Knowing when NIAID will begin funding your project is crucial for hiring support staff, arranging subcontracts, and even timing renewal applications. Thus, as you prepare an application, it helps to be able to determine your likely project start date.
Most notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs) list the application due date, peer review date, Advisory Council round, and earliest project start date in the “Key Dates” section of Part 1. Overview Information, which you can use for planning purposes.
For example, if your application for Advancing HIV Service Delivery Through Pharmacies and Pharmacists (R01, Clinical Trial Optional) is successful, you can plan for an earliest project start date of April 2025.
However, some other NOFOs simply say “standard dates apply,” so you’ll need to determine the cycle to which you’re applying—Cycle I, Cycle II, or Cycle III—by referencing the next due date listed at Standard Due Dates for competing applications. Based on when your application is due and which cycle it falls under, you can estimate an approximate project start date.
So, for instance, if you submitted an investigator-initiated renewal R01 application in June 2024, and assuming your application received a score within NIAID’s payline and there were no delays due to a bar to award or similar administrative issue, you could plan to receive your award and be able to start your project by April 2025.
The timeline from application submission to project start date is usually 10 to 12 months, however, it could take up to 20 months, as noted in Illustrated Application and Grant Timelines. Several variables can impact the timeline within a cycle, such as application type (e.g., new, renewal, or resubmission) and peer review outcome. We also aim to fund small business and HIV/AIDS-related applications on an expedited funding cycle.
Also, note that most notices of special interest (NOSIs) defer to the NOFO through which you apply for application deadlines and earliest project start dates.
Considerations for Preaward Funding
If your application falls within the published payline and you’re eagerly awaiting the Notice of Award to kickstart your project, seeking preaward spending approval from your institutional business office might be a useful option. This approval could cover expenses up to 90 days before the start date of the initial budget period of a new or renewal award, allowing you to begin work on your project sooner.
However, it’s essential to consider several factors before proceeding.
First, obtaining permission before spending is crucial, as your institution assumes responsibility for expenses in case the award is reduced or cannot be issued due to unresolved issues such as human subjects or animal welfare concerns. Refer to Pre-Award Costs in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. It’s important to understand that preaward funding is at the applicant’s risk and incurring preaward costs doesn’t obligate NIH to make the award or increase the approved budget if the awarded amount is insufficient to cover these costs.
Since preaward costs essentially involve borrowing against future support, they must not impede the project’s objectives or adversely affect its conduct within the approved timeframe. If your institution grants permission for preaward spending, you’re limited to incurring costs necessary for the project and consistent with the grant’s approved scope.
Learn more about overviews of timing from application to award on Timelines & Due Dates.