These awards provide an investigator with up to $50,000 for one year to support the collection of pilot data for an upcoming grant submission or a project representing a new research direction that is currently unfunded. Examples include the use of new experimental techniques and/or a project in a field the PI has not published in previously. Pilot funding must greatly increase the ability of the investigator to obtain external funding.  

Applicant Eligibility

  • All investigators with a primary faculty appointment in DOM are eligible.  
  • All scientist track and research staff in DOM with PI status eligibility and an independent research program separate from their mentor are eligible.  
  • An individual may receive only one pilot award as a PI during the last three years.  
  • All investigators must be eligible to submit an R01 as a PI at the start of the grant period.  
  • Investigators may submit applications from basic, clinical, health services, and translational science.  
  • The DOM Research Council and Study Section follow the NIH proposal model and allow investigators an initial application and one resubmission for funding consideration. Investigators may resubmit unfunded proposals found to have merit only once.  
  • A no-cost extension in the second year is possible with demonstrated productivity. Investigators need to carefully justify continuation requests. DOM does not allow support for a second year if the applicant has received external funding for the same project.  

Proposal Requirements

See “Proposal Document FAQs” below for more information

Proposals should consist of the following and the applicant should compile them into a single PDF in this order for submission purposes:

  • NIH-style Biographical sketch for all PIs and Co-Is (5 page max for each)
  • List of all grants applied for in the last 3 years by the PI and each Co-I and the status of each grant  
  • Budget (use the linked template)
  • Budget justification  
  • Revision summary for a revised proposal (1 page maximum)  
  • Eligibility justification if scientist track (1 page maximum)  
  • Specific Aims (1 page maximum) and research plan (5 page maximum)  
  • Bibliography/References  
  • Project milestones and future funding plans with a Gantt chart describing the timeline to external proposal submission (1 page maximum)  
  • Letter from the PI’s division chief confirming protected time for the PI to conduct the research, and the provision of matching and/or support funds, if applicable.  
  • Summary report of previously awarded DOM pilot grants, if applicable.  

Review Criteria

The DOM Study Section, potentially in collaboration with ad hoc review panelists, will evaluate funding proposals and provide recommendations to the DOM Research Council. Reviewers will conduct the evaluation like NIH-style reviews, placing substantial emphasis on the proposal’s overall impact, significance, innovation, and approach. 

If applicants believe specific content expertise would be highly beneficial to the evaluation process, then they are welcome to recommend reviewers. Recommendations will be taken into consideration by the Study Section chair who determines review assignments. The DOM Research Council makes final funding decisions.

Proposal Document FAQs

Revision Summary (1-Page Limit)

Investigators resubmitting a proposal already reviewed by this DOM program should include a response to the previous reviews, a list of revisions made in response to the previous reviews, and detail where in the proposal reviewers may find these changes.  

Budget

Applicants may budget typical project costs except for faculty salary and travel related to meetings, conferences, and/or training. Travel directly associated with conducting the project is allowable (e.g., conducting assessments or experiments at another facility or field work). Student, postdoctoral, research associate, and staff salaries are also allowable. However, DOM expects that divisions/centers/units allow faculty release time to conduct the research.  

Eligibility Justification (1-Page Limit)  

Investigators in the scientist track should include an outline of a pathway to independence and a detailed description of how the research plan is different from that of their current PI/Mentor.  

Specific Aims (1-Page Limit)

Applicants should briefly describe the aims they will use to test their hypothesis. Aims should be related but not dependent upon each other (i.e., failure or unexpected results of one aim should not prevent the completion of another). 

Research Plan (5-Page Limit)

This section should conform to the standard NIH style, including significance, innovation, and research approach sections. Investigators should clearly state research goals, hypotheses, and specific aims in the significance section and draft the research plan at a general neuroscientist or behavioral science level. Research plans should have one-inch margins and no less than 11-point font. 

Project Milestones and Future Funding Plans (1-Page Limit)

Investigators should provide a timeline with a Gantt chart for completing project milestones and obtaining external funding (1 page maximum).  

Summary Report (1-Page Limit for Each Pilot Grant Report)

PIs who DOM has awarded pilot funding to in the past must provide a summary report for each grant. Details should include the date of award, the budget period, the project milestones/future funding plans as stated in the funded grant, and progress made to date toward these milestones.