Why has the NIH Director established the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award?
Many scientists who participated in the development of the NIH Roadmap expressed the view that a new program might be necessary to identify scientists with ideas that have the potential for high impact, but that may be too novel, span too diverse a range of disciplines, or be at a stage too early to fare well in the traditional peer review process. In response, NIH launched the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program in 2004. This program is meant to complement NIH’s traditional, investigator-initiated grant programs by supporting individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose pioneering approaches to major contemporary challenges in biomedical and behavioral research. The term “pioneering” is used to describe highly innovative approaches that have the potential for producing an unusually high impact. Biomedical and behavioral research is defined broadly in this program as encompassing scientific investigations in the biological, behavioral, clinical, social, physical, chemical, computational, engineering, mathematical sciences, and other relevant disciplines.
What distinguishes the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award from other NIH programs?
The NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program is different in several ways. First, it is designed to support a small number of new investigators of exceptional creativity who propose bold and highly innovative new research approaches that have the potential to produce a major impact on broad, important problems in biomedical and behavioral research. The award will provide up to $500,000 direct costs per year for five years. The only constraint on the research to be done with this award is that it must be relevant to the NIH mission (http://www.nih.gov/about/almanac/). Second, the information required in the application is highly abbreviated, and turnaround is accelerated. Third, the procedure for evaluating applicants (described below) is distinct from the traditional NIH peer review process and will be based on review of the individual’s potential to make seminal contributions toward solving an important biomedical or behavioral research problem. Biomedical and behavioral research is defined broadly in this program as encompassing scientific investigations in the biological, behavioral, clinical, social, physical, chemical, computational, engineering, and mathematical sciences.
How many awards will be made in 2008?
The NIH Director expects to make 7–10 awards in FY 2008, depending on the quality of applications and the availability of funds.
Do Pioneer Awards include indirect costs?
Yes. In addition to the direct costs, applicable facilities and administrative costs will be allowed and will be determined at the time of award.
How much time/effort are recipients expected to devote?
Awardees are expected to commit the major portion (at least 51 percent) of their research time/effort to activities supported by the Pioneer Award. Investigators should not apply if they are unable to commit this amount of effort to the project.
If 50% of my time is devoted to clinical and/or teaching duties, and only 50% to research, how much time/effort would I be expected to devote to Pioneer Award activities?
If you spend 50% of your time doing research, you would be required to devote the major portion (at least 51 percent) of your research time, or 26% of your total time, to Pioneer Award activities.
What post-award requirements must I fulfill?
Although there are no stipulations on the research agenda, you will be required to submit a two to five page annual report of your activities during the year and to participate in an annual symposium in Bethesda, MD. In addition, to help the NIH evaluate this program, you may be contacted periodically for at least five years and asked to report on your latest research efforts.
May two or more scientists apply as a team for the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award?
No. Applications must come from individual investigators, not from teams of investigators. However, investigators may describe planned collaborations in their applications.
From which disciplines does NIH wish to draw applicants for the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award?
The NIH encourages applications from scientists from all disciplines, including the biological, behavioral, clinical, social, physical, chemical, computational, engineering, and mathematical sciences, who provide evidence of interest in exploring topics of relevance to the NIH mission.
Will technology development be allowed, or just hypothesis-driven research?
Applications proposing hypothesis-driven research and those proposing the development of new tools and technologies are both encouraged. The focus is on creativity and innovation.
I am working with a collaborator in another country. Would I be able to continue to spend some time conducting research there?
The PI of a Pioneer Award must be employed by a U.S. institution and the research must be conducted at that institution. However, there may be circumstances, such as studies involving a foreign population or a collaborative research project, in which the PI of a Pioneer Award must conduct part of the research outside the United States. This research is allowable. However, the length of any single foreign research stay should not exceed the time allowable under NIH Grants Policy for a PI to be away from his/her laboratory without appointing a temporary PI (i.e., three months). Due to the special nature of the Pioneer Award, appointment of a temporary PI is not allowable.
Are these awards renewable?
No. These awards are intended to jump-start or redirect an individual’s research program. Awardees are expected to seek future support though traditional routes.
Once awarded, is this award transferable if I change institutions next year?
This award may be transferred to another eligible institution according to the same policies and procedures as for traditional research grants. Please note, however, that awards may not be transferred to foreign institutions.
Are women and members of underrepresented minority groups encouraged to apply?
The NIH recognizes that there are many outstanding and highly innovative women scientists, as well as outstanding scientists who are members of minority groups underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research, and strongly encourages these individuals to apply. NIH also plans to aggressively recruit an appropriately diverse group to serve as reviewers at the various stages of the selection process.
How will the program be administered?
The NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Program will be administered separately from all other research grant programs. Staff of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences will administer the program on behalf of the NIH Office of the Director.
Will the Pioneer Award program be repeated in 2009?
NIH hopes to announce the NIH Director’s Pioneer Awards program again next year if funds are available. To be notified of Pioneer Award and other NIH Roadmap news, register for the NIH Roadmap LISTSERV at http://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihroadmap-l&A=1

