The Six Steps of Applying for Grants Electronically

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has begun to move to receiving grant applications electronically. There are six steps in the electronic application process.

1. Prepare to Apply

   Applicant institutions and researchers must prepare for electronic submission, including determining their mode of submission and registering with Grants.gov.

   Go to: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/preparing.htm

2. Find Opportunity and Download Application Package

   Steps for finding grant funding opportunities, submitting applications, and tracking progress

   Go to: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/find_app.htm

   AHRQ's strategy for transitioning to electronic filing and a timetable for the effective dates of electronic filing for specific grant funding mechanisms.

   Go to: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/strategy_timeline.htm

3. Prepare Application

   Two versions of the application guides are available, corresponding to different versions of the SF 424 (R&R) forms.

   Go to: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/prepare_app.htm

   Grants.gov and NIH/AHRQ implementation plans for Version 2 of the SF424 (R&R) (NOT-OD-06-078).

4. Go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not-od-06-085.html

5. Submit Application to Grants.gov

   How to submit applications—rules, steps, notifications, and other information

   Go to: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/submit_app.htm

6. Check Submission Status in Commons

   Once an application has been submitted, Grants.gov and eRA Commons will send status notifications by E-mail. Grants.gov notifies the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) only. eRA Commons notifies the AOR/Signing Official (SO) and the Principal Investigator (PI).

   Go to: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/check_submission.htm

7. Check Assembled Application

   Once an application package has been successfully submitted through Grants.gov, any errors have been addressed, and the assembled application has been created in the eRA Commons, the PD/PI and AOR/SO have 2 business days to view the application image.

   Go to: http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/check_assembled_app.htm