NIH: Preparing for 2025 Application and Review Changes – Tips and Resources

Hopefully, you were already aware of these changes which include:

As you prepare applications for NIH January due dates and beyond, NIH thought they would provide just a few more updates, tips, and resources.

Updates

Application forms and funding opportunities

FORMS-I application packages are now available on many of our active funding opportunities, and we are on target to complete our posting effort by the end of November.

Due to the nature of some of the changes, we are reissuing many funding opportunities, including some parent announcements (e.g., research, institutional training, individual fellowship). Funding opportunities will be reissued no later than 30 days prior to their first FORMS-I due dates.

Application instructions

An advanced copy of the general FORMS-I application instructions in PDF format is now available on the How to Apply – Application Guide page.
The general instructions include the basic form and field instructions that apply to all applications and callouts with additional program-specific instructions.
NIH will have the html version of the general instructions and all our filtered views by program type posted by the end of November. But, since the filtered views are simply subsets of the information available in the general instructions, you already have access to all the instructions you need.

Training data tables

Advanced copies of the FORMS-I data tables are now accessible from our Data Tables page.
- NIH will post the full suite of data table documents filtered by application type by the end of November. In the meantime, you can use the consolidated document of tables and remove any tables that are not needed based on the guidance in the Introduction to Data Tables document.

Referee instructions for reference letters

Updated instructions are available on the NIH Reference Letters page.
- Since the updates are simply clarifications and have not changed the requirements, the updated instructions can be used at any time.

Carefully choose the correct form package based on the target due date and Competition ID.

You must use FORMS-I application packages for due dates on or after January 25, 2025.
You must use FORMS-H for due dates on or before January 24, 2025.
For a short transition period, you may find FORMS-H and FORMS-I versions of application packages or funding opportunities active at the same time. All FORMS-H application packages and opportunities will be closed by January 24, 2025, and shortly after, will no longer appear as options.
If you aren’t sure how to identify application package versions, check out Do I Have the Right Form Version For My Application?

Revisit your funding opportunity within 30 days of the due date to verify it has not been reissued.

ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, and many system-to-system solutions have data copy features that can move your application data from one application package and/or funding opportunity to another. If you take advantage of copy features, make sure you have followed all instructions applicable to your due date.