Aging Research (93.866)
Program
93.866 Aging Research
Federal Agency
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: National Institutes of Health
Authorization
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part C, Section 444,445,445 A-F, Public Law 99-158, 42 U.S.C 285; Small Business Research and Development Enhancement Act of 1992, Public Law 102-564; Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part F, Section 487, Public Law 100-607, 42 U.S.C 288; Public Health Service Act, Title III, Part A, Section 301, Public Law 78-410, 42 U.S.C 241.
Program Number
93.866
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To encourage biomedical, social, and behavioral research and research training directed toward greater understanding of the aging process and the diseases, special problems, and needs of people as they age. The National Institute on Aging has established programs to pursue these goals. The Division of Aging Biology emphasizes understanding the basic biological processes of aging. The Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology supports research to improve the abilities of health care practitioners to respond to the diseases and other clinical problems of older people. The Division of Behavioral and Social Research supports research that will lead to greater understanding of the social, cultural, economic and psychological factors that affect both the process of growing old and the place of older people in society. The Division of Neuroscience fosters research concerned with the age-related changes in the nervous system as well as the related sensory, perceptual, and cognitive processes associated with aging and has a special emphasis on Alzheimer's disease. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program: To expand and improve the SBIR program; to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development; to increase small business participation in Federal research and development; and to foster and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in technological innovation. Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program: To stimulate and foster scientific and technological innovation through cooperative research development carried out between small business concerns and research institutions; to foster technology transfer between small business concerns and research institutions; to increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal research and development; and to foster and encourage participation of socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and women-owned small business concerns in technological innovation.
Types of Assistance
PROJECT GRANTS
Uses and Use Restrictions
Research grants are intended to support the direct costs of a project in accordance with an approved budget, plus an appropriate amount for facilities and administrative costs. Grantees must agree to administer the grant in accordance with the regulations and policies governing the research grants program of the Public Health Service. National Research Service Awards (NRSA) (Individual) are made directly to approved applicants for research training in specified biomedical shortage areas. In addition, National Research Service Awards (Institutional) may be made to institutions to enable them to make NRSAs to individuals selected by them. Each individual who receives a postdoctoral NRSA is obligated, upon termination of the award, to comply with certain service and payback provisions. Regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations and 42 CFR, Part 66. SBIR Phase I grants (of approximately 6 months' duration) are to establish the technical merit and feasibility of a proposed research effort that may lead to a commercial product or process. SBIR Phase II grants are for the continuation of the research initiated in Phase I and that are likely to result in commercial products or processes. Only Phase I awardees are eligible to apply for Phase II support. STTR Phase I grants (normally of 1- year duration) are to determine the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of the proposed cooperative effort that has potential for commercial application. Phase II funding is based on results of research initiated in Phase I and scientific and technical merit and commercial potential on Phase II application.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Grants: Universities, colleges, medical, dental and nursing schools, schools of public health, laboratories, hospitals, State and local health departments, other public or private institutions (both for-profit and nonprofit), and individuals. National Research Service Award: Individual NRSAs may be made for postdoctoral training to applicants who hold a professional or scientific degree (M.D., Ph.D., D.D.S., D.O., D.V.M., Sc.D., D.Eng., or equivalent domestic or foreign degree) or for predoctoral training to applicants registered for doctoral research training. Institutional NRSAs may be made for both predoctoral and postdoctoral research training. Predoctoral awardees must have a baccalaureate degree. Applicants must be citizens of the United States or admitted for permanent residency. Individual NRSA awardees must be nominated and sponsored by a public or private nonprofit institution having staff and facilities suitable to the proposed research training. Nonprofit domestic organizations may apply for the Institutional NRSA. SBIR grants can be awarded only to domestic small businesses (entities that are independently owned and operated for profit, are not dominant in the field in which research is proposed, and have no more than 500 employees). Primary employment (more than one-half time) of the principal investigator must be with the small business at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed project. In both Phase I and Phase II, the research must be performed in the U.S. or its possessions. STTR grants can be awarded only to domestic small business concerns (entities that are independently owned and operated for profit, are not dominant in the field in which research is proposed and have no more that 500 employees) which "partner" with a research institution in cooperative research and development. At least 40 percent of the project is to be performed by the small business concern and at least 30 percent by the research institution. In both Phase I and Phase II, the research must be performed in the U.S. and its possessions. To be eligible for funding, a grant application other than a fellowship must be assessed for scientific merit by a scientific review group and receive approval from a national advisory council.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Any nonprofit or for-profit organization, company, or institution engaged in biomedical research.
