Program Project (P series) grants support broadly based, multidisciplinary research programs that have a major scientific objective or basic theme. A program project grant generally involves the organized efforts of relatively large teams, members of which are conducting research projects designed to expound the various components of this objective. A unique feature of the P01 process is that it requires both a pre-submission meeting and an Awaiting Receipt of Application (ARA). Investigators planning to submit a P01 should follow the process outlined below. All NCI P01 applications must be submitted through the active NCI Program Project Applications funding announcement (PAR-23-059).
P01 Pre-submission Meeting
Before submitting a P01 application, a pre-submission meeting with NCI staff is required. This pre-submission meeting can be conducted via teleconference, videoconference, or in person and should be scheduled for 6-9 months prior to the anticipated receipt date. Standard receipt dates for P01 applications are January 25, May 25, and September 25.
The pre-submission meeting will include the assigned NCI program director (PD), investigators, staff from the P01 review branch of the NCI Division of Extramural Activities (DEA), and other identified NCI experts. The NCI staff to be included will be identified and contacted by the NCI PDs. The purpose of the pre-submission meeting is to discuss the P01 idea and for NCI staff to provide feedback on the proposed science, aspects that might raise concern with reviewers, and potential weaknesses in P01 applications. Please note that all feedback provided at this meeting does not constitute a formal NCI review and should be taken as suggestions only. It is up to the investigators to determine which suggestions to incorporate into their submission.
Two weeks prior to the pre-submission meeting, the applicant must submit a 3- to 5-page proposal to the NCI PD that includes the following:
- Investigator names
- A description of each core
- Specific aims and an abstract for each project
- Target submission date
In addition, the proposed budget, including subtotal direct costs, total direct costs, and total costs per year should be provided in a separate document.
Summary of P01 Timeline
When planning to submit a P01 application, please consider the following overall timeline:
| Topic | Action | Timetable |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-submission Meeting | Investigator works with program staff to set up a meeting | 6-9 months before receipt date |
| NCI program director provides the investigators with a summary of the meeting discussions | 2-3 weeks after completion of the pre-submission meeting | |
| Pre-submission Documents | Investigator submits an Awaiting Receipt of Application (ARA) request (required for subtotal direct costs ≥ $500,000) to the NCI program director | At least 8 weeks prior to application receipt date |
| NCI staff reviews ARA for approval purposes | 2-3 weeks after submission of ARA | |
| Investigator submits a Letter of Intent to the NCI Referral Office using guidance found in the NCI Program Project Applications funding announcement (PAR-23-059) | At least 30 days prior to application receipt date | |
| Submission | Investigator submits P01 application per the instructions in the active NCI Program Project Applications funding announcement (PAR-23-059) | By Standard Receipt Dates |
| Re-submission | No pre-submission meeting needed | |
| Investigator submits Awaiting Receipt of Application (ARA) request (required for subtotal direct costs ≥ $500,000) to the NCI program director | At least 8 weeks prior to application receipt date | |
| NCI staff reviews ARA for approval purposes | 2-3 weeks after submission of ARA | |
| Investigator submits a Letter of Intent to the NCI Referral Office using guidance found in the NCI Program Project Applications funding announcement (PAR-23-059) | At least 30 days prior to application receipt date | |
| Investigator submits P01 application per the instructions in the active NCI Program Project Applications funding announcement (PAR-23-059) | By Standard Receipt Date |
Formatting and Submission Guidelines to Consider
There are several formatting and submission guidelines to consider when preparing and submitting a P01:
- The application must include at least three research projects that share a common central theme, focus and/or objective.
- Applicants may propose one or more Shared Resource Cores for the proposed research if needed. Both administrative and research support cores are allowed. Each Shared Resource Core must provide support and enhance the productivity, cost-effectiveness, and/or research outcome of at least two of the proposed research projects.
- The page limits and details for preparing an application can be found in the active NCI Program Project Applications funding announcement (PAR-23-059). Additional page limits described in the SF424 Application Guide must be followed.
- You may contact your NCI program director at any time for additional guidance.