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2025-2026 Request for Applications
ITHS Translational Research Partnership Awards—New Interdisciplinary Academic Partnerships
2025-2026 RFA
The ITHS offers New Interdisciplinary Academic Partnership (NIAP) awards to facilitate the formation and development of new partnerships between academic investigators who have not previously received joint research funding for interdisciplinary projects addressing critical transitions in translational research in innovative ways, with the potential to become long-term partnerships with a deep commitment to a common goal.
This pilot award will provide up to $50,000 toward specific project-related milestones in total costs for 1 year. No-cost extensions are not permitted.
Reviewers for NIAP awards will focus on 3 primary questions addressing the trajectory of the project and the partnership:
Application Period Closed
Key Dates
The following key dates apply to this funding opportunity:
- Letter of Intent Deadline
July 9, 2024, 11:59pm PDT - Notice of Invitation to Apply
By July 31, 2024 - Application Deadline
August 30, 2024, 11:59pm PDT - Awardees Notified
Early December 2024 - Period of Performance
March 1, 2025 – February 28, 2026
1) To what extent does this project involve a new interdisciplinary partnership? 2) How have the partners collaborated in the design of the project? 3) Is it likely that this partnership will mature toward a long-term collaboration between investigators who share a commitment to translational research?
Guidelines
Guidelines
1. Partners. Proposals should represent a new partnership for the principal investigator that will provide preliminary data needed to seek outside funding. This award is not intended to support new research directions for investigators who already have an established partnership. New partnerships between senior investigators and junior colleagues will be viewed favorably. We are particularly interested in projects that forge new partnerships between investigators in different disciplines, although this will be considered in balance with scientific merit when evaluating proposals. Interinstitutional partnerships are encouraged. ITHS faculty or staff may be listed as active research contributors on a case-by-case basis. Please consult with ITHS prior to application submission if your proposal includes ITHS faculty or staff.
2. Support. This award provides up to $50,000 for 1 year of funding. The period of performance coincides with the ITHS fiscal year from March 1 to February 28/29. All grant funds must be expended before the grant expires at the end of the fiscal year. No-cost extensions to allow use of funds that have not been expended by the end of the fiscal year will not be allowed.
NIAP awards also provide ITHS in-kind resources and training opportunities.
3. Review Considerations. Applications should describe a trajectory of past progress, current specific aims and milestones that are feasible within the funding limits, a vision for how attainment of the proposed milestones will enable future work, and the potential scope and impact of future work if the current project is successful.
Successful applications will help reviewers determine whether the project should and could be done.
- Describe how this project involves a new partnership that builds on the complementary expertise and the intellectual and creative strengths of the partners.
- Describe how this project will address a critical translational transition along the path from basic laboratory research to a disseminated diagnostic or therapeutic use.
- Describe how the pivotal data will support the project in an outstanding future application for NIH or other external funding.
We have high interest in new and innovative generalizable solutions for common and persistent challenges in the conduct and outcomes of translational research through development of new methods, approaches, platforms, or tools that
- Increase efficiency
- Accelerate progress
- Improve rigor and reproducibility
- Increase the depth of impact
- Extend the reach of impact.
See https://ncats.nih.gov/about/about-translational-science/principles for details.
Eligible Investigators
Eligible Investigators
Applications are investigator-initiated grants with partners as co-investigators or subcontractors. Faculty members at ITHS Partner Institutions, including the University of Washington, Fred Hutch, Seattle Children’s, and other collaborating institutions affiliated with ITHS in the WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) are eligible to apply for this pilot award. Collaborations may extend outside the WWAMI region; however, funds may not be transferred outside the United States. ITHS-funded faculty (those who receive salary or stipends from ITHS) and staff members are ineligible to apply. An acting faculty member or instructor is eligible to apply only if the Department head provides a letter supporting the applicant’s eligibility to serve as a PI.
All Investigators on the research team must be ITHS Members to apply. To become a member, please complete the ITHS Membership Form.
