GRANTS.GOV @ TUFTS

• Overview
• Dos and Don'ts
• New Business Practices
• 5-Steps to Completing an Application via Grants.gov
• Package Preparation Basics for NIH
• Sample Grants.gov Forms with Tufts Information
• Grants.gov and NIH Review May 2008
• Schedule of Federal Agencies Transition to Adobe Forms
• Helpful Links

OVERVIEW

Grants.gov replaces paper applications with electronic forms and requires electronic submission of all applications. Grants.gov is the central portal that the federal government is implementing for grant announcements and submissions. There are two portions to Grants.gov:

1. Find Grant Opportunities - allows users to search for funding opportunities and their corresponding application packages (if available).

2. Apply for Grants - allows users to directly download application packages to their individual computers. Once downloaded, the user can work on the application offline rather than online within Grants.gov.

Each of the 26 federal granting agencies will begin posting their funding opportunities, and requiring submission to Grants.gov according to their own timetable. Regularly visit agency websites to keep abreast of their evolving migration to electronic posting and receipt of applications.

Due to unforeseen problems with electronic submissions and to avoid delay in your proposal submission, completed applications must be received by the Office of the Vice Provost at least five business days before the agency's submission deadline.

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DOs and DON'Ts

• Administrators/PIs/Staff: do not create an account with Grants.gov. The only account holder are designated Associate Directors of Research Administration in the Office of the Vice Provost who submit applications via Grants.gov. While the Grants.gov helpdesk may tell you that you need an account, be assured, you do not need one - Tufts University is the only account holder.

• Tufts DUNS Number: Tufts University has an assigned Data Universal Number Systems (DUNS) number. Tufts DUNS number (required for every SF424 and SF424 R&R) is:

  • Health Sciences Campus: 03 931 8308
  • Medford/Somerville Campus: 07 313 4835

• Central Contractory Registry (CCR): Tufts University has been registered in the CCR. Do not re-register the institution.

• Software: Grants.gov provide a list of software applications that will allow you to successfully complete your application. Please choose an application appropriate for your operating system.

• Use the specific application package and instructions linked to each funding opportunity announcements (FOA) or program announcement (PA). DO NOT reuse grant application packages. Download a fresh copy each time you apply. Sample application packages cannot be used to apply to any FOA or PA.

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NEW BUSINESS PRACTICES

• Contact the appropriate Associate Director of Research Administration for your campus in the Office of the Vice Provost as soon as you know you will be submitting through Grants.gov (Paul Murphy or Zoya Hamilton for the Health Sciences Campus or Maria Harlow, Kim Pachetti, or Christine Woodroffe for the Medford Campus). The Associate Director is aware of the technical issues impacting submission through Grants.gov, and can help you work through them.

• Once downloaded, an application is completed offline on a personal computer, and then forwarded via a CD, e-mail or USB drive to the Associate Director for electronic submission to Grants.gov.

• The Associate Director submits the final application. Administrators/PIs/Staff do not submit the application directly to Grants.gov.

• Submit completed applications to the Associate Director at least five business days before the agency's submission deadline. Verify departmental review requirements and add that time to the five business days needed for institutional review.

• NIH eRA Commons: If you intend to submit a grant proposal to NIH or AHRQ, the PI must first register in the NIH eRA Commons at least two weeks in advance. Contact your Associate Director by e-mail to register the PI.

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5-STEPS TO COMPLETING A GRANT APPLICATION VIA GRANTS.GOV

STEP 1: Basics and Preparation

1. Start Early!
2. DO NOT create an account on Grants.gov to submit applications, register in the CCR, or get a DUNS number. All have been completed by Tufts University.

STEP 2: Download Software Compatible to Your Operating System

Adobe Reader 8.1.1 and 8.1.2: The only compatible versions of Adobe Reader that will work properly with grant applications, all other versions will not. Please note: Grants.gov will transition to Adobe forms from PureEdge Viewer beginning in April 2008 and will be completed by December 31, 2008.
Please click here to see the transition schedule.

PureEdge Viewer for Windows Users: You must download and install the free PureEdge Viewer in order to open and work on application packages. Please note: PureEdge Viewer is not compatible with Windows Vista.

