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How It Works

Submit Preliminary Applications

The Texas A&M lead investigator is responsible for completing the online application and uploading any required files.

The preliminary proposal consists of descriptions of the project, the clinical partnership, a timeline, and CVs of the lead investigators. Budgets will be requested for final proposals. The maximum request is up to $200,000 to be expended over two years. 

Guidelines: The online application will require the following information:

Project:

  1. The population, specialty, clinical problem, or precise disease area that is the subject of the project
  2. The clinical research questions and their significance, including how they answer questions of clinical relevance to Texas A&M University and its partners.
  3. The nature of the data and/or materials to be used (existing, newly collected).
  4. A description of how the project work product and broader program strategy will improve treatment options, clinical decision-making, disease management, or clinical workflows.

Clinical Partnership:

  1. Information about the clinical partner, who it serves, the services it provides, its patient and whether the proposed research builds on a preexisting relationship with the clinical partner.
  2. The nature of the current clinical partner relationship and the role the clinical partner has played and will play in identifying relevant issue(s).
  3. The role of the clinical partner and the resources, if any, it will contribute to the research program.
  4. A description of how the project will allow Texas A&M faculty to build on and extend its clinical research infrastructure.

To begin the online preliminary application click here: http://tamu.infoready4.com/CompetitionSpace/#competitionDetail/1834954.


Submit Final Proposals

Submission of all information is done through InfoReady by clicking here:

Only applicants invited to submit a full proposal will be considered for funding via this mechanism.

Full Proposal Name: The title should not exceed 200 characters. Us an Up Style (capitalize first and last words in the title and all “major” words in between).

Guidelines: The full proposal must include the following components:

  • Project Summary
  • Abstract
  • Impact Statement
  • Project Budget
  • Budget Narrative
  • List of all Participants
  • Biographical Information
  • Letters of Commitment

Project Summary: A general description in 125 words or less of the overall goals and potential impact of the project. This section should be written in plain language that can be understood by a lay audience without the need for scientific and medical knowledge.

Abstract: A succinct and accurate description of the proposed clinical research. The proposed research should follow the NIH definition of clinical research outlined in the project description. State the application’s broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health-relatedness of the project and alignment with the goals of the Presidential Clinical Research Partnership program. Describe concisely the design and methods for achieving the stated goals.

The abstract should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and understandable to a scientifically or technically literate reader. Avoid describing past accomplishments and the use of first person.

The maximum length of the abstract is one single-spaced page with one-inch margins using an 11-point Arial font.

Impact Statement: A description of how outcomes of this project will lead to improvements in health, health-care and/or health equity in Texas. This section should include details on the scope and significance of the critical issue(s) being addresses. Applicants must provide a synopsis of the project in succinct and plain language that can be understood by a general audience. The maximum length of this section is one single-spaced page with one-inch margins using an 11-point Arial font.

Narrative: The narrative describes the project’s specific aims, significance, approaches and expected outcomes. This should include details of data analyses that address rigor and reproducibility. The narrative must be uploaded as a PDF not exceeding five single-spaced pages with one-inch margins and an 11-point Arial font. Footnotes, references, and up to three tables and/or figures are not included in the page limit. Tables and figures should be inserted after the narrative.

Project Budget: The maximum request is up to $200,000 to be expended over two years. Using the template provided, upload the project budget as an Excel spreadsheet. The budget should clearly indicate how the grant funds will be spent.
Expenditures must:

  • Be fully justified, reasonable, and clearly related to the project’s goals
  • Reflect the activities/tasks listed in the proposal
  • Explain the sources and amounts of any cash match cost sharing funds.

Requests should be made by expense type (salary and fringe benefits, travel, supplies, etc.). Provide sufficient detail so that individuals unfamiliar with the project can accurately review the proposal. The project budget must include a list of all other sources of internal or external support for the research project.

Budget Narrative: Describe in detail the major budget line items: salary and fringe benefits, travel, services, supplies, and other expenses. The narrative should provide specific information about why an expense is necessary to achieve the project’s goals and objectives. It must also describe the roles and responsibilities of the principal investigator (PI), co-principal investigators (Co-PIs), collaborators, and key personnel, even if uncompensated. The budget narrative must be uploaded as a PDF with one-inch margins and an 11-point Arial font.

Funds must be used for project-related costs. PI and Co-PI salary support may not exceed National Institute of Health (NIH) salary limitations. Support staff expenses, such as salaries and benefits or graduate student tuition, are permitted. Travel, services such as consultant and contractual services, supplies and other expenses, such as participant support costs and equipment, may be included. Must provide strong justification for individual equipment exceeding $10,000.

Funds may be used to cover costs for centralized Institutional Review Board (IRB) services. Such services may be of particular utility in the case of multicenter trials to minimize duplication of efforts, financial workload, and costs and delays. In cases where clinical work is to be completed at the partner institution, IRB review by the partner board may be acceptable upon approval by the Texas A&M Division of Research.

Funds may not be used for: entertainment, business meals, indirect overhead and administrative costs, or lobbying.

Committed cost sharing to an external sponsor is the only cost sharing that must be tracked. Since this is an internal grant, cost sharing will not be tracked and should not be included on budgets.

Biographical Information: Full proposals must include biographical sketches for the PI, Co-PIs, and collaborators in the current format required by NIH, including a personal statement, positions and honors, contributions to science, and ongoing and relevant concluded research support.

When necessary, collaborators from state and local government agencies or community organizations may submit a resume of up to five pages in lieu of a biographical sketch. Biographical sketches, each up to five pages in length, must be uploaded as a single PDF.

Letters of Commitment: Applicants must include letters of commitment from each clinical affiliate or partner showing evidence of the collaboration with specific details about how they/their organization will be involved or support the project. The letters must be uploaded as a single PDF.