To support strong collaboration between Federal research agencies, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has made every effort to align the Biographical Sketch (Biosketch), Other Support format page, and Application Form Instructions with the guidance issued by the Office of Science and Technology Policy Joint Committee on the Research Environment. As a result, NIH has released a notice (NOT-OD-21-073) that outlines updates to application forms and instructions to support applicants and recipients' need to provide full transparency and disclosure of all research activities, foreign and domestic. The updated form and instructions will be required for use for applications and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2021.
Overview of Changes
Biographical Sketch Format Page Changes
- Section B "Positions and Honors" has been renamed "Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors."
- For the non-Fellowship Biosketch, Section D has been removed.
- For the Fellowship Biosketch, Section D has been updated to remove "Research Support."
- As applicable, all applicants may include details on ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years that they want to draw attention to within the personal statement, Section A.
- Other Support Format Page Changes: The format page has been re-organized to separate funded projects from in-kind contributions.
- Signature block added for Program Director/Principal Investigator or Other Senior/Key
- Personnel to certify the accuracy of the information submitted. Each PD/PI or senior/key personnel must electronically sign their respective Other Support form as a PDF before submission.
Supporting Documentation
- For Other Support submissions that include foreign activities and resources, recipients are required to submit copies of contracts, grants, or any other agreement specific to senior/key personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution as supporting documentation. If they are not in English, recipients must provide translated copies. This supporting documentation must be provided as part of the Other Support PDF following the Other Support Format page.
We want to alert you that the changes to the Other Support requirements are significant and much more than simply a change in format. You should review the new template and take some time to read NIH’s FAQ page about the Other Support requirements.
Above all, you should work with your department administrator to update your Other Support documentation now, so that you have it readily available if it is requested by the Cancer Center research administration team for an upcoming progress report or grant proposal. If you have any questions about the new Other Support page and your own department administrator cannot assist, we are happy to help you update or create yours before you’re hit with a deadline! Please reach out to casecccfinance@case.edu and let us know if you have questions or need assistance.
Save the Date: Submitting your NIH grant proposals Workshop on April 21
Avoid errors and warnings during submissions by joining the SOM Office of Research Administration on Wednesday, April 21 from 12-1:30 pm for a workshop to help faculty navigate and understand NIH policies for submitting grant proposals! The recently released NIH guidelines for Biosketches and Other Support pages will also be discussed in detail. The 90-minute virtual session will be led by Erin Fogarty, Assistant Dean for Research Administration, and staff from the SOM Office of Grants and Contracts. Registration details will be available soon - email Maita Diaz with questions.