1. Verify your computer meets the minimum requirements:
   • Windows 98, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, XP
     • 500 MHz processor
     • 128 MB RAM
     • 40 MB disk space
   • Web browser: Internet Explorer 5.01 or higher, Netscape Communicator 4.5-2.8, Netscape 6.1, 6.2 or 7
2. Download and Installation Tips
   • Download the file to your computer. Open the saved file to install the program by following the directions on the installation screens.
   • After completing the installation screens, you may be asked to restart your computer to complete the installation. When you restart your computer, you will be ready to proceed to the next "Get Started" step.
   • If you have a problem installing the PureEdge Viewer, it may be because you do not have security permissions to install a new program on your computer. Many organizations have rules about installing new programs. If you have a problem, contact your system administrator.
3. Recommend to have Adobe Acrobat Professional installed

IBM Workplace Forms (PureEdge) Viewer for Macintosh: IBM has provided Special Edition Mac Viewers for PPC and Intel that are now available for download. You may wish to use this software if you do not have access to a Windows machine, Windows emulation software, or the Citrix server. Please note that limitations of this early release software may include:

• Occasional crashes and subsequent loss of any unsaved data
• Inability to run on Mac OS version prior to 10.4.6
• No current support for screen readers for visually impaired users
• The viewer is installed at the root level of the user account home directory. (e.g. /Users/jsmith/). Do not move the application folder to any other location as it will not work

Citrix Server for Non-Windows Users or Vista: A free Citrix server is available to remotely launch a Windows session and submit completed grant applications. (Please note that a limited amount of users can access the Citrix Server at any given time. You will need to save your application often and also log off when you are not working on your application package to help maximize server use. Wait until you are close to completion of your package before attaching any documents to keep the size of the file as small as possible.)

1. Verify your computer meets the minimum Citrix client requirements:
• Macintosh System
  • OS X Version 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 or 10.4
  • 128 MB of RAM
  • 10 MB Disk Space
  • PowerPC Processor
• Download the Citrix Package for Macintosh OS X users, or if you don't meet the Macintosh system requirements, then download the Citrix Client
• Citrix Installation and Important Tips
2. Citrix Server for Vista Users
• Windows Vista system requirements
  • 128 MB of RAM
  • 10 MB Disk Space
• Click here to download the Citrix Package for Windows Vista. Once you have downloaded a Citrix client, you may link to the Customized Citrix Package Setup guide for further instruction
  • Customized Citrix Package Setup Guide for Vista Users
  • Citrix ICA File
3. Recommend to have Adobe Acrobat Professional installed

STEP 3: Funding Opportunities

1. In Grants.gov, select "Find Grant Opportunities" to search for funding opportunities
2. Choose an opportunity, then view the synopsis or full announcement
3. Select "Application" to open the page where you can download the opportunity
4. Confirm this is the correct opportunity
5. Select the "download" link under "Instructions and Applications"
6. Enter your email address to receive program updates for this application. Remember to download BOTH Application Instructions (PDF) and Application Package (.xfd file)
7. DO NOT reuse grant application packages. Download a fresh copy each time you apply

STEP 4: Completing Application Packages

1. Close down other applications except Internet Explorer
2. Select open, browse and go to the form package and download to your computer
3. Locate the SF424 R&R, complete all mandatory fields required by Grants.gov and the specific agency you are applying to. Don't leave mandatory fields blank - type "N/A" or "0"
4. Choose an Application Filing Name consisting of PI last name, first name initial and PA number (for example: JonesKPA06181)
5. Complete the "Mandatory Documents" and move them over to the right side of "Mandatory Completed Documents for Submission" field
   
6. Save frequently while you are working on the forms and format according to agency's specifications. Convert forms to PDF and upload. Print each page as you complete it. Use the "print" button at the top of each page. Once all forms are completed and the application is saved, select the "Review Package for Errors" button
7. DO NOT select "Submit"

STEP 5: Submitting the Application

1. Email or deliver your completed electronic application to the Associate Director five business days before the proposal submission deadline
2. The Associate Director will submit your application to Grants.gov
3. Grants.gov may reject the application if an electronic scan reveals incorrectly completed fields or viruses
4. Grants.gov sends email notifications to the Associate Director to verify receipt and acceptance. The sponsoring agency retrieves the application once it is accepted by Grants.gov
5. The agency sends email notifications to the Associate Director to verify receipt and to report errors that must be corrected in order to accept the proposal package

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SAMPLE GRANTS.GOV FORMS WITH TUFTS INFORMATION

Health Sciences Campus SF424 (R&R)
Medford/Somerville Campus SF424 (R&R)

Health Sciences Campus PHS 398 Modular Budget
Medford/Somerville Campus PHS 398 Modular Budget

Health Sciences Campus Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile
Medford/Somerville Campus Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile

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If you have any questions or concerns regarding electronic grant submission, please contact Paul Murphy or Zoya Hamilton for the Health Sciences Campus or Maria Harlow, Kim Pachetti or Christine Woodroffe for the Medford/Somerville Campus.

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Additional Helpful Links
Grants.gov Applicant Resources
Grants.gov Download Software
Grants.gov PDF Conversion Programs
Grants.gov Stakeholders Communications
Grants.gov Frequently Asked Questions
Grants.gov Technical Support