Rigor and Feasibility are one of the 3 key factors NIH grants are scored on under the new evaluation framework. Feasibility is most commonly established within the Approach section of the Research Strategy, however other components of the grant can also be used to establish feasibility.

Research Strategy: Approach

The approach section is where you most directly address the feasibility component of your grant. You have to establish that your overall idea is feasible and that you have the capacity to execute the proposed research program.

Preliminary Data (written extensively about here) establishes both types of feasibility. You must have sufficient preliminary data to show that the core of your research program will work and yield interesting data. This data should be highlighted, and placed very early within the Research Strategy, and it should include a figure that you refer to regularly throughout your document. Preliminary data can also be included throughout your Research Strategy to demonstrate capacity with essential techniques, and to validate key resources like mouse models. 

Another way that you establish feasibility within the Research Strategy is by discussing and citing research that supports your ideas. Do this generously, and be very explicit. Include phrasing such as “Consistent with our hypothesis that [X] promotes [Y], [reference et al] published [type of data] showing that [what it showed]”. You should also cite yourself regularly, and when you are using your previously published work to establish capacity with a technique, be very explicit that that is what you are doing. “Our lab has extensive experience with [fancy technique] [ref, ref, ref].”

You should also explicitly reference any other documents included in the grant that are necessary to establish feasibility. “Our state-of-the-art [equipment] is capable of … (see Equipment)”. 

Finally, when you are discussing the timeline of experiments at the end of the Research Strategy, explicitly state that you have all needed expertise and equipment necessary to complete the project, and that you anticipate that the project can be completed within the budgeted timeframe.

Facilities & Equipment

These documents are where you demonstrate that you have the facilities and equipment needed to complete all aims of your grant. Go through your research strategy, noting all pieces of equipment and all facilities needed, and make sure that anything that is not requested in your budget is clearly documented, and that it is obvious how the piece of equipment or the facility supports your research program. “For immunofluorescence, we have a [type of microscope] with [peripherals]. These offer sufficient resolution to complete the studies described in Aim 2b.”

Biosketch

Your biosketch is how you establish your credibility to complete your proposed research program. In addition to your credentials, this document offers you a personal statement as well as space to discuss five areas of previous research. Personalize your biosketch for each application be including a few sentences at the end of the personal statement highlighting your experience relevant to what you are proposing, and include a few relevant papers, conference titles, or grants that establish credibility. Also be sure to keep your Contributions to Science updated, especially for areas that you are actively still engaged in research in. Your 4 representative publications should include recent papers as well as older research studies that are particularly important to establish you within the field. Don’t be afraid to change up these sections as your research interests evolve. Often previously separate sections can be merged to create space for you to highlight a novel research area.

Letters of Support

If you don’t have a key piece of equipment, facility, or technical or analytical skillset, working with a colleague that does can be a solution. In this case, the colleague must provide you with a Letter of Support for your grant that explicitly states how they will help you. You should reference this explicitly within the Research Strategy of your grant. Info on asking for Letters of Support and what it needs to include are available here.

Conclusion

Remember that you must demonstrate that you have available every single item, facility, and resource that you do not explicitly budget for. Equally important is to demonstrate that you and your group are the best group to complete your proposed experiments. A great idea that isn’t perceived to be feasible will not be funded.