Resources for Researchers

All Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-Investigators (Co-Is) must meet all requirements prior to conducting research, as outlined in UMN's policy regarding PI requirements. Many of the trainings are available for free to UMN employees through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). 

• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Core - once
  • Needs to be completed once no later than 90 days from the date of a PI's initial appointment. Awarded funds cannot be released until RCR requirements are met. Available through CITI.
• Reporting of External Professional Activities (REPA) - once per year
  • This is required every year and may be done through UMN’s Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS).  On the EGMS main page, scroll to the bottom and click on the link.  The central Sponsored Projects Administration office gives PIs and Co-Is a grace period to complete their REPAs each year, but mid-March is usually when these must be completed.  Detailed instructions for completing your REPA are available here.
• Financial Conflicts of Interest Training (FCOI) - once every 4 years
  • FCOI training is required to be completed every four years.  This is monitored by the Office of Institutional Compliance.  Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) will not set up new awards until this has been completed.  More information about UMN’s conflict of interest policies is available. 
    **Note: faculty who are doing consulting work may also need to complete and the Requesting Approval for Outside Commitments and Consulting (ROC) form.
• Other Training Requirements
  • Other training may be required, depending on the type of research you are conducting. See also Human Research Education and Training and
    • HIPAA Privacy Training - once, but UMN sometimes requires additional trainings as content is updated
    • Information Security Awareness Training - once
    • Good Clinical Practice & Human Research Protections for Biomedical Study Teams - Basic Course - Refresher required every 3 years
    • Facility Access and Training for access to RAR animal facilities - once
    • Species-specific CITI training - Refresher required every 3 years
    • Hands-on species-specific handling training through RAR
    • Sponsor-specific trainings may be required, such as NIH, NSF, and USDA-NIFA

Grant Databases - For help with using grant databases, please contact your pre-award grants specialist.

• Pivot
  • Pivot is a comprehensive database of funding opportunities and collaborators across many disciplines. It enables searching for global funding opportunities.
• GrantForward
  • GrantForward is a funding opportunity database that was built by academics for researchers. They have a number of federal, state, foundation, and corporate sponsors. UMN does not have a subscription, but you can search for free.
• SPIN
  • SPIN is a database with federal, non-profit, and business & industry sponsors.  *Note: Must use VPN to access SPIN if you are off-campus
• Foundation Directory Online
  • Foundation Directory Online (FDO) has detailed profiles of over 80,000 U.S. foundations and a growing number of international ones. 

Federal

• NIH
  • To search NIH funding opportunities visit the NIH search page. On this page, you may filter by a specific NIH center or a funding mechanism (R01, R21, K01, K08, etc.). 
    NIH deadlines may be found on the funding announcements, but this list includes the major application due dates.
• DOD
  • For DOD grants you can search through Grants.gov, or by visiting the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) site. 

State

• State of Minnesota

Foundations/Non-Profits

• RADPN Database
• American Cancer Society
  • The American Cancer Society funds cancer-related research in their 6 research priority areas: etiology of cancer, obesity/healthy eating and active living (HEAL), screening and diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and health equity across the cancer continuum.
    • Research Scholar Grant - up to $215,000/yr in direct costs plus 10% indirect costs for up to 4 years of support. Investigators must be within their first 10 years of an independent career. Due June 1 and December 1.
    • Clinician Scientist Development Grant - up to $135,000/yr in direct costs plus 8% indirect costs for 3-5 years. Supports full-time faculty in becoming independent investigators as clinician scientists. Due June 1 and December 1.
    • Discovery Boost Grants - up to $135,000 direct costs/yr plus 10% indirect costs for 2 years.  To fund exploratory research to develop research methodologies, establish feasibility, or pilot test high-risk/high-reward research across the research continuum. Due June 1 and December 1.
    • Mission Boost Grants - Funding for Stage 1: up to $135,000 direct costs/yr plus 10% indirects for 2 years. Enables transition of patient-focused research to accelerate clinical impact. Funding for Stage 2: up to $545,000 direct costs/yr plus 10% indirects for 1.5 years. Due June 1 and December 1.
• American Heart Association
  • Supports projects related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research.
    • Career Development Awards
    • Established Investigator Award (paused for FY25-26 cycle)
    • Collaborative Sciences Award (paused for FY25-26 cycle)

