Eligibility

All full-time faculty in Nevada are eligible to apply. Applicants cannot concurrently hold a COBRE, INBRE or CTR-IN award. Applicants should not be a PI on a COBRE component.

Use of Funds, Budget, and Allowed Expenses

Up to $25,000 may be requested. A budget justification should also state a commitment of at least 25% effort for the PI, although no salary is allowed for PIs. Expected uses are for laboratory staff, supplies, and use of the GAA core and other services.

Content and Format

A complete application has a Biosketch conforming to NIH forms, NIH- style Specific Aims page, budget justification, and grant review (if the grant was previously submitted). The Specific Aims page should be for the proposal planned for submission to a federal agency and the pilot grant should focus on data to make the proposal more competitive. If an application is accepted for funding, other NIH forms will be required.

Expectations of Awardees

Awardees are expected to abide by NIH rules and policy, commit at least 25% effort, and submit a grant application to a federal agency within six months of award completion. Awardees will be mentored actively by the COBRE center and external advisory board. Awardees will be required to complete surveys, present progress on their project, regularly attend COBRE weekly meetings, and complete a final progress report.

Review Criteria

An NIH-style panel and an external advisory board will review the grant proposals. Reviewers will consider each of the NIH review criteria. In addition, the mentoring potential and how the PI uses the GAA core will determine the scientific merit ranking and the overall impact score. PIs with grants that are reviewed favorably, but not funded, will be invited to submit in the next competition.