Pilot Grants Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
1. I am a Resident/Fellow/other and will transition to an instructor position. I was wondering if I am eligible to apply to Pilot Grant Program. You may apply to this funding mechanism as long as you will be appointed to the position by the earliest start date for the award, January 1 (Fall Cycle) and July 1 (Spring Cycle). We understand there may be delays in processing one’s appointment, in this case we ask for specific requests to be submitted to mchri_admin@stanford.edu for review.
2. My primary research mentor has left Stanford. Am I eligible to continue to hold an MCHRI Award?
Yes, it is possible for you to continue your MCHRI-supported project. Please note that you will be required to identify a new mentor and provide an updated mentoring plan which needs to be approved by the program panel chair(s).
3. Are applicants with an H or J visa eligible to apply?
Yes, you may apply for this funding opportunity. If an applicant has been approved to work at Stanford by the person’s department HR, then we will gladly accept the applicant pending they will be able to meet the other award terms.
4. I am in the CE Line. May I apply to the Pilot Grant?
No. Apply through the CE Grant Program.
5. I was awarded an MCHRI Pilot or New Idea Grant in a prior fiscal year. Am I eligible to apply? Yes, you may apply again to this funding mechanism. However, we ask that the prior award be finished, any expense overage be cleared, and that the proposed project be significantly different than the prior awarded project. A single applicant may submit only 1 application per grant cycle. An investigator may not simultaneously hold more than one active MCHRI award of the same type.
Application
1. I submitted a proposal for the Pilot Grant Program. Approximately when should I expect to hear back?
Fall Cycle: Anticipated by the 1st or 2nd week of December. Spring Cycle: Anticipated by the 1st or 2nd week of June.
2. I would like clarification on if my Mentor has submitted the associated mentor support form.
As a requirement for your award (if an instructor or Assistant Professor), the MCHRI Mentor Support Form mus be completed prior to the submission of your application. It is recommended that you complete the initial steps of creating an application record 4 weeks in advance of the deadline in our grant management system such that your mentor has sufficient time to complete the form. Late forms will not be accepted unless a significant rationale is provided. You may email mchri_admin@stanford.edu to confirm whether your mentor’s form has been completed.
3. I would like to update my application with the status of a newly published article.
No, this is not allowed due to the short turnaround time in our review process. If publications are in press, please make sure to properly reference them on your NIH Biosketch.
4. I am planning to resubmit. Does my Primary Research Mentor need to resubmit the mentor form?
Yes, a new mentor form is required for each resubmission. As this grant is designed to support career development, an updated status of the applicant’s progress is necessary given the 5–6-month duration between each funding cycle.
5. Do you provide sample of past awarded grants or recommendations on formatting?
No, please refer to the associated program application form and grant instructions for references on formatting and application packaging.
6. My Primary Research Mentor did not receive (or complete) the mentor support form. What do I do? Our mentor form is completed via RedCap. The system sometimes has difficulty when a mentor has multiple SUNet’s. Please contact MCHRI Administration via email at mchri_admin@stanford.edu for additional support. MCHRI will resend the mentor form directly to your mentor for completion. Please Note: Last minute requests may not be able to be processed.
7. What does the field “Cycle” or “FY” refer to?
MCHRI offers multiple funding opportunities per year each with chances for resubmission. To ensure proper tracking, please provide the current Fiscal Year (FY) or funding cycle (Cycle) for the associated submission date. (e.g., a Fall 2025 grant program would be FY 26, Fall Cycle)
8. I was not funded. Do I have to resubmit for the next cycle or may I delay for a future cycle?
You may delay your resubmission for any future cycle. If all eligibility requirements have been met. Please note that our funding mechanism may change. Please check the associated MCHRI program page for more information.
9. Please provide information regarding the definition of Principal Investigator (PI), Collaborator & Co- Investigator. Do they need to be included in my application?
MCHRI uses the NIH guidance for definition of Co-Investigators and Collaborators. PIs are the individuals submitting the project that is eligible for the funding mechanism. Please follow the associated program application form and grant instructions for guidance on how to include them in your application.
10. I have a question regarding the specific age range for child health. Can you please provide guidance on the age limits for your funding mechanism? MCHRI uses the NIH “Child” definition. NIH policy defines a child as a person under the age of 18. If you have specific questions pertaining to the age limits, please email mchri_admin@stanford.edu.
11. Is it permissible to have two Co-PIs or should it be PI and Co-I?
We recommend structuring the proposal with a PI and a co-investigator, rather than using a multiple PI model. For definitions of PI, co-investigator, and collaborator, please refer to the NIH guidance.
12. Am I eligible to change my Primary Research Mentor to my application?
Yes, you may change your Primary Research Mentor prior to application submission as long as the new mentor will have sufficient time to complete the Mentor Support Form. We highly recommend that this activity not take place within 7 days prior to the application submission date so that our administrative team may assist you properly.