Internal Grants

• Research & Innovation Office (RIO)
  • RIO maintains a list of internal funding opportunities.
    • Grant-in-Aid - multidisciplinary seed funding. $30-$40,000/project for up to 18 months. Due dates in Spring, Summer, Fall.
    • Research Infrastructure Investment Program - provides funding that supports research infrastructure. Requires 1:1 matching funds. $50,000 for up to 12 months.
• University of Minnesota Foundation Charitable Grants
  • Charitable grant research hub for UMF, accessible to UMN faculty and staff. This website has helpful information about applying for an open RFP from a private or corporate foundation, and using UMF's 501(c)3 to apply for a grant. This website has several resources to help researchers apply for a grant.
• CTSI/Office of Discovery and Translation (ODAT)
  • K-R01 Transition to Independence Program - For Assistant Professors (<=7 years in rank) or early Associate Professors (<-4 years in rank) who have successfully concluded a K award within 1 year of the time of application. Up to $50,000 for 2 years. Letters of intent due in August.
  • K12 Scholars Career Development Program - For Assistant Professors <- 6 years in rank. 3-yr supported program for early-stage investigators to be competitive for NIH independent K or R01 awards. 75% salary support up to $120,000 inclusive of fringe plus $30,000 in scholar research and development support.
• Office of Academic Clinical Affairs (OACA)
  • Clinical and Translational Research Support - Masonic Cancer Center - clinical trial or study in cancer prevention, screening or treatment. Due December 31.
  • ODAT Translational Research Funding - to support innovations that have the potential to translate beyond the University to impact the intended populations in a real-world setting. Applications accepted on a continuous basis.

Grant Databases - For help with using grant databases, please contact your pre-award grants specialist.

• Pivot
  • Pivot is a comprehensive database of funding opportunities and collaborators across many disciplines. It enables searching for global funding opportunities.
• GrantForward
  • GrantForward is a funding opportunity database that was built by academics for researchers. They have a number of federal, state, foundation, and corporate sponsors. UMN does not have a subscription, but you can search for free.
• SPIN
  • SPIN is a database with federal, non-profit, and business & industry sponsors.  *Note: Must use VPN to access SPIN if you are off-campus
• Foundation Directory Online
  • Foundation Directory Online (FDO) has detailed profiles of over 80,000 U.S. foundations and a growing number of international ones. 

Federal

• NIH
  • To search NIH funding opportunities visit the NIH search page.
    • Predoctoral Fellowships
    • Postdoctoral Fellowships
    • Individual Career Development grants (Pathway to Independence)
  • NIH deadlines may be found on the funding announcements, but listed here are the major application due dates.
    • Search for "Fellow and Resident" on the Grants.gov website.

Foundations/Non-Profits

• RADPN Database
  • Foundation Request for Proposals database - maintained by University of Minnesota RADPN group. Use Ctrl+F to search for "fellowship" or "resident."
• American Cancer Society
  • The American Cancer Society funds cancer-related research in their 6 research priority areas: etiology of cancer, obesity/healthy eating and active living (HEAL), screening and diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and health equity across the cancer continuum.
    • Postdoctoral Fellowships - Open to US citizens or visa holders within 4 years of receiving a doctoral degree. Progressive stipend amounts for up to 3 years plus $4,000 fellowship allowance and $1,500 travel allowance in the final year. Due June 1 and December 1.
• American Heart Association
  • Supports projects related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research.
    • AHA Predoctoral Fellowship - Enhances training of students in pre-doctoral or clinical health professional degree training programs. Due September 3, 2025.
    • AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship - Enhances training of postdoctoral applicants who are not yet independent. Due September 3, 2025.
• American College of Surgeons
  • Scholarship opportunities for surgical residents
• Society of University Surgeons
  • Resident Research Scholar Awards - $30,000 for direct costs only for 1 year. Due July 18th.
  • Resident Research Scholar Award sponsored by Karl Storz - $40,000 for direct costs for 1 year. Due July 18th.

