NIH (National Institutes of Health) Disclosure Guidance

 Tools

NIH Resources

NIH uses the biographical sketch and current and pending (other) support to review an individual's qualifications and experience and ensure there is no scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap. Use the checklists below as a general guide, but consult the solicitation for specific guidance.

Biographical Sketch

The purpose of an NIH biosketch is to highlight the qualifications, expertise, and scientific contributions of key personnel on a grant application. Peer reviewers and NIH staff use it to assess that the proposed team has the specific skills and resources necessary to successfully execute the project.

  • Who: All senior/key personnel, including:
    • Investigators
    • Other Significant Contributors (OSC)
    • Consultants and technical staff, if they meet the definition of senior/key personnel
  • When to submit: new and competing grant applications.
  • Format: Use the NIH Biographical Sketch form on SciENcv (required). Learn more about using SciENcv.

  • The Common Form design has two pieces:

    • Biographical Sketch Common Form: Details professional preparation, scientific appointments, and up to 10 key research products (e.g., publications, data sets) that demonstrate capabilities
    • NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement: Contains the (1) Personal Statement (why the individual is suited for a specific role), (2) focuses on top contributions to science, and (3) lists academic or professional honors of that individual.

Current and Pending (Other) Support

Information on current and pending (other) support may be requested to ensure there is no scientific, budgetary, or commitment overlap.

  • Who: All senior/key personnel, including: 
    • Program director/principal investigator (PD/PI)
    • Other individuals who contribute to the scientific development or execution of a project in a substantive, measurable way, whether or not they request salaries or compensation
  • When to submit: 
    • At the time of application submission, if required in Notice of Funding Opportunity
    • At Just-in-Time
    • In the annual progress report, if significant changes (e.g., new awards) occur during the award period
  • Format: Use the NIH Current and Pending (Other) Support form on SciENcv (required). Learn more about using SciENcv. 

  • In addition to current and pending support, NIH requests information on:

    • Resources and/or financial support from all foreign and domestic entities, that are available to the researcher. This includes but is not limited to:
      • Financial support for laboratory personnel
      • Provision of high-value materials that are not freely available (e.g., biologics, chemical, model systems, technology, etc.). 
    • Consulting agreements, when the PD/PI or other senior/key personnel will be conducting research as part of the consulting activities. Non-research consulting activities are not Other Support.
    • In-kind contributions: Disclose all in-kind contributions with an estimated dollar value of $5,000 or more and that require a commitment of the individual’s time. In-kind contributions with an estimated value of less than $5000 need not be reported.
      • An in-kind contribution is a non-cash contribution provided by an external entity that directly supports the individuals’ research and development efforts. 
      • An in-kind contribution may include but is not limited to: real property; laboratory space; equipment; data or data sets; supplies; other expendable property; goods and services; employee or student resources. 

    Institutional resources, such as core facilities or shared equipment that are made broadly available, should not be included in Current and Pending (Other) Support, but rather listed under Facilities and Other Resources.

  • Supporting documentation for outside contracts, agreements and other working arrangements with foreign entities must be submitted at the same time as Current and Pending (Other) Support. 

    1. Upload supporting documentation to MIT’s External Contract Depository.
      • Contracts must be provided in PDF format.
      • NIH requires that the contracts must be provided in full—without any removal or redaction of confidential or sensitive information.
      • If the contract is not in English, then you must also provide an English translation. Machine-read translations are acceptable, although a manual translation prepared by you or a fluent person you trust is preferred.
    2. Uploaded documents will receive a high-level review by MIT’s Office of the Vice President for Research and the Office of the General Counsel to help ensure compliance with NIH requirements. 
    3. Include reviewed documents in your submission to NIH. In order to maintain consistency of reporting, only contracts that have been uploaded to this depository and reviewed should be included in submissions to NIH.