Types of Federal Applications
(source: NIH Grants Policy Statement)
The following describes the most frequently used types of applications in the NIH grants process
and the prefixes NIH uses to distinguish them. With the exception of the "noncompeting continuation application," all of the application types listed below are considered "competing," since they must compete through the peer review process for available
funding with other applications submitted.
New Application (Type 1): A request for financial assistance for a project or activity that is not currently receiving NIH support and must compete for support.
Renewal/Competing Continuation Application (Type 2):
A request for funding to renew, by one or more additional budget periods, a project period that would otherwise expire.
Revision/Competing Supplemental Application (Type 3): A request for an increase in support in a current
budget period for expansion of the project's approved scope or research protocol. The request may specify budgetary changes required for the remainder of the project period as well as for the current budget period.
Re-submission/Revised (Amended) Application:
An unfunded application that the applicant has modified following initial review and resubmitted for consideration. NIH allows a maximum of two revised applications in the 2-year period dating from submission of the original, unamended application.
Noncompeting Continuation Application (Type 5): A request for funding for the second or subsequent budget period within an approved project period.
Requests for Proposals (RFP): A request for proposal
will result in a federal contract unlike the other types listed above.
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): A Grants.gov notice of a federal grant funding opportunity. FOAs can be Program Announcements (PAs) or Request
For Applications (RFA).
Forms for Competing Applications
| Application Title | Form Number | Use |
| Application for a Public Health Services Grant | PHS-398 | New, revised, competing continuation, and competing supplemental research project grants and cooperative agreements (other than those under the SBIR and STTR programs), program projects, centers, career development awards, Institutional National Research Service Awards (training grants), and conference grants |
| Application for Public Health Service Individual National Research Service Award | PHS-416-1 | Competing applications for fellowships |
| PHS-416-9 | Continuation applications for fellowships | |
| Public Health Service Grant Application for Use by State and Local Government Applicants and Nongovernmental Applicants for Health Services Projects | PHS-5161-1 including Standard Form (SF) 424, with budget and assurances applicable to non-construction (424-A and 424-B) or construction (424-C and 424-D) | State, local, and Indian tribal government applicants for all types of grants, and nongovernmental applicants for construction grants |
| Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Grant Applications | Grants.gov | |
| Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Grant Applications | Grants.gov |