Application Process
Application Process
A. Letter of Intent
The letter of intent form must be submitted through the ITHS website before submission of the application. The form includes information on the applicant and any Co-Investigators, project title, and abstract addressing the 6 questions (up to 200 words each). Investigators who are invited to submit a full application will receive notice within 3 weeks of the letter of intent deadline.
Application
The application must be submitted through the ITHS website.
Applications will follow National Institutes of Health (NIH) formatting guidelines (see FAQ) and include:
138 KB1) Cover Page2) Abstract (250 word maximum)
3) Research Plan, 2-pages (references do not count toward page limit)
4) Partnership Plan, 1-page description of the collaboration including an explanation of the respective roles of the partners and the synergy brought about by the partnership
3) Research Plan, 2-pages (references do not count toward page limit)
4) Partnership Plan, 1-page description of the collaboration including an explanation of the respective roles of the partners and the synergy brought about by the partnership
5) Potential use of ITHS in-kind resources and training opportunities
6) Generalizable Solutions, up to 1-page description if applicable (see Guidelines)
7) Translational Benefits Checklist
8) Human Subjects, if applicable
57 KB9) Project Timeline – 1-page
10) Budget and Budget Justification29 KB10a) Budget 37 KB10b) Budget Justification
11) Letter(s) of Support – If you are an instructor or acting faculty member, you will also need to include a letter supporting your eligibility to serve as PI from your Department head (or equivalent).
28 KB12) NIH format Biosketches for all investigators (senior/key personnel)
Not included in the above document:
Suggested Reviewers – You will also be asked to provide five suggested reviewers, including the following information for each: 1) Name, 2) Title, 3) Institution/Organization, and 4) Email Address. Reviewers are not required to be within the University of Washington.
A general note about conflict of interest: Reviewers have a conflict of interest if they are the applicant’s mentor, department chair, spouse, or close relative; or if they currently work together on manuscripts, grants, or business ventures. Simply being in the same department or division is not, in and of itself, a conflict of interest.
C. Timeline
- Letter of Intent Deadline – 11:59pm July 10, 2023
- Notice of Invitation to Apply – By July 31, 2023
- Application Deadline – 11:59pm September 1, 2023
- Awardees Notified – Early December 2023
- Period of Performance – March 1, 2024 – February 28, 2025
ITHS is funded through a CTSA grant from NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). NCATS requires the review and approval of all pilot grants involving human subjects research before funds are released. Therefore, if your proposal is awarded funding and involves human subjects research, additional documentation will be required. NCATS review and IRB review can be concurrent, but final NCATS approval is contingent upon IRB approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Collaboration Innovation Awards
Are there any restrictions on indirect costs applied to these awards?
Applicant institutions must use a rate no higher than the approved, federally recognized indirect cost rate negotiated between the applicant institution and the federal government. ITHS would like to maximize funds to directly support the investigator’s research and encourages investigators to work with their Office of Sponsored Programs to obtain a waiver to reduce indirect costs on the project.
The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s have agreed to consider requests for indirect cost waivers for ITHS pilot awards from their faculty.
- ITHS members whose research program is based at Fred Hutch, who wish to apply for ITHS pilot awards are required to go through the standard institutional procedure for requesting a waiver of facilities and administrative (F&A) costs, as described here: http://centernet.fhcrc.org/CN/depts/osr/policies/forgonefaa/
- ITHS members whose research program is based at Seattle Children’s, who wish to apply for ITHS pilot awards are required to go through the standard institutional procedure for requesting a waiver of facilities and administrative (F&A) costs, as described here: http://www.seattlechildrens.org/pdf/RIA-410.pdf
No, this is an internal grant and does not need to be routed through OSP and does not require an eGC1.
Do figures and references count toward the 2-page Research Plan limit?
Figures DO count toward the 2-page limit but references can be in addition to the 2-page Research Plan.
Are there any formatting requirements?
