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eRA Commons

What is the purpose?  

eRA Commons is NIH's online system where grant applicants, grantees, federal staff at NIH and grantor agencies can access and share administrative information relating to research grants.

What are the features?

eRA Commons users, based on their role, can conduct a variety of business in Commons, including:

  • Track the status of their grant applications through the submission process, view errors and/or warnings and check the assembled grant image
  • View summary statements and score letters following the initial review of their applications
  • Manage Statement of Appointment forms and Termination Notices electronically through xTrain
  • View notice of award and other key documents
  • Submit Just-in-Time information requested by the grantor agency prior to a final award decision
  • Submit the required documentation, including the Federal Financial Report and final progress report, to close out the grant
  • Submit a No-Cost Extension notification that the grantee has exercised its one-time authority to extend without funds the final budget period of a project period of a grant.
  • Submit annual progress reports electronically
  • Delegate much of the administrative tasks required in the management of an award, freeing scientists  up to concentrate on the science
  • Identify financial conflicts of interest on grants, report such instances to NIH and monitor their status until resolved

What are the benefits to the Grantee community?

  • End-to-end grants management, from tracking grant application to closeout
  • Access to the LikeThis, the secure search tool for the research community to learn about other research projects that have similar goals and objectives as their own
  • Principal Investigators keep a Commons account for the life of their career, using the Personal Profile section to manage key information about themselves

What are the benefits to NIH Staff?

  • Captures application data in eRA systems, facilitating application administration, analysis, and reuse
  • Presents clear, PDF images for review and funding consideration
  • Ensures standard application structure