file, entitled “FY13-1 ECOR Interim Support – Last name, First name” (e.g., “FY13-1 ECOR Interim Support – Smith, Jane.pdf”) to ECOR ecor@partners.org.
Questions
Please submit your questions via e-mail to ECOR ecor@parters.org.