Credentials/Documentation
The grants application submission process is currently in transition from a paper-based to an electronic format. A current transition-to-electronic-submission timeline for all grant mechanisms in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Extramural Research Program timeline can be obtained from this site: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. For grant programs still requiring submission of paper applications, the standard application forms, as furnished by the Public Health Service (PHS)and required by 45 CFR Part 92 for State and local governments, must be used. Consultation from institute staff is available for all grant progams. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Internet Web sites of the 27 institutes and centers at the NIH to obtain contact information for program staff. Applicants for multi-project awards are strongly encouraged to consult program staff before applying. Applicants may obtain forms and instructions for application preparation and submission at the following Internet Web site: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm When completed these applications should be submitted to the Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. Applications are reviewed for scientific merit, evaluation of applicant qualifications, adequacy of the research environment, and significance of the proposed problem to be studied. The application form and instructions for the preparation and submission of applications to the National Research Service Awards Research Training Grants and Fellowships (NRSA) Program, PHS Form 416-1, can be obtained from the following URL (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/416/phs416.htm). Prior to making formal application to the NRSA programs, individual NRSA applicants must be nominated and sponsored by a Federal, public or nonprofit institution having staff and facilities appropriate to the proposed research training program. Information concerning current areas of science being supported by those institutes participating in the NRSA Program at the NIH is available on the individual institute Web sites. A complete list of institutes at NIH is available at: http://www.nih.gov/icd. In addition, information about each institute's NRSA research topics and information about the NRSA Program can be obtained from the Division of Extramural Outreach and Information Resources, (see address above). The NRSA program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR Part 92 for State and local governments and OMB Circular No. A-110 for nonprofit organizations. The annual NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)-Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Omnibus Solicitation and SBIR-STTR Contract Solicitation may be obtained electronically by accessing the following URL: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm. The solicitations include application preparation and submission guidelines and instructions, information about review considerations, and Internet hyperlinks to the SBIR-STTR application and/or or contract proposal forms. Applications to NIH's SBIR-STTR Programs must be submitted electronically through the U.S. Federal Government's Internet Web site, Grants.gov: www.grants.gov. Submission of SBIR-STTR applications through Grants.gov requires pre-registration, which typically takes 2-4 weeks to complete. Information about registration to submit applications through Grants.gov can be found at: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm. Applicants are encouraged to read and refer to the extensive information on electronic submission of grant applications on the NIH Electronic Submission of Grants Applications Internet Web site at: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt.
Award Procedure
Grants and Institutional NRSAs: Each application receives an initial scientific review by non-NIH scientists and a secondary review by the National Advisory Council on Aging. Individual NRSAs do not receive a secondary review by the National Advisory Council on Aging. Awards are issued by the NIA to the grantee institution. All accepted SBIR/STTR applications are evaluated for scientific and technical merit by an appropriate scientific peer review panel and by a national advisory council or board. All applications receiving a priority score compete for available SBIR/STTR set-aside funds on the basis of scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the proposed research, program relevance, and program balance among the areas of research.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Grants: From 6 to 9 months. National Research Service Awards: From 6 to 9 months. SBIR/STTR: About 7-1/2 months.
Appeals
From 30 to 60 days. A principal investigator may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff of the Institute.
Renewals
> 180 Days. Grants: Renewal applications are accepted for most programs. Most individual NIH postdoctoral fellowship support is for no more than 3 years. Most individual predoctoral support is for no more than five years. Exploratory/developmental grant awards and Small Grant awards may not be renewed.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements. None.
This program does not have MOE requirements. None.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Grant Awards are usually made annually and usually with project periods not to exceed 5 years in length. National Research Service Awards: Institutional awards may be made for up to 5 years, and individual awards may be made for as many as 3 years. SBIR: Normally, Phase I awards are for 6 months; normally, Phase II awards are for 2 years. STTR: Normally, Phase I awards are for 1 year; normally, Phase II awards are for 2 years. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. Grants: Annual progress reports and reports of expenditures are required. National Research Service Awards: Institutional awards require that a statement of appointment for each trainee selected by the Program Director be submitted to the NIA for each year of training. Reports are required after termination of the awards to ascertain compliance with the service and payback provisions for each institutionally selected trainee. Individual awards require reports upon award expiration to determine compliance with the service and payback provisions. Grants: Annual progress reports and reports of expenditures are required. National Research Service Awards: Institutional awards require that a statement of appointment for each trainee selected by the Program Director be submitted to the NIA for each year of training. Reports are required after termination of the awards to ascertain compliance with the service and payback provisions for each institutionally selected trainee. Individual awards require reports upon award expiration to determine compliance with the service and payback provisions. No performance monitoring is required.
Audits
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-133. In accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend $500,000 or more in a year in Federal awards shall have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133, but records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO).
In accordance with 45 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 74.26, for-profit (commercial) organizations are subject to audit requirements for a non-Federal audit if, during it s fiscal year, it expended $500,000 or more under HHS awards and at least one award is a HHS grant or subgrant. The regulation incorporates the thresholds and deadlines of OMB Circular No. A-133, but provides for profit organizations with two options for the type of audit that will satisfy the audit requirement:
1.a financial related audit of the HHS awards in accordance with Government Auditing Standards, or
2.an audit that meets the requirements of OMB Circular No. A-133.
In accordance with NIH grants policy, Foreign grantees are subject to the same audit requirements as for-profit (commercial) organizations.