Applications will follow National Institutes of Health (NIH) formatting guidelines (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/format-attachments.htm), including the following:
Font (size, color, type density) and Line Spacing
- Font size: must be 11 points or larger (smaller text in figures, graphs, diagrams and charts is acceptable as long as it is legible when the page is viewed at 100%).
- Type density: must be no more than 15 characters per linear inch (including characters and spaces)
- Line spacing: must be no more than six lines per vertical inch.
- Text color: must be black (color text in figures, graphs, diagrams, charts, tables, footnotes and headings is acceptable).
- We recommended the following fonts, although other fonts (both serif and non-serif) are acceptable if they meet the above requirements:
- Arial
- Garamond
- Georgia
- Helvetica
- Palatino Linotype
- Times New Roman
- Verdana
Citations
- We do not require a specific citation format.
Paper Size and Margins
- Use paper size no larger than standard letter paper size (8 ½” x 11”).
- Provide at least one-half inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right) for all pages. No applicant-supplied information can appear in the margins.
No, only faculty-level investigators are eligible to apply as the main or Contact PI.
Can non-faculty apply as a Co-PI or Co-I?
Yes, however the main or Contact PI must be a faculty member at an academic institution.
ITHS requires the applicant to designate one of the PD/PI(s) as the Contact PD/PI. This person is responsible for communication between the PD/PIs and ITHS, but has no special authorities or responsibilities within the project team. In many ways, a contact PD/PI is analogous to a corresponding author on a publication. The Contact PD/PI must serve as a member of the PD/PI team and must meet all eligibility requirements for PD/PI status. In those projects where there is an identified project coordinator, the coordinator could serve as Contact PD/PI or that role could be assigned to another PD/PI. It will be possible, and may even be desirable, for the grantee institution to periodically designate a change in Contact PD/PI. For example, it may be desirable to rotate the role of Contact PD/PI among the multiple PD/PIs on an annual basis at the time of grant renewal. Note that the Contact PD/PI must be associated with the applicant/awarde institution.
Can both PIs be from the same division or department?
Yes, both PIs can come from the same department. However, special attention to the spirit of the award will need to be addressed.
Are supplemental documents allowed?
No, supplemental documents are not allowed.
ITHS will follow NIH Policy: Each PD/PI must have measurable effort (greater than zero), and the level of effort must be adequate to achieve the proposed goals. The PD/PI and other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they receive salaries or compensation under the grant. Typically these individuals have doctoral or other professional degrees, although individuals at the masters or baccalaureate level may be considered senior/key personnel if their involvement meets this definition. Consultants and those with a postdoctoral role also may be considered senior/key personnel if they meet this definition. Senior/key personnel must devote measurable effort to the project whether or not salaries or compensation are requested. “Zero percent” effort or “as needed” are not acceptable levels of involvement for those designated as Senior/Key Personnel.
Can there be more than 2 Co-PIs or Multiple PIs?
Yes, you may have more than 2 PIs, however 1 person will be identified as the Contact PI for administrative purposes.
Can a community or industry partner be my collaborator?
Yes, but the main, or Contact PI must be a faculty member at an academic institution.
Could an investigator apply for this program with a pending faculty appointment?
Pilot recipients must be a faculty member at an academic institution by July 1, before the period of performance. For example, if the period of performance is March 2022-February 2023, the appointment must be by July 1, 2021.
I have previously been awarded funds by the ITHS. Am I still eligible to receive this award?
Yes, previous ITHS awardees are eligible to receive additional funding.
Does the NIH cap apply to this application?
Yes, these funds come from the NIH through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and so the NIH cap does apply.
Can the awards be dispersed prior to IRB/IACUC approval to aid the application process?
No, funds cannot be dispersed until IRB/IACUC approval is confirmed.
Contact Us
For information regarding this pilot program, contact:
Lindsie Boerger
Project Manager
Institute of Translational Health Sciences
850 Republican Street, Box 358051, Seattle, WA 98109
lboerger@uw.edu / www.iths.org
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