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Frequently Asked Questions

ITHS › Frequently Asked Questions

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

University of Washington specific question: Does this award have to go through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)? Is an eGC1 required?

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.

Faculty members at any ITHS member institution are eligible to apply. Does this include Fellows, Post-Doctoral associates, and Research Scientists?

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.

What is a Contact PI?

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.

Do you expect the PI, Co-PI, or Senior/Key personnel to have a specific amount of effort committed in the form of salary?

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.

Research Innovation Awards

How could I find out whether my project is a good fit for this award?

All investigators considering whether to submit an application for this award are encouraged to contact Lindsie Boerger (see below). ITHS can provide referrals to possible collaborators and consultants who could assist with the development of your project.

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

University of Washington specific question: Does this award have to go through the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)? Is an eGC1 required?

No, this is an internal grant and does not need to be routed through OSP and does not require an eGC1.

Are supplemental documents allowed?

No, supplemental documents are not allowed.

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.

Do figures and references count toward the 6-page Research Plan limit?

Figures DO count toward the 6-page limit, but references can be in addition to the 6-page Research Plan.

Faculty members at any ITHS member institution are eligible to apply. Does this include Fellows, Post- Doctoral associates, and Research Scientists?

No, only faculty level investigators are eligible to apply.

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.

What is a Contact PI?

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.

Do you expect the PI or Co-PI to have a specific amount of effort committed in the form of salary?

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 funds be dispersed prior to IRB approval to aid the application process?

No, funds cannot be dispersed until IRB approval is confirmed. Applicants will have the opportunity to provide Just-in-Time approvals prior to the start date.

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.