NIH Academic Research Enhancement
Award (AREA) Grants- R15
The Myth of NIH funding
Myth: The large government agencies like
NIH do not fund small institutions or
primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs).
 Reality: NIH has made commitments to
supporting research at institutions like PUIs
or institutions with little to no NIH support.

◦ NIH’s Academic Research Enhancement Award
(AREA) dedicated to this purpose.
What AREA grants support

AREA grants support small research projects in
the biomedical and behavioral sciences
conducted by faculty and students in health
professional schools, and other academic
components that have not been major recipients
of NIH research grant funds.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm
NIH AREA Program Goals
& Stockton

AREA
• To support meritorious research
• To strengthen the research environment of the institution
• To expose students to research

Stockton 2020 Student, Faculty and Stakeholder
Objective S1

Deliver high value-added learning experiences and
promote scholarly activity.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm
What AREA grants support
Pilot projects
Feasibility studies
Development, testing, and refinement of
research techniques
Secondary analysis of available data sets
Other small-scale, new or ongoing healthrelated research projects
AREA program research topics of particular interest to each
Institute/Center can be found at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area_grant_objectives.htm
Eligibility for NIH AREA (R15)

Health professional schools/colleges
◦ Public health
◦ Nursing
◦ Allied health (e.g., Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy,
Speech Pathology & Audiology)

Other academic components
◦ Biology
◦ Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
◦ Psychology

$6M per year limit of NIH funding (in 4 of last 7 years)
per entity where the PD/PI has an appointment
R15 Submission Dates
◦ Standard application deadlines:
 February 25
 June 25
 October 25
◦ AIDS-related research deadlines:
 January 7
 May 7
 September 7
AREA Success Rates
Number of
Number of
Fiscal Year
NIH Institutes/Centers
Applications
Applications Success Rate2 Total Funding3
Reviewed
Awarded
2009 NIA- Aging
28
7
25%
$1,217,819
2009 NIAID-Allergy & Infectious Disease
93
23
25%
$4,618,326
NIAMS-Arthritis &
2009 Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases
24
5
21%
$1,072,290
NCCAM-Complementary and
2009 Alternative Medicine
13
2
15%
$427,282
2009 NCI-Cancer
97
27
28%
$5,701,093
2009 NIDA-Drug Abuse
18
3
17%
$652,193
NIDCD-Deafness &
2009 Communication Disorders
15
4
27%
$835,644
NIDDK-Diabetes and Digestive
2009 and Kidney Diseases
39
6
15%
$1,302,839
NIEHS-Environmental Health
2009 Sciences
25
4
16%
$878,199
NICHD-Child Health &
2009 Development
91
13
14%
$2,820,959
2009 NHLBI-Heart, Lung, & Blood
45
15
33%
$3,218,488
2009 NIMH-Mental Health
25
5
20%
$1,048,500
2009 NINR-Nursing Research
29
5
17%
$1,103,974
NINDS-Neurology Disorders &
2009 Stroke
45
11
24%
$2,387,570
2009 FY TOTAL
805
178
22% $37,299,776
NIH RePORTER

Go to the NIH RePORTER website to query abstracts for
awarded institutions and projects.

Be sure to complete the Activity Code by selecting “R15
AREA” to isolate only AREA abstracts to your results.

You can also refine search to specific institutes/centers or put
a keyword into the term search field.
NIH RePORTER: Sample Search
R15 Fast Facts


Application downloaded from grants.gov
PI will need registration in eRA Commons
◦ Contact GO Office to set up Commons account
If submitting 2/25, earliest start date Dec.
 Direct cost limit- $300k (does not include
F&A/indirects)
 Project duration- 1-3 years
 Research Strategy section limit: 12 pages
 Cost-share is not required
 Letter of Intent is not required

Research Plan

Specific Aims is limited to 1 page.

Research Strategy, including tables, graphs, figures, diagrams, and charts, is
limited to 12 pages.

Given the reduction in page limit from 24 to 12, PI will likely have to reduce
the amount of space devoted to the methodology.
◦ Helpful Tip: Take advantage of the new feature of the Biographical
Sketch called the Personal Statement.
 Briefly describe why your experience and qualifications make you
particularly well-suited for your role (e.g., PD/PI, mentor,
participating faculty) in the project that is the subject of the
application. Sample available here:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/index.htm#format
Research Plan: Specific Aims

State concisely the goals of the proposed research and
summarize the expected outcome(s), including the
impact that the results of the proposed research will
exert on the research field(s) involved.

List succinctly the specific objectives of the research
proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel
design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing
paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier
to progress in the field, or develop new technology.
The Grants Office can provide a sample.

Research Plan: Research Strategy
The Research Strategy is organized to
discuss the following aspects of the
proposed project:
 Significance
 Innovation
 Approach

Other Project Information: Project Summary
Project Summary (Abstract)
 Succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when
separated from the application.
 State the application’s broad, long-term objectives and specific
aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project.
 Describe concisely the research design and methods for
achieving the stated goals.
 This section must be no longer than 30 lines of text.
 See handout for project summary samples from funded projects.
Other Project Information: Project Narrative
Project Narrative
 Using no more than two or three sentences, describe the
relevance of this research to public health.
 In this section, be succinct and use plain language that can be
understood by a general, lay audience.
See handout for project narrative samples from funded projects.
Other Project Information: Facilities and Other
Resources
• The Grants Office can offer support by providing some boiler
plate information about the Stockton facilities and resources and
can assist in preparing this section.
• Identify the facilities to be used and indicate their capacities,
pertinent capabilities, relative proximity and extent of availability
to the project.
• Discuss ways in which the proposed studies will benefit from
unique features of the scientific environment or subject
populations or will employ useful collaborative arrangements.
•Multiple performance sites- describe the resources available at
each site.
Other Project Information: Facilities &
Other Resources
AREA Impact Statement

This is an extra narrative section in which you describe the environment for
research and undergraduate mentorship on Stockton’s campus and in the
academic department.

This section comes right after the Facilities & Resources section and does not
count against the Research Plan page limit.

A good Impact Statement includes both institutional context and project
specific, discipline specific details.

Should be 3-5 pages

The Grants Office can provide a sample
and can assist in preparing the Impact Statement.
Other Project Information: Facilities &
Other Resources
AREA Impact Statement

A profile of the students of the school/academic component and any
information or estimate of the number who have obtained the baccalaureate
degree and gone on to obtain an academic or professional doctoral degree in
the health-related sciences during the last five years;

A description of the special characteristics of the school/academic
component that make it appropriate for an AREA award

A description of the likely IMPACT of an AREA award on the principal
investigator and the school/academic component. How will the AREA award
strengthen the research environment of the school/academic component? How
will the AREA award expose students to research?

A statement of institutional support for the proposed research project (e.g.,
release time, other support, matching funds, etc.).
Senior/Key Person Profile
Each PD/PI must be registered in the eRA Commons.
Contact the Grants Office to register!
 Provide a biographical sketch for all key Personnel.
Recommended info includes: Education and Training, Research
and Professional Experience, Collaborators and Affiliations,
Publications and Synergistic Activities

Biosketch template
NIH R15 Submission Resources

Program Announcement

Application Guide

Scientific & Grants Mgmt contacts by Institute

Review Criteria

Additional Resources & Tips

New Investigator Series Articles
Open Discussion/Questions?
Grants Office Contact Information
F-218
P.O. Box 195
Pomona, NJ 08240
Phone: (609) 652-4844
Fax: (609) 626-3467
grants@stockton.edu
www.stockton.edu/grantsoffice