13. I am not certain if my proposed project is relevant to Maternal Child Health according to MCHRI’s definition. Can someone please clarify this?
We would be happy to clarify Maternal Child Health relevance on a case-by-case basis. Please email mchri_admin@stanford.edu to request an evaluation.
14. I am currently an Assistant Professor but will be promoted to an Associate Professor in January 1/July 1. I am wondering if I can forgo the required Mentor Support Form? Application? Yes, you may apply and forgo the Mentor Support Form as long as your appointment is granted by the recommended award start date, January 1 (Fall Cycle), July 1 (Spring Cycle). If your appointment will occur at a later date into the award performance period, please apply as your current rank. Reminder, in this case, please apply for the “New Idea” category and follow all other referenced policies and procedures.
15. May I be named as a Co-I on a Pilot Grant even though I am a Clinical Assistant Professor? Yes, you can be named as a Co-I. If you want to apply as the PI, you will need to apply to our CE Grant.
16. I am completing my Stanford IRB eProtocol and the IRB is requesting a SPO number associated with this award. Do you know if one was assigned? The Pilot awards are not classified as University Research Awards (URA) and therefore not tracked in SeRA and not given a SPO#.
17. Is that grant eligible for animal studies? For human studies, the IRB needs to be either approved or submitted. Does this also apply to APLAC protocols? The pilot grant is eligible for animal studies. We would advise you to submit the APLAC protocol. If funded, you will be required to have APLAC approval before it’s funded.
18. Is the letter of support from my CO-I to me, or from me to my CO-I? What exactly does the letter need to state? A co-I is considered key personnel and is involved in the scientific development and execution of the project. The letter of support should specify what the co-I will contribute to the research. It may include specific duties, explanation how the research expertise, or technical skills will support the applicant. It might describe relevant experience and how it bears on the project or their previous track record on similar projects.
19. The PI will have co-I(s) with “effort as needed/in-kind effort” under the budget justification, do they need to be listed under the Budget Personnel category? Are a Letter of Support and BIosketch needed if they are only mentioned in the budget justification? You would still include the co-Is with effort as needed or in-kind in the personnel section with a note that it’s in-kind or as needed in the budget justification section. Please include LOS and biosketch for them.
20. Do Postdocs who are listed in the budget personnel need to provide a letter of support and biosketch? If the postdoc is not key personnel, i.e, they do not need a LOS or biosketch. This is only for PI, co-Is and collaborators.
21. As an Instructor, I need a faculty mentor (Associate Professor and above) on the application. I’m wondering if a Clinical Associate Professor is allowed as a faculty mentor. Clinical Associate Professors and Clinical Professors are fine as primary mentors.
22. Can collaborators from outside Stanford be allowed?
They are eligible. LOS and biosketch/CV required.
23. Do samples from IRB-approved biobanks require QSU consultation? Samples in an IRB-approved biobank used for human-based studies require a consultation with QSU.
24. Do I need to be a MCHRI member to apply for the MCHRI Postdoctoral Support Grant? Yes, you do need to apply for membership prior to submitting your application as does your Primary Research Mentor. Please click here to apply for membership. Please note that it may take up to 2 weeks for us to process your membership request.
Budget
1. Must I budget for PI effort on a MCHRI Pilot Grant?
No, you do not have to budget for PI effort on this mechanism. However, the proposed budget should be sufficient to justify the project and a clarification of how the PI plans to support the project should be included in the budget justification. Reminder, PI effort is not allowed for “New Idea” applications.
2. May I budget funds for a Co-PI/Co-I/Collaborator from another institution?
Yes, this is possible. However, MCHRI will not be responsible for coordinating the transfer of funds between Stanford and the other institution. It is recommended in this case to work with your assigned departmental research administrator and the Stanford Research Management Group to ensure funds are routed according to university policy.
3. Are Post doc time/salaries and student stipend allowed under the Pilot Early Career grant?
Postdoc effort is allowed. If the postdoc isn't doing all of the work and there will be some effort from the PI but it will be in-kind so they should note that in the budget justification. We want to know who is doing the work. If the entire award is being allocated to postdoc salary, then this this mechanism is probably not appropriate and the postdoc should apply to the MCHRI postdoc support funding opportunity in the spring. There will be a PI’s effort as well.
4. Can PI budget only for an RA and no PI effort?
Allowed, but in-kind effort should be explained.
Post Award
1. I was notified that I was awarded a MCHRI Pilot Grant. What is required of me?
All requirements of the associated Notice of Award must be met in order to be eligible for renewal funding and any future MCHRI grants.The information required from you will be provided in your notification email and subsequent award letter
2. Can a NCX be requested for a Pilot Grant?
An NCX can be requested for up to 6 months (max) through this Link.