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QUICK REVIEW GUIDE
SMALL PROJECTS GRANTS
PURPOSE: Small grants are short-term awards in biomedical informatics and health information sciences to support
  • Pilot projects to test feasibility of a research idea
  • High risk/high payoff projects
  • Starter grants for new investigators
  • Data gathering in preparation for an R01 project
Preliminary data are not required. Formative evaluation and qualitative methodologies are acceptable.

In addition to standard biomedical informatics areas, desirable application areas include but are not limited to:
  • Health care delivery and clinical medicine
  • Public health & health services research
  • Human-computer interface Issues in health domains
  • Uses and effects of network-based health information
  • Computer-based teaching & learning
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT: R03. Up to $50,000 per year (direct costs) for up to two years. Support is provided for Facilities and Administration (F&A;) costs at the organization's negotiated rate. Modular budget.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: For-profit or non-profit organizations; Public or private institutions, such as universities, colleges, hospitals, and laboratories; Units of state and local government; Eligible agencies of the Federal government; Domestic or foreign. Both new and experienced investigators may apply

NIH REVIEW CRITERIA The usual NIH criteria apply: significance; approach; innovation; investigator; environment; protection for human subjects and confidential information; inclusion; data sharing plan; budget. However, the weight placed on innovation and significance should be tempered by recognition of the small grantÆs exploratory nature.

An application does NOT need to be strong in all categories to deserve a good priority score. A successful project might carry out important work that by its nature is not innovative but helps move a field forward through such activities as
  • gathering baseline information
  • eliminating a concept from further consideration
  • applying a known technology in a new area
  • applying a new technology in a familiar area
  • documenting relevant user preferences & behavior.
NLM REVIEW CRITERIA: applications should include the following elements
  • Statement of the problem and documentation of its significance
  • Rationale for the project and methodology
  • A detailed plan or schedule for accomplishing major milestones of the project
  • Description of the data gathering and analysis
  • Description of how the findings will be interpreted and applied
  • Implications for future research
  • Plan for dissemination of the findings to the target/peer community
  • Plans for providing privacy and security of health information.

Last updated: 30 March 2004
First published: 20 November 2003
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanence Not Guaranteed