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B. Eligibility

Are individuals at all stages of their careers eligible?
Yes, individuals at all career stages are eligible to apply. Those at early to middle stages of their careers, and women and members of groups underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research are especially encouraged to apply.
May individuals who applied in previous years who did not receive awards apply this year?
Yes, as long as they meet the other eligibility criteria as listed in the RFA (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-013.html).
Are foreign scientists eligible?
Yes. Beginning with the 2008 competition, there are no citizenship or residency requirements. However, applicants must be conducting their research and hold an independent position at a U.S. institution that is eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.
Are individuals employed by government agencies, non-academic, and/or for-profit organizations eligible?
Individuals from all organizations that can otherwise apply to the NIH for funding and are willing to abide by the terms and conditions that NIH requires are eligible for this award.
Are scientists in the NIH Intramural Program eligible?
No. Because intramural scientists may not receive extramural NIH grants, they are not eligible to apply for an NIH Director's Pioneer Award.
Are individuals who have other support eligible? If so, may the awardee remain as principal investigator on his/her grant(s)?
Individuals who have other support are eligible for this award and may continue as principal investigator on other grants. However, awardees are expected to devote at least 51 percent of their research time/effort to activities supported by the Pioneer Award. Since the NIH Director’s Pioneer Awards are expected to support distinctly new research, awards will not be made simply to enable investigators to expand research projects that are ongoing.
I am currently a postdoctoral fellow. Am I eligible to apply for an NIH Director’s Pioneer Award?
Applicants must be able to show concrete evidence for their claim of innovativeness. This could be very difficult for a postdoctoral fellow who has never conducted independent research. In addition, like all NIH grants, the NIH Director’s Pioneer Awards are made to institutions on behalf of investigators. Because most institutions will only authorize grant applications from individuals who are independent investigators, this could present an administrative barrier to applying.
Can the same project be submitted to two programs at the same time? While my Pioneer Award application is pending, can I submit the same project for another NIH grant such as an R01? If I have an application pending, can I submit the same project for a Pioneer Award?
Pioneer Awards are meant to support investigators who intend to pursue projects that are substantially different from those already being pursued in the investigator’s lab or elsewhere. Applicants must explicitly address how the proposed research direction will differ from their past or current work and the reviewers will evaluate whether the Pioneer Award project is merely incremental or whether it is a "leap" ahead of the work the investigator is already doing. Applicants must also provide compelling justification for the advantage of evaluation by the Pioneer Award process rather than by the standard review process. In general, projects that are appropriate for more traditional grant mechanisms are not appropriate for Pioneer Award applications. Additionally, the general policy of the Public Health Service, which includes the NIH, does not allow multiple submissions of essentially the same proposal to any of its components.
I have a EUREKA application under review. Can I submit the same project to the Pioneer Award program?
NIH policy does not allow multiple submissions of essentially the same project. EUREKA grants, like Pioneer Awards, are meant to support unusually innovative research, and applications to both programs for the same project are therefore not permitted, since they would constitute multiple submissions. More broadly, funding for the same project may not be sought through multiple submissions to the Pioneer Award program and any other award program (such as the NIH Avant-Garde program) targeting unusually innovative research.
According to the RFA, Pioneer Awards are meant to support investigators who intend to pursue new research directions. Can you clarify what is meant by "new research direction?"
A new research direction is one that is distinct from any research currently or previously conducted by the applicant or by other investigators. Successful Pioneer Award applicants are expected to propose highly innovative, and possibly risky, approaches to address or solve exceptionally important problems in biomedical or behavioral sciences. While a new research direction may have as its foundation the applicant’s prior work and expertise, it cannot simply be an obvious extension or scaling up of a research enterprise. Rather, a new research direction must reflect a fundamental new insight into the solution of a problem, which may derive from the development of exceptionally innovative approaches and/or from the posing of radically unconventional hypotheses.

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C. 2008 Application Process

Will the 2008 application process be the same as the 2007 process?
No, the 2008 application process has been changed. Please read the application instructions in the RFA (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-RM-08-013.html) carefully.
What are the dates for submission of 2008 applications?
The application may be submitted to Grants.gov beginning December 16, 2007 and must be successfully received by Grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (of the applicant institution/organization), January 16, 2008. The letters of reference may be submitted beginning December 18, 2007 and must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. local time (EST), January 16, 2008 at https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/reference/submitRefereeInformation.jsp. Application materials will not be accepted after that time and applications that are not complete will not be evaluated.
Can someone at NIH review my idea and let me know if it is a good fit for the Pioneer Award program?
The peer review process will evaluate the merit of your application. NIH staff cannot provide comments on specific ideas or plans for individual research grant applications.
Is there a limit to the number of applications that can be submitted by an institution?
There is no limit to the number of applications that an institution can submit. However, an investigator may submit only one application.
What must be done before I submit an application to Grants.gov?
It is important that you immediately check with your sponsored research office to determine whether your institution is registered with Grants.gov. Please note that the registration process could take up to two weeks. The institution’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) is responsible for completing the registration process.

