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About OVCR ARRA
- OVCR ARRA Update
- Chicago, IL, United States
- The higher education research community has been presented with an unprecedented opportunity as part of the economic stimulus package. Based upon our current research profile, our campus is well positioned to benefit from this package. The OVCR is committed to assisting our faculty in developing and submitting proposals. On this website, you will find links to ARRA, federal agencies, and current news and updates. As more information becomes available, we will continue to update the website and our plans to further assist faculty. This website will be continually updated throughout the days and weeks ahead, so please be sure to visit it often. In order to insure that we have the most current information available, we seek your assistance. We know that each College may be receiving information specific to your disciplines. We ask that you forward this information to our office so that we may share with the campus. Please submit it to ovcrweb@uic.edu.
How many grants are exected to be funded and whats the likelihood of getting one. Are there any disadvantages to applying thrugh this mechanism?
ReplyDeleteNIH expects to fund 200 or more grants through the Challenge Grant initiative.
ReplyDeleteThe likelihood of funding would depend upon multiple variables including:
1) Geographic balance - NIH wants to distribute the awards geographically.
2) Number of applications submitted - ORS expects UIC to submit over 100 applications.
2) Challenge area selected - I think it is reasonable to assume an application may be more competitive if it falls within areas accorded "highest priority".
I am not aware of any disadvantages of applying through this mechanism.
There is one potential disadvantage. New investigators (new to NIH - no R01 funding) who receive challenge grants will no longer be considered New.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, they'll have 2 years of funding, and it's probably well worth it.
Can OVCR tell us how many applications UIC submitted for Challenge Grants on the 4/26 deadline? Are there any figures on how many applications NIH received in total?
ReplyDeleteUIC submitted 130 RC1 Challenge Grants. While we are not sure of the exact number that NIH has received overall, it looks to be upware of 20,000 submissions.
ReplyDeleteOn one of our Challege applications, a graduate assistant is listed on the budget. Is anyone aware of any policy against using ARRA funds for CURRENT employee salary? We understand that the ARRA grants encourage new employment. Thanks for any input.
ReplyDeleteI think what you are asking is whether the currently employed graduate assistant could be placed on this Challenge grant and paid from the grant if it is awarded. There are two distinct types of jobs reports that we are required to report for ARRA grants – job created or job retained. Per OMB Guidance memo dated 6/22/09, a job created is a new position created and filled or an existing unfilled position that is filled as a result of the Recovery Act. A job retained is an existing position that would not have been continued to be filled were it not for Recovery Act funding. If your GA position fits in the job retained category and if this grad assistant will be working directly to benefit the grant’s aims, then ARRA fund can be used to support the salary.
ReplyDeleteA PI in our dept expects to be awarded a Challenge grant and the PI is interested in hiring a lab tech, as listed in the budget, but from overseas. Is there any information regarding hiring internationals - whether it is or is NOT allowed? Also, anything against using Challenge funds for OIS fees? We've been searching through PAs but are unable to locate any info. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAre foreign scientists working at domestic institutions eligible to be Principal Investigators, Key Personnel, and/or other personnel supported by an ARRA Award?
ReplyDeleteYes, foreign nationals working in the US are eligible to work and be compensated with ARRA provided they are employed by a domestic institution and are in the country under valid visas. It is the grantee institutions responsibility to assure that an individuals visas will allow them to remain in this country long enough for them to be productive on the research project. NIH does not provide guidance on or assess the different types of visas. Grantee organizations are expected to have consistently applied policies in place to address this area.
There is a restriction in Section 1611 of ARRA that applies to institutions receiving Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds--primarily financial institutions. However, unless a NIH grantee also received TARP funds, this provision would not apply. Be reminded, that if ARRA funds are used support any NIH program that has a citizenship requirement (e.g., training and career programs); those programmatic requirements would also apply to the ARRA funding