Complete Your Application
Sections on this page:
- Use the specific application package and instructions linked to each FOA. Note that each FOA can have different instructions and forms.
- Each solicitation must have a Funding Opportunity Number (FON) - check your agency website for general numbers for investigator-initiated or "unsolicited" or "investigator-initiated" proposals. Additional information is on our "unsolicited proposals" page.
- Review the funding opportunity (solicitation), instructions and the application package. Note that many large sponsors have "general Grants.gov" instructions, and some sponsors create special instructions for each application. Be familiar with the instructions of the sponsors you submit to so your application will be completed properly. Crucial information can be buried in the instructions!
- DO NOT reuse grant application packages, even if all the information is the same! Download a fresh copy each time you apply. Sample application packages cannot be used to apply to any funding opportunity announcements (FOA). (Note: any PDF attachments that have not changed can be reused for other applications)
- Once downloaded, an application is completed off-line on a personal computer, and then routed to your Institutional Representative via eSubmit for electronic submission to Grants.gov. Note that eSubmit can also be used as a file-sharing mechanism. Do not click the "Submit" button on your application - your Institutional Rep is authorized to do this.
Stanford has online resources available to you:
| NAVIGATING THE APPLICATION PACKAGE |
General Information/Tips for the Application Package
The Grant Application Package is one electronic file (opened using Adobe Reader). It is on a local computer, not on a sponsor's server, so only one person may open and work on the file at a time.
Print a copy of a sample "Grant Application Package" and review some of the common forms!
Agencies "construct" application packages for each Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) using different forms. Forms have data fields as well as sections for attachments.
Fields required by Grants.gov are highlighted in yellow and an "*"; they must be completed. Sponsors may require additional fields to be completed, but they are not highlighted on the forms. Be sure to read all instructions provided by the sponsor!
- These fields must be completed, even if it means entering a "0" or "NA" in the field. Note: When editing, be careful to not leave highlighted mandatory fields blank.
- When you type over a highlighted field, the highlight will disappear. However if you delete what you typed when editing, the highlighting will not reappear.
- Some mandatory fields are completed only when you upload an attachment. Follow the agency-specific instructions for the required information. The field will show the filename of the uploaded information. Use file names that describe the material; do not include empty spaces in the file name (use underscoring if there are spaces to the file name; e.g.: file_name).
Each time you save the file, you will be prompted to either rename it or overwrite it. You can choose to do either, but note if you rename the file, be sure to have a good naming convention for version control. Share that naming convention with anyone you send the file to so they can use it too.
Grant Application Header Page
The Grant Application Header Page is the first page viewed each time the file is opened. It is the central point from which you will navigate through to complete all forms.
Information on This Page
- The top section is pre-populated from the funding opportunity announcement (FOA). It cannot be changed. Confirm the Opportunity Number on Header Page matches FOA to which you are responding.
- An Application Filing Name must be entered; there is only room for 40 characters.
(Best Practice: Enter the PI name - also check instructions, some sponsors will have you add a program number as well.)
- Mandatory and Optional Documents (i.e.: Forms)
- To open a form, click on the name, then click the [open form] button (can’t double click).
- As forms are completed, select the [close form] button to return to the Header Page, then save (by clicking the [save] button).
Mandatory Documents
- These forms must all be complete before submitting the application package to Grants.gov
- Form names cannot be "double-clicked” to open - select them then click the ==> to move them to the "Mandatory Documents for Completion" column, then click the [Open Form] button
Optional Documents
- May be required by the sponsor, or may really be optional.
Examples:
- If a subaward will be issued on this grant, the Subaward Budget Attachment Form is required; if no subaward is issued, then the form is not necessary
- NIH may post the Modular Budget Form under “Optional Documents” but the solicitation may require it to be used
- ALWAYS check the solicitation for form requirements!
- If Optional Documents are completed, be sure to move them to the “Optional Completed Documents for Submission” column (see image below)
Sponsors will create application packages using different forms. There are hundreds of forms available for their use in Grants.gov.
- Each application package will generally contain 2-12 forms (at a minimum, an SF424 will be required)
- Some forms are required and some are optional
- Forms have data fields as well as sections for attachments (Many sponsors require attachments to be PDF; we recommend it as a best practice)
SF424 - The Cover Page
One form that every grant application will contain is a version of the SF424 form. This is similar to the face page (cover page) of an application. The SF424
provides application-specific information about the application (type, title, etc.), Stanford University, the PI and the Institutional Rep.
This for must be completed first; Information from this form is used to pre-populate most other forms in the package.
Several versions of the SF424 form exist in Grants.gov – at Stanford we will primarily use the SF424RR (research and research-related), and the Standard SF424.
Instructions stating which form to use will be downloaded each time a grant application is submitted. Always use the forms contained in the FOA Application Package.
The following sample information is not a substitute for reviewing the application instructions. Always review both the instructions and the program announcement/solicitation for the correct information!
- Completing the SF424 R&R
- Completing the Standard SF424 may be called "Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)"
Print each page as you complete it using the [print button] at the top of each page. There is no "print complete package" or "print form" for multiple forms.
NIH applications have some distinct differences; check these tips.
General "Stanford" information will be entered on the SF424 form:
-
Applicant Organization Name: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
- Stanford’s DUNS number: Stanford already has an assigned Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number. Stanford's DUNS number (required for every SF 424 and SF 424RR) is: 009214214 (Grants.gov will add 4 zeros)
- Tax ID Number:: 941156365 for all applications except those for DHHS agencies (NIH, CDC, FDA, etc. which use 1941156365A1
- Additionally, you can find Stanford Institutional Information on the "Institutional Facts" page.
Research and Related Budget
- Line items in the budget, must be rounded to the nearest whole dollar amount. (Do not use commas, decimal points or cents.)
- Sections A and B: effort is reflected by person-months not % effort. To calculate person-months, multiply the percentage of effort by the number of months of the appointment.
- Section H: indicates indirect costs as “F&A” followed by the base, e.g.,“MTDC”, “TDC”, etc.
- Section H: the Cognizant Agency : Office of Naval Research.
- You MUST upload a PDF budget justification before you can access an additional budget period.
If the budget justification is not ready, upload a draft document so you can proceed to another budget period; but don’t forget to upload the final justification before routing for submission!
- Data for each budget period must be entered separately (data from one period does not automatically populate the same fields in the next period).
- Grants.gov will automatically create the cumulative budget. You will receive an error message if the cumulative budget does not match the amount you listed on box16.
Note: Be sure to save frequently!
- When all the pages within a form are completed, select the “Close Form” button to close it.
- Then, click the “save” button on the Grant Application Package page.
- Once all forms are completed, and the application is saved, select the “Review Package for Errors” button. This will identify all mandatory fields that have not been completed.
- Documents uploaded must be formatted in accordance with the agency's specifications and relevant program instructions (font size/type; margins; page limitations, etc.).
- Most sponsors request attachments to be in PDF format; we recommend it as a best practice. It is the responsibility of the department to coordinate conversion to PDF.
- Continue to complete all the necessary forms in the application package. When all mandatory elements of the grant application have been completed, the "Submit" button at the top left corner of the page becomes active. DO NOT click this button.
- The Print Button on the Grant Application Package page does not print a complete, clean copy of the application! The result is lots of wasted paper printed with meaningless data.
It is best to print each page as you complete it. Use the print button at the top of each page.
- Attachments do not print automatically. You must first open an attachment for viewing, then print.
- It takes TIME to print an application.