Every proposal is slightly different, depending on the sponsor and the project, but these slides aim to give an understanding of how the proposal process works overall.

MN-GEMS

• Providing PI certification in MN-GEMS. Even though it's tempting, please do NOT click on the "Route for Department Review" button. This sends the MN-GEMS proposal to the dean's office before we are ready for that step.
• Providing Ancillary Approvals in MN-GEMS (usually needed when you are a MPI on a proposal)

REPAs

• File an annual REPA

Delegate Access

• eRA commons
• SciENcv

Below are links to research-related recorded trainings.

• NIH Matchmaker
  • Provides information about how to use NIH Matchmaker effectively.
• Select Your NIH Funding Announcement
  • This webinar provides information on how to select a funding announcement. Topics include types of NIH funding categories, what to look for in a funding announcement, and how to reach out to the program official.
• SciENcv Introduction
  • An introduction to using sciENcv, including a walk-through of how to delegate access.
• SciENcv - Fellowship Biosketches
  • Instructions for creating a fellowship biosketch using sciENcv.

1. Start by finding a funding opportunity. If you need help, please reach out to your SGC pre-award specialist.
2. Ensure that you have completed the training and reporting requirements to be a PI.
3. Complete the Request for Services form as soon as possible!

The big deadlines are:

• At least 2 weeks before the sponsor due date: notify your SGC pre-award specialist by submitting a Request for Services form.
• 7 days before the sponsor due date: budget completed and internal routing in MN-GEMS (your SGC specialist will help you with this).
• 3 business days before sponsor due date: all internal approvals completed and entire proposal sent to SPA by 9 a.m.

When you submit the Request for Services form, your pre-award specialist will prepare a checklist for you with additional internal deadlines.

Why at least 2 weeks? Because many grant mechanisms have strict submission deadlines, early and consistent communication is essential to ensure the SGC team can give your submission the attention it deserves and avoid unnecessary delays or missed opportunities. To help us provide the highest level of assistance, please submit a Request for Services form as soon as you know that you plan to submit a proposal. Early notice allows the SGC team to plan effectively and ensure you receive the full range of support for a successful proposal submission.

Are there tips/training on how to write a grant?

Absolutely! There are a number of resources available. The Medical School's Faculty Affairs Office offers a Proposal Preparation Program (P3) that is geared towards writing NIH grants.  Many sponsors, including NIH, also have application instructions on their site, as well as tips for writing better grants. SGC has developed some NIH grant writing tips, sample applications/documents, and grantsmanship suggestions. There are many experienced researchers in the Department of Surgery. Let your pre-award specialist know if you need assistance!

What happens if I provide less than 2 weeks' notice for a proposal?

We will still try to assist you, but if we receive less than 2 weeks’ notice, the scope services maybe limited due to time constraints – and in some cases - we may not be able to support or submit the proposal. Specifically, below are some of the services that may be modified:

• A checklist may not be created;
• SGC will not draft documents such as letters of support or budget justifications;
• Budget assistance may be limited;
• Collaborator documents may not be checked for accuracy;
• SGC will not proof-read documents;
• Proposal review by both SGC and SPA will be limited;
• There is no guarantee that the proposal will be submitted on time.

The reduction in support may result in having an incomplete proposal that is rejected by the sponsor or a proposal that has errors. Proposal errors may cause problems in post-award, for which the PI will be responsible, including but not limited to:

• Budgeting errors that may require nonsponsored financial coverage or rebudgeting;
• Sponsor intellectual property terms that UMN may have to negotiate;
• Classification or documentation errors for subcontracts leading to delayed agreements.