If your institution is not already registered, it must first register with the Central Contractor Registry (the Credential Provider) at http://www.ccr.gov/ and then with Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/GetStarted.

Both the institution and the applicant must also complete a one-time registration in the NIH eRA Commons in order to submit applications to NIH. Institutional officials are responsible for registering investigators in the eRA Commons. You should work with your AOR (also known as Signing Official in the eRA Commons) to determine your own institution’s process for registration.
Where can I find help registering for Grants.gov?
For help with the Grants.gov registration process, contact Grants.gov customer support at 1-800-518-4726 (Toll Free), Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), or at support@grants.gov.
Where can I find help in submitting my application to Grants.gov?
For help with the technical aspects of submitting an application to Grants.gov, check the resources available at Grants.gov. If you need assistance, contract Grants.gov customer support at 1-800-518-4726 (Toll Free), Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time), or at support@grants.gov.
Where can I find help in registering for the eRA Commons?
Step-by-step directions for registering with eRA Commons are available at http://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/registration/registrationInstructions.jsp.

For questions regarding the Commons registration process, contact the NIH eRA Commons help desk at phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free); 301-451-5939 (TTY) business hours Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
Whom do I contact if I have questions about programmatic aspects of the Pioneer Awards?
For questions of a programmatic nature, contact Shan McCollough at (301) 594-3555 or at pioneer@nih.gov. Email inquires are strongly preferred.

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D. Grants.Gov Application Documents

What format should I use for the documents submitted with my application to Grants.gov (abstract, essay, biosketch, current research support)?
All documents must be in PDF format. Other formatting requirements are in the Application Guide (MS Word, 191 pages or PDF, 191 pages), Section 2.6, Format Specifications for Text (PDF) Attachments.

For the biographical sketch, use the format shown in the Application Guide (MS Word, 191 pages or PDF, 191 pages) Section 4.5.2, omitting Section C, Research Support. The biographical sketch must not exceed two pages.

For the list of current and pending support, use the format shown in the Application Guide (MS Word, 191 pages or PDF, 191 pages), Section 3.1.1.8. Applications with documents that exceed page limits will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated.
Does the five-page essay replace the traditional “Research Plan” (with “Specific Aims”) or is it to be submitted in addition to that section?
The five-page essay replaces the traditional 25-page “Research Plan” section required for most other NIH grant applications. The requirements for a Pioneer Award application are very different from those for most other NIH grants. Read carefully the application instructions and review criteria in the RFA.
In my essay, may I include citations (references) to key publications? If so, what is the appropriate format?
Yes, you may include citations in the essay, as long as they fit within the three- to five-page limit. The citations may be in any format.
In my essay, may I include figures and illustrations?
Yes, you may include figures and illustrations in the essay, as long as they fit within the three- to five-page limit.
The application package that I downloaded from Grants.Gov does not include budget pages. Are detailed budgets required? Where do I indicate indirect costs?
Detailed, annual budgets are not required and will not be accepted. Indirect (facilities and administrative) costs will be determined at the time the award is made.
In prior years, applicants were asked to submit a journal article or other document as their “most significant accomplishment.” Is this a requirement in 2008?
No. Prior to 2007, applicants were asked to submit a journal article or other work product as their “most significant accomplishment.” Applicants are now required to submit a one-page description of their most significant research accomplishment, and no publications or other work products will be accepted.
Where do I submit the various required sections of the application?
- Abstract – upload on Item 6, Research & Related Other Project Information Component form.
- Essay – upload on Item 7, Research & Related Other Project Information Component Form.
- Biographical sketch – upload on Senior/Key Person Profile Component where indicated.
- List of current and pending support – upload on Senior/Key Person Profile Component where indicated.
- Description of my most significant accomplishment – upload on Research & Related Other Project Information Component where indicated.
Where do I designate the area of science for my application?
You must designate your area of science by choosing one of ten application packages in Grants.gov. After clicking “Apply for Grant Electronically,” you will be presented with a list of ten application packages, each with a separate Competition ID and Title. Each application package corresponds to one of the science areas. Download the application package that best describes your area of proposed research. You may download and submit only one of the ten application packages.
What are the Areas of Science?
- 01 Behavioral and Social Sciences
- 02 Chemical Biology
- 03 Clinical and Translational Research
- 04 Epidemiology
- 05 Immunology
- 06 Instrumentation and Engineering
- 07 Molecular and Cellular Biology
- 08 Neuroscience
- 09 Physiology and Integrative Systems
- 10 Quantitative and Computational Biology
May I designate more than one area of science?
No. Only one area may be designated. This is to assist in assigning applications to reviewers.
I cannot determine the best fit for my Area of Science. What should I do? What is the Area of Science coding used for?
The Area of Science coding is used to assist in the assignment of applications to the most appropriate group of peer reviewers. NIH staff cannot advise you on the specific selection of an Area of Science for your project. We understand that for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research projects, more than one Area of Science might be appropriate. To select the most appropriate code for your application, you should consider whether reviewers with expertise in one or another Area of Science would be most likely to appreciate the significance of the project, the innovativeness of its approaches, and its potential impact.

