UM Information about the NIH Commons

>> Link to the NIH Commons: http://commons.era.nih.gov

UM Commons Registration

How to register
Find Principal Investigators registered in NIH Commons
[Kerberos password login may be required]

eSNAP: Overview | Guide | Help

NIH Commons

The eRA Commons, the electronic research administration system of NIH, is accessible via the internet. The system offers principal investigators and their research staff several online features including:

Application Status: The ability to view the full application, check for errors, verify and sign-off on NIH grant applications that were submitted via Grants.gov. More information about using Grants.gov

The ability to review the current status of grant applications including application assignment information, pink sheets, PDF copies of applications (in many cases), copies of all previous Notices of Grant Award, access to NIH database providing current information on the program official and grants management specialist.
eSNAP: The ability for a PI to prepare a non-competing renewal electronically that an institution will then review and submit to NIH. See the section on eSNAPs.

Internet Assisted Review (IAR): The ability for a PI as a reviewer to submit critiques and preliminary scores for applications being reviewed.

Financial Status Reports (FSR): The ability for financial report filing via the Commons by the University's Sponsored Programs Office.

Closeout reports: The ability to submit final closeout reports electronically for grants that have ended.

Commons Registration

Most NIH Commons functions require a Commons registration: a user name and password. These are assigned by the UM liaison, Laura Cifor.

Each user will be assigned a unique Commons username and password. PI's can assign privileges of updating their personal profile and assisting in submitting a non-competing renewal (eSNAP) to their staff and collaborators using these usernames and passwords.

To begin the registration process, please click the following UM Registration Page link to access a registration information form. This will require your UM uniqname and kerberos password: Registration Page

If you have questions about registration, or need assistance, please contact Laura Cifor at lcifor@umich.edu, or 764-7234.

eSNAP

eSNAP (electronic Streamlined Non-competing Award Process), a component of the eRA Commons system, enables extramural grantees to submit an electronic version of the SNAP type 5 (non-competing) progress report through a Web interface. Since January, 2007, the University has required that all non-competing renewals be submitted as an eSNAP via the Commons.

There are some business process changes that are unique to eSNAP that include:

Progress Reports Submission: eSNAP submissions are due 45 days prior to the budget start date. Please refer to NOT-OD-09-139 for Significant Policy Changes to the noncompeting continuation progress report.

Research Accomplishment and Other Significant Changes: Continues to be an integral part of the progress report narrative; however, in the eSNAP system, the capability for this data to be uploaded separately has been developed. Eventually this will allow for periodic electronic updates throughout the budget period, not just annual submission. One goal here is to provide NIH programmatic officials with information that could be easily accessible for science highlights and/or congressional justifications.

Citations: If a citation is published in a journal available online, the PI can include the link to the on-line journal or the NIH PubMed Central (PMC) submission identification number in lieu of submitting a hard copy of the reprint.

Vertebrate Animal IACUC and Human Subjects IRB Approval Dates: One significant difference unique to an eSNAP involves the reporting of vertebrate animal and human subjects approval dates. In the electronic process, these dates are not captured at the time of eSNAP submission. Instead at the time of the eSNAP submission, DRDA will verify human and animal use approval dates with the PI and department grants administrator.

All Personnel Report: Required with every progress report. However, the eSNAP system stores the electronic submission to allow for easy access and update in future years. See NIH NOT-OD-09-150 for more about personnel.

eSNAP Help

If you would like assistance with eSNAP submissions, please contact Laura Cifor at lcifor@umich.edu, or 764-7234.

eSNAP Guide

This DRDA multi-page guide for eSNAPs includes instructions, help links and screen shots of what you will see on the Commons.

It is available:
View Online
--or --
MS Word Document format. Click the link to download to your computer. You can then open and print it from your machine.
Download .doc file

Discussion Archive

Learn more about the history of the University's involvement with the development of the commons: Commons Discussion Archive

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Last reviewed: November 2009