Timeline
Preparing a competitive institutional training grant is a complex, multi-stage process that requires long-term planning, extensive coordination, and sustained effort across faculty, administrators, and research offices. The majority of the activities listed below can be completed by the Training Grant Support Office (TGSO). Investigators are strongly encouraged to contact the TGSO as early as possible, as early engagement ensures adequate planning time and alignment with available institutional resources.
12-18 Months Before Submission (Recommended for New Proposals)
During this early planning period, TGSO will review the funding announcement, analyze institute priorities and expectations, and scan NIH RePORTER for comparable funded programs. TGSO typically supports the PI in framing the program concept, while the PI identifies key partners and stakeholders across departments, centers, and affiliated institutions. This stage also includes initiating data infrastructure planning, such as sourcing historical trainee data and preparing for xTRACT entry. For competitive renewals, TGSO works with the PI to notify faculty and current trainees about the upcoming submission and may begin collecting alumni updates and historical performance data.
6-12 Months Before Submission
As the application structure becomes clearer, TGSO supports the PI in refining the program scope, confirming participating faculty, and ensuring mentoring records, publication histories, and funding are appropriately captured. The TGSO and PI will initiate preliminary evaluation plan discussions and ensure that all contributors are aware of the required materials and timelines.
6 Months Before Submission
At the six-month mark, TGSO shifts toward detailed preparation of the application’s core components. This includes entering or updating program-specific data in xTRACT or NIH table templates, identifying and resolving data gaps, and preparing preliminary tables for PI and leadership review. The TGSO will check in with the PI to ensure updated biosketches from participating faculty. At this stage, the TGSO reviews and provides feedback on the current narrative development, supporting the PI with drafts of the Training Overview, Objectives, and related sections.
3-6 Months Before Submission
In this phase, the PI develops the central program narrative. Additionally, TGSO drafts institutional letters of support, gathers necessary infrastructure descriptions, updates tables in xTRACT or NIH templates, and prepares documentation related to program resources, faculty mentoring records, and trainee progress indicators. Budget refinement and confirmation of institutional commitments typically occur during this window.
1-3 Months Before Submission
As the deadline approaches, TGSO finalizes data tables and letters of support, while the PI finalizes the narrative text and required attachments, ensuring all components adhere to NIH formatting rules, page limits, and FORMS-I compliance.
Submission and Post-Submission
Once the application moves to the assembled phase in eRA Commons, the TGSO reviews the final version within the viewing window to ensure correct formatting and attachment integrity. TGSO then archives all final materials, including the submitted application, data tables, confirmation receipts, and Commons validations, for recordkeeping and future reference.