Also known as “Other Support” or “Current and Pending Support”
Includes Biosketch information
Generally, sponsors request information on active (current/awarded) and pending support to evaluate potential scientific and/or commitment overlaps. In asking for identification of “other support” in a grant application, a funding agency’s interests include, but are not limited to, identifying and eliminating duplication of funding for specific budgetary items, understanding the investigator’s capacity to complete projects (e.g., effort available), protect national security or economic interests, and assess potential conflicts of interest.
Active and pending support includes all financial resources whether funded through the University or not such as Federal, non-Federal, commercial or organizational support, available in direct support of an individual’s research endeavors, including, but not limited to, research grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or organizational awards. This includes research support from foreign governments or entities. Other support does not include training awards, prizes, or gifts.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Updated 12/2/2021
Note: Please check back for the latest information when preparing Other Support materials for submission to the NIH.
With the release of their revised Grant Policy Statement in October of 2019, NIH revised their definition of Other Support. The revised definition, “includes all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value and regardless of whether they are based at the institution the researcher identifies for the current grant.”
Major Changes to Other Support Required for submissions on or after January 25 Include (formats changed May 25):
- Certification of Other Support
- Senior/key personnel must electronically sign their own other support pages
- Certifying that information is true, complete and accurate
- Electronic signatures
- A typed name is not considered an electronic signature
- Originally signed and scanned is not considered an electronic signature
- DocuSign, Adobe Pro or similar (with approval from SPS)
- Senior personnel must provide copies of foreign grants, contracts and any other agreements specific to foreign appointments, affiliations and/or employment with a foreign institution
- English translations must be provided
- Other support submissions must be submitted as a combined flattened PDF
- Senior/key personnel must electronically sign their own other support pages
Additional Information and Guidance (links)
See UConn SPS Guidance/ Requirements for Completing and Submitting Other Support to NIH and new Biosketch Requirements (updated 12/3/21)
See UConn SPS Guidance for creating a flattened pdf (all other support for all senior and key personnel along with any agreements provided must be combined in one flattened pdf).
See letter from University Provost and Vice President for Research about NIH Biosketch and Other Support requirements
See NIH Changes Summary PowerPoint dated December 8, 2021
NIH Guidance (Scroll to bottom of this page)
Major Changes to Biosketch (non-fellowships) Include:
- Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors has been renamed to Scientific Appointments.
- All academic, professional or institutional positions, paid and unpaid, must be listed, both domestic and foreign
- All scientific appointments must be listed.
- Examples
- Memberships in scientific societies
- Board memberships
- Consulting appointments
- Any other affiliations with domestic and foreign entities
Changes to the Other Support Format Page (from 04/08/21 update)
- The format page has been reorganized to separate funded projects from in-kind contributions.
- A signature block has been added, for Program Director/Principal Investigator or Other Senior/Key Personnel to certify the accuracy of the information submitted. Each PD/PI and senior/key personnel must electronically sign their respective Other Support form as a PDF prior to submission.
- For Other support submissions that include foreign activities and resources, recipients are required to submit copies of contracts, grants or any other agreements specific to senior/key personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution as supporting documentation. If they are not in English, recipients must provide a translated copy. This supporting documentation must be provided as part of the Other Support PDF following the Other Support Format page.
Changes to the Biographical Sketch Format Page (from 04/08/21 update):
- Section B “Positions and Honors” has been renamed “Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors”.
- For the Non-Fellowship Biosketch, Section D (previously research support) has been removed.
- For the Fellowship Biosketch, Section D has been updated to remove “Research Support”.
- As applicable, all applicants may include details on ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years that they want to draw attention to within the personal statement, Section A.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Updated: 7/15/19
The National Science Foundation (NSF) expects that PIs and senior personnel will list any activity that provides funding to their work and/or a commitment of time by the individual in the same manner as described in the previous section for NIH using the Current and Pending section of proposals.
The National Science Foundation also requires that PIs submit information about collaborators and other affiliations for senior project personnel. This information is in addition to Current and Pending Support and may include advisor/advisee relations, coauthors, editorships, business or family relationships that are relevant to peer review. Templates for the tables in which these elements are reported are found in NSF’s Proposal & Awards Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
On July 11, NSF’s Director, Dr. France Cordova, issued a “Dear Colleague Letter” which highlights renewed efforts to ensure that existing requirements to disclose current and pending support information are known, understood, and followed. The draft NSF Proposal and Awards Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG)published in May of this year includes clarifications for reporting requirements for both current and pending support:
- Information must be provided for all current and pending support irrespective of whether such support is provided through the proposing organization or directly to the individual.
- Examples of current and pending support have been expanded to include non-profit organizations and consulting agreements.
- All projects and activities that require a time commitment must be reported (no minimum has been established), even if the support received is only in-kind.
- NSF does not consider these clarifications to be changes in policy.
- Clarification that for biographical sketches “appointments” should include any titled academic, professional, or institutional position whether or not remuneration is received.
As a reminder, applicants are required to indicate whether a grant project includes “international activity” in the proposal. If international activity is contemplated after award, NSF prior approval is required.
Links and Resources
National Institutes of Health
“NIH Grants Policy Statement.”
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/nihgps.pdf
“Other Support” in Grants & Funding.
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/othersupport.htm
“Biosketch Format, Instructions and Samples.”
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm
National Science Foundation
Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide
https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=papp
“Current and Pending Support”
https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg18_1/pappg_2.jsp#IIC2h
“Synergistic Activities”
https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg18_1/pappg_2.jsp#IIC2fid
“Collaborators and Other Affiliations Information” and link to “Frequently Asked Questions (bottom of page)
https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/coa.jsp
NSF-Approved Formats for Current and Pending Support
Frequently Asked Questions on Current and Pending Support
https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/cps_faqs/currentandpendingfaqs_april2022.pdf