The Pilot/Feasibility Program has been temporarily suspended. No applications will be accepted in 2005.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PILOT/FEASIBILITY APPLICATIONS

The Harvard Digestive Diseases Center will be accepting applications for new pilot/feasibility projects as well as continuations of current one-year projects for the upcoming grant year (9/1/03 - 8/31/04).

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Letter of Intent: April 11, 2003. All interested applicants must complete and submit the online letter of intent.

Notification of approval to apply: April 15, 2003. Letters of intent will be reviewed and applicants will be notified by phone of their approval to apply.

Application: MAY 2, 2003. Please review and follow all instructions.

ELIGIBILITY

New investigators, as well as established investigators, are encouraged to apply. Young investigators are particularly encouraged to use pilot/feasibility funding to gather the data needed for subsequent NIH or other applications. Funded Investigators requesting pilot/feasibility funds must show how this project is a departure from ongoing work. Pilot/feasibility projects may be related to ongoing or previous work, but cannot overlap any funded project. Pilot/feasibility grants are not intended to be used as bridging support for projects not funded by the NIH. A person can be funded only once in every five-year cycle for a maximum of two consecutive years, provided that performance in the first year is satisfactory.

PURPOSES FOR WHICH FUNDS MAY BE USED

Funds may be used for technical support and supplies. Equipment is funded only in very rare instances where it is vital to the particular project and is so unique that it is not available in any of the Center's core facilities. Such equipment requests must be well justified in the budget and approved by the Executive Committee. Investigator or postdoctoral salaries and travel are not funded.

MAXIMUM AWARD

The amount of the award varies with the availability of funds. In recent years, project budgets have ranged from $10,000-15,000. The period of funding is for one year, beginning on September 1st. Investigators must reapply for a second year of funding. ****Indirect costs will be awarded to recipient institutions other than Children's Hospital at the rate of 25%.****

Applications should be in the format of an NIH RO1, including the NIH form and budget pages, with the text (Research Plan) portion of the grant limited to 5 pages single-spaced. Current grantees who are planning to submit a continuation, should be certain to detail the progress made in the first year, as well as plans for the proposed second year.

With the application, please provide a page listing 3 or 4 names of those who could be called upon to review your application. These names can be from within or outside the Harvard Digestive Diseases Center and the Harvard Medical Area. Please include full names, mailing addresses, telephone and fax numbers.

Should you have any questions about your eligibility or about the application process, please call Marian Neutra at (617) 355-6229 or 355-6255 or Arthur Mercurio at 667-7714.