Records
Grantees generally must retain financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records that are required by the terms of a grant, or may reasonably be considered pertinent to a grant, for a period of 3 years from the date the annual FSR is submitted. For awards under SNAP (other than those to foreign organizations and Federal institutions), the 3-year retention period will be calculated from the date the FSR for the entire competitive segment is submitted. Those grantees must retain the records pertinent to the entire competitive segment for 3 years from the date the FSR is submitted to NIH. Foreign organizations and Federal institutions must retain records for 3 years from the date of submission of the annual FSR to NIH. See 45 CFR 74.53 and 92.42 for exceptions and qualifications to the 3-year retention requirement (e.g., if any litigation, claim, financial management review, or audit is started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims, or audit findings involving the records have been resolved and final action taken). Those sections also specify the retention period for other types of grant-related records, including F&A cost proposals and property records. See 45 CFR 74.48 and 92.36 for record retention and access requirements for contracts under grants.
In accordance with 45 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 74.53(e), the HHS Inspector General, the U.S. Comptroller General, or any of their duly authorized representatives have the right of timely and unrestricted access to any books, documents, papers, or other records of recipients that are pertinent to awards in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, transcripts, and copies of such documents. This right also includes timely and reasonable access to a recipient’s personnel for the purpose of interview and discussion related to such documents. The rights of access are not limited to the required retention period, but shall last as long as records are retained.
Program Accomplishments
Not Applicable.
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-0843-0-1-552.
Obligations
(Salaries) FY 08 $829,825,000; FY 09 est $828,635,000; FY 10 est $829,936,000. (Salaries) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $149,279,326; FY 10 est $124,024,674
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Awards vary in range depending on the particular activity codes. Individual fellowships range from $38,000 to $51,000 and average about $42,000. Research grants have much larger ranges - from $75,000 to several million dollars. Average costs of research grants are around $400,000. All costs are shown on a single year basis. Awards may be for up to five years.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Not Applicable.
Related Programs
Not Applicable.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
Robin A. Barr Division of Extramural Activities, National Institute on Aging
7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Room 2C218, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 Email: rb42h@nih.gov Phone: 3014969322 Fax: 3014022945
Web Site Address
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2008: 1) Studies of the cellular processes that may lead to impaired immune function in older people; (2) longitudinal studies of health, functional status, and health care expenditures in older Americans; (3) studies to identify "longevity assurance" genes in various animal models; (4) studies to identify genes associated with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological diseases and conditions; (5) a major multi-center clinical studies of treatments of cognitive impairment and behavioral disorders associated with Alzheimer's disease; (6) a study that is developing improved diagnostic methods for the detection of Alzheimer's disease; (7) studies of the consequences of natural and man-made disasters on vulnerable groups; (8) a multi-site study of the biological and psychosocial aspects of menopause and subsequent health status of study participants; (9) a program of interdisciplinary care planning, family support, and activity for patients with moderate dementia; (10) studies of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical aspects of anemia in the elderly; (11) a community-based, epidemiological study for evaluating health disparities in socioeconomically and racially diverse populations in a major metropolitan area. Fiscal Year 2009: 1) Studies of the cellular processes that may lead to impaired immune function in older people; (2) longitudinal studies of health, functional status, and health care expenditures in older Americans; (3) studies to identify "longevity assurance" genes in various animal models; (4) studies to identify genes associated with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological diseases and conditions; (5) a major multi-center clinical studies of treatments of cognitive impairment and behavioral disorders associated with Alzheimer's disease; (6) a study that is developing improved diagnostic methods for the detection of Alzheimer's disease; (7) studies of the consequences of natural and man-made disasters on vulnerable groups; (8) a multi-site study of the biological and psychosocial aspects of menopause and subsequent health status of study participants; (9) a program of interdisciplinary care planning, family support, and activity for patients with moderate dementia; (10) studies of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical aspects of anemia in the elderly; (11) a community-based, epidemiological study for evaluating health disparities in socioeconomically and racially diverse populations in a major metropolitan area. Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
The major elements in evaluating proposals include assessments of: the scientific merit and general significance of the proposed study and its objectives; the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project; and the relevance and importance to announced program objectives. The following criteria will be used in considering the scientific and technical merit of SBIR/STTR Phase I grant applications: (1) The soundness and technical merit of the proposed approach; (2) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (3) the technological innovation of the proposed research; (4) the potential of the proposed research for commercial application; (5) the appropriateness of the budget requested; (6) the adequacy and suitability of the facilities and research; and (7) where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for (a) safeguarding human or animal subjects, and/or (b) protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment. Phase II grant applications will be reviewed based upon the following criteria: (1) The degree to which the Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; (2) the scientific and technical merit of the proposed approach for achieving the Phase II objectives; (3) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (4) the technological innovation, originality, or societal importance of the proposed research; (5) the potential of the proposed research for commercial application; (6) the reasonableness of the budget requested for the work proposed; (7) the adequacy and suitability of the facilities and research environment; and (8) where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for (a) safeguarding human or animal subjects, and/or (b) protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment.