These proposal errors may delay projects or introduce financial risks which can impact the start date of your research, limit access to funding, or reduce flexibility in how funds are used —ultimately affecting your ability to carry out the work as planned. This approach also helps protect the time and priorities of the staff who support these efforts by reducing the disruptions caused when urgent, last-minute requests delay planned work on other awards.

Are there other proposal guidelines I should be aware of?

To ensure research staff and faculty time and effort are used effectively, the Department of Surgery supports applications for awards of $5,000 or more. This threshold reflects the balance between the administrative work in preparing, submitting, maintaining compliance, and managing awards and the potential benefit to the investigator. By focusing on opportunities that meet this minimum, we aim to support faculty in pursuing funding that meaningfully advances their research and scholarly goals.

Why is the focus on NIH grants in the Department of Surgery?

The University of Minnesota, as a public institute of higher learning, has to report to the State of Minnesota to ensure that public funds are being well spent. Part of the report card that UMN provides to the State is about the medical school's Blue Ridge rankings (an independent ranking of institutes based on how much NIH funding they have each year).  Because of this, the medical school, as a whole, is concerned with Blue Ridge rankings.  The medical school has offered financial incentives for faculty who are able to obtain a R01-equivalent award.

While the Blue Ridge ranking itself is not the end all authority on research, it is an important indicator of research growth. The 54% indirect costs provided helps cover lab and office space, regulatory personnel costs (SPA, IRB, IACUC, SGC), infrastructure support costs (office equipment, office supplies, computer support, high speed internet access, facilities management, telephone, postage, utilities), and more. For more information about indirect costs, see Why is F&A important?

How do I get an eRA commons (NIH) account?

An eRA Commons account is required to be a PI or Co-I on a NIH grant. To get an account, email [email protected] using "NIH eRA Commons" in the subject line. In the body of the message, include your first name, middle initial, and last name and verify your UMN email address. State that you need a PI account. You will receive an email from eRA Commons that contains your username and a temporary password.

How do I get a Research.gov (NSF) account?

An eRA Commons account is required to be a PI or Co-I on a NSF grant. To get an account, email [email protected] using "Research.gov" in the subject line. In the body of the message, include your first name, middle initial, and last name and verify your UMN email address. State that you need a PI account. You will receive an email from SPA when you have been added.

Why is F&A important?

Facilities and administrative costs, also known as F&A or indirect costs, are the human labor, lab infrastructure, and building utilities costs that accompany research. Specifically, the indirect costs help cover lab and office space, regulatory personnel costs (SPA, IRB, IACUC, SGC), infrastructure support costs (office equipment, office supplies, computer support, high speed internet access, facilities management, telephone, postage, utilities), and more. Without these, we would not be able to do research!

The Office of Cost Analysis is responsible for negotiating our rate with the federal government. They have created a brochure and an infographic about the importance of F&A costs.

Getting a F&A waiver for a reduced rate is possible and even appropriate in some situations, but should be used sparingly. Waivers hurt our ability to negotiate our rate and do not allow us to cover the true cost of the research being done.

What is cost sharing?

Cost sharing is when another source covers the costs related to a project that are not covered by the sponsor. For example, if a sponsor is not willing to pay for faculty time on a project, the department has to cover that time with its own resources.

Why is cost sharing important? I get paid the same amount.

Yes, you get paid the same amount because the department covers the difference. However, the department has limited resources and the more cost sharing there is, the less resources the department has to devote to other needs. 

Let's say a clinical faculty member starts doing research. The research project takes up 3 hours per week, or 7.5% of their time.  If the sponsor does not pay for 7.5% of the faculty member's time, the department has to do it so that the faculty member doesn't see a decrease in their salary. Because the faculty member is devoting time to research now, less of their time is available for clinical duties so the department also has to find resources to cover the time the faculty member spends away from clinic. The same principle applies when thinking of indirect costs that aren't covered.

It may not seem like much when you think of it on an individual scale, but as more time and funding are not allocated correctly across the department, the problem is compounded.

What are all these acronyms?

We have compiled a research-related acronym list. Please let us know if the one you want to know about is not listed.