The Areas of Science listed are very broad and frequently overlapping. The reviewers for the Pioneer Award applications have been chosen for their breadth of knowledge and expertise, and will be able to review a broad range of applications. The description of the scientific project in the essay should be written with a level of detail appropriate for reviewers who are broadly knowledgeable but not who may not be directly involved in the proposed area of research.
May I include additional information in an appendix? I need additional space for my list of references, etc.
All information submitted for the review of your application must be included in the allowed sections of the application, within the specified limits of space. Appendices will not be accepted. There is no place for appendix material in the application format.
Should the effort commitment statement (statement confirming that if chosen to receive an award, the applicant will commit a minimum of 51% of their research efforts to Pioneer Award activities) be in the biographical sketch, or in the list of current and pending support?
The statement may be placed in either document.

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E. Letters of Reference

How do my referees submit their letters in support of my application?
Letters of reference are submitted to the NIH eRA Commons at (https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/reference/submitRefereeInformation.jsp). Letters may be submitted beginning December 18, 2007, and must be submitted no later than 8:00 p.m. (EST), January 16, 2008. Applicants must give eRA Commons Username and the Funding Opportunity Number of this Announcement, RFA-RM-08-013, to their referees as this information will be required for letter submission. Instructions for referees on submitting letters are on the Pioneer Web site at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/LettersofReferenceFormat.aspx.
How will I know if my referees have submitted their letters?
Applicants and AOR/SO’s can check the status of submitted letters by logging into their Commons account and accessing the “check status” screen for this application. The names of the referees and the date and time of letter submission will be listed. The reference letters are confidential and cannot be viewed by applicants or AOR/SO’s.

Applicants will receive emails confirming submission of each letter. The confirmation will contain the name of the referee and the date and time the letter was submitted. The applicant is responsible for reviewing the status of submitted letters and contacting referees to ensure that letters are submitted by the receipt deadline.

Applications with fewer than three letters may be considered non-responsive and may not be evaluated.
May a single letter of reference come from more than one individual?
No, each letter must be from only one referee.
May referees submit their letters before the applications have been received by NIH?
Yes, referees may submit their letters before the applications have been received by NIH, beginning December 18, 2007.

When this occurs, the system will hold the letters (and all the supporting information submitted by the referees) in a pending file, and when the applications are received, will link the letters to the applications.

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F. 2008 Evaluation and Selection of Awardees

How will awardees be selected?
Applications will be reviewed first by NIH staff for eligibility and then by a multidisciplinary group of outside experts. Those applicants that are identified as the most outstanding will be invited to NIH for interviews in July, 2008. Interviews will be conducted by a panel of distinguished outside experts. The Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD), NIH, will conduct the final level of review. The Director, NIH, will make the final selection of awardees based on the evaluations by the outside experts, the recommendations of the ACD, and programmatic considerations.
What criteria will be used to assess applicants?
The reviewers are looking for convincing evidence that the applicant will pursue a pioneering approach to a problem of relevance to biomedical or behavioral research. They will also assess whether alternative funding is already available to pursue this direction and whether there is compelling justification for the advantage of using the Pioneer Award process rather than the standard peer review process. For more detail, see http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer/EvaluationCriteria.aspx.
When will I be notified if I have been selected to come to the NIH for an interview?
Applicants will be notified on or about May 20, 2008, whether or not they have been selected for an interview.
When will the finalist interviews be held?
The finalist interviews will take place on June 30 – July 2, 2008 at the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland.
When will the 2008 awardees be announced?
The 2008 awardees will be notified in August, 2008 and their names will be publicly announced at the Third Annual NIH Director’s Pioneer Award Symposium in September 2008. Awardees are expected to attend the Symposium.
Can the decision of the panel of reviewers be appealed?
No. There is no appeal process
Will I receive a summary statement or other comments?
Successful and unsuccessful applicants will not receive summary statements or other comments.
I have obtained important new preliminary data that will strengthen my application. May I submit it now?
We cannot accept any additional information. Only the information contained in the original application will be reviewed.

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This page last reviewed: May 5, 2008