General Information

The new version of NIH Commons is now available. Commons is designed to make the grant application process paperless and more streamlined, and it now includes the following functions:

Status: This facility allows PIs to review the current status of all their grant applications and review detailed information associated with their grants. Institution Officials (i.e. Signing Official (SO) or Administrative Official (AO) associated with the institution) are able to see a summary view of grant applications, review the Notice of Grant Award, and access the Progress Report face page.

eSNAP: This facility allows an institution to review non-competing grant data and perform a progress report submission online. eSNAP User Guide

X-Train: Through the Commons, the X-Train application is available for institutions registered to use X-Train.

Internet Assisted Review (IAR Pilot): IAR allows a Reviewer to submit critiques and preliminary scores for applications they are reviewing. Allows Reviewers, SRAs, and GTAs to view all critiques in preparation for the meeting.

Financial Status Reports: Allows electronic submission of financial information associated with a grant. FSR User Guide

Administration: An Account Administration module includes the ability for an Institution to create and manage user accounts associated with your institution. Additionally, this module allows the Institution's SO to maintain the institution information on file at the NIH.

Personal Profile: Account data maintained by the NIH such as Degrees, Addresses, and Publications.

To learn how the Commons works, navigate through the Demonstration Site.

Commons User Guides

The following user guides, developed by OCGA, are intended to assist NIH eRA Commons users in navigating the system. Depending on the file size, the guides may be accessed either as PDF and/or a zip file.

First Time Commons Login: This guide provides assistance for logging into the Commons for first time users who have just had their account activated.

First Time Commons Login (Adobe Acrobat - PDF)

Status Check: As mentioned above, the Commons allows PIs to review the status of all their current grant applications and review detailed information associated with all their grants. This document guides the user through the process of access status information from the Commons.

Using the Commons to Check "Things" Out aka Status (Adobe Acrobat - PDF)

eSNAP Process: This document leads the Commons user through the process of developing a Type 5 Progress Report also known as an electronic Streamlined Noncompeting Award Process (eSNAP). While primarily for the PI, its contents will also help departmental support staff and administrators.

The eSNAP Process from the PI's Point of View (Adobe Acrobat - PDF)

eSNAP and PI Profile Edits: If the PI wishes someone other than herself/himself to assist in developing the eSNAP progress report and/or updating the PI Personal Profile, access must be delegated. Delegation for both functions can be done by the PI. At the request of the PI, the OCGA Grant Analyst or Department Research Associate may delegate access to editing the PI's Professional Profile to departmental support staff named by the PI.

Delegating Update Authority - or How to Provide Support Access to eSNAPS (Adobe Acrobat - PDF)