NIH Shared Instrumentation Grant

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to continue the competitive National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program initiated in Fiscal Year 1982. Results of the most recent study, "The National Survey of Academic Research Instruments and Instrumentation," published in 1997 identified bioanalytical equipment of the type provided through this Program as the top most priority. The objective of the program is to make available to institutions expensive research instruments that can only be justified on a shared-use basis and for which meritorious research projects are described. The SIG Program provides a cost-effective mechanism for groups of NIH-supported investigators to obtain commercially-available, technologically sophisticated equipment costing more than $100,000.

This program is designed to provide for the acquisition or updating of expensive shared-use instrumentation not generally available through other NIH mechanisms, such as the regular research project, program project, or center grant programs. Proposals for research on advancing the design or for the development of new instrumentation will not be considered.

Types of instrumentation supported include, but are not limited to, nuclear magnetic resonance systems, electron and confocal microscopes, mass spectrometers, protein and DNA sequencers, biosensors, x-ray diffractometers and cell sorters. Support will not be provided for general purpose equipment or purely instructional equipment, personal computers, personal workstations, printers, and Ethernet interfaces. Proposals for "stand alone" computer systems will only be considered if the instrument is solely dedicated to the research needs of a broad community of NIH-supported investigators.

Executive Summary

• Purpose. The NCRR Shared Instrument Grant (SIG) program solicits applications from groups of NIH-supported investigators to purchase or upgrade commercially available instruments that cost at least $100,000. The maximum award is $500,000. Types of instruments supported include confocal and electron microscopes, biomedical imagers, mass spectrometers, DNA sequencers, biosensors, cell sorters, X-ray diffraction systems, and NMR spectrometers among others.
• Mechanism of Support. This funding opportunity will use the NIH S10 mechanism.
• Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. The NCRR intends to commit approximately $43 million in FY2010 to fund approximately 125 new awards. Since the cost of the various instruments will vary, it is anticipated that the size of awards will also vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend on the funds available for the SIG program.
• Eligible Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs). Eligible principal investigators include any technically qualified research scientists. To be eligible to apply, three or more NIH funded investigators (Principal Investigators of active P01, R01, U01, R35, R37, DP1 or DP2 research grants) who will be users of the requested instruments must be identified.
• Number of PDs/PIs. Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed under the S10 mechanism.
• Number of Applications. There is no limit on the number of applications an institution may submit provided the applications are for different types of equipment.
• Resubmissions. Applicants may submit a resubmission application, but such applications must include an Introduction addressing the previous peer review critique (Summary Statement).
• Renewals. Renewal (formerly "competing continuation" or "Type 2") applications are not permitted.
• Special Dates:
  • Application Submission/Receipt Date(s): March 23, 2009
  • Peer Review Date(s): June-July, October-November
  • Council Review Date(s): October 2009, January 2010
  • Earliest Anticipated Start Date(s): April 1, 2010

Application Materials. Please read the full announcement for specific information at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-028.html.