General
Accessing the Application
Preproposal Form
Recommendation Letter
Logistics
General
Are the BWF application deadlines firm?
Yes, both the preproposal and the full application deadlines are firm.
Do I need to submit a preproposal application prior to submitting a full application?
Yes. All applicants to the program must submit a preproposal application first. Everyone who submits a preproposal will not necessarily be submitting a full application. Preproposals will be reviewed by the Interfaces in Science Advisory Committee and selected candidates will be invited to submit a full application.
Can I submit a paper application?
No. BWF requires that all applications for this program be submitted electronically. Paper applications will not be accepted.
Can I submit more than one (1) preproposal application?
No.
Do I need to be nominated by my institution to submit a preproposal application?
No. Eligible candidates may self-nominate by submitting a preproposal application by the preproposal deadline.
When will I be notified as to whether I have been selected to submit a full application?
Applicants who submitted preproposals will be notified via email by November 30, 2013, as to whether they have been selected to submit a full application.
Can letters of collaboration be included in the preproposal application?
No, letters of collaboration are not part of the preproposal. If extra materials such as collaboration letters are included, your preproposal application will be rejected out of fairness to other applicants.
Do I need to submit a proposed budget with my preproposal application?
No, a budget is not part of the preproposal. If extra materials such as a budget are included, your preproposal application will be rejected out of fairness to other applicants.
I have two postdoc mentors at two different institutions. Does it matter which one is the primary mentor?
Yes. If your mentors are at two different institutions, the primary mentor should be the one located at the institution where you will be doing the proposed work (the institution entered in the "Institutional Information" page of the online application) and who holds a faculty appointment at an accredited degree-granting institution in North America.
Can I add a postdoc mentor if I am invited to submit a full application?
You may add a mentor, but may not change the primary mentor whose name is associated with your preproposal.
I plan to change institutions to complete additional postdoc training after I've submitted a preproposal application. If I'm invited to submit a full application, can I change the institution on the full application to my new institution?
No. The institution submitted in the preproposal and in the full application must be the same. Invitations to submit a full application are based on the information submitted in the preproposal. If you move to a new institution after submitting the preproposal application, you will not be able to submit a full application, even if invited to do so.
I am a temporary resident. What documentation is required to verify my residency status?
BWF doesn’t require documentation of your visa paperwork. If you are invited to submit a full application, your institution must verify your immigration status as part of your application. More information will be provided if an invitation is sent to you.
My visa is not valid for more than one year but I need a new “position offer” to get a new visa. Do you ask for a valid two-year visa (for the postdoc period) when submitting the preproposal application?
We understand that not all U.S. visas will cover the full two years of postdoc for the award. For this reason, we are not asking for a valid two-year visa when submitting the preproposal application. If you are invited to submit a full application, BWF requires that your institution certify that you hold a current valid U.S. visa and that the institution will manage your residency status during the postdoctoral period of the award (perform all necessary paperwork to extend visa status). More information will be provided if an invitation is sent to you.
Accessing the Application
Do I need to complete an application in one session?
No, you can start an application and return at a later time to complete the application. When beginning a new application, you are required to establish a log-in and password. At any time during the application process, you may click the "save and finish later" button, exit the application, and return at a later time. Saved applications are accessed through a different link than the one used to begin the initial application. You may access saved applications on the BWF grant application system until it has been submitted.
Please note that all preproposal applications must be submitted by September 3, 2013 at 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
How do I return to an incomplete application that I saved, but have not yet submitted?
To access a saved application for BWF programs, click the appropriate link on the Program Application page. At the time you begin an application, you are required to create a login and password. The same information can be used to access a saved application. Note: There are two separate links to the BWF grant application system (one to start a new application and one to access a saved application.)
Can I receive a copy of my online application form?
You can print a copy of your application as you are completing the online application form by clicking the "Printer Friendly Version" link at the top of the page. You may also click the "Email Draft" link to email a copy of the application. Please note that BWF will not accept emailed applications.
Preproposal Form
What is the Preproposal Form?
The Preproposal Form is an attachment that must be completed and uploaded to the preproposal application prior to submission. It requires re-entry of some of the information from the online application and provides signature lines for the applicant and the primary postdoctoral mentor. In addition, it includes fields where the applicant can provide (1) an essay of the proposed work, and (2) a list of up to five of the applicant's top publications.
How do I access the Preproposal Form?
The three-page Preproposal Form can be accessed on the Forms and Resources page on this website.
Who needs to sign the Preproposal Form?
The applicant and the applicant's primary postdoctoral mentor must sign the preproposal form. Scanned signatures and e-signatures are accepted. Typed names are not accepted.
What is an e-signature?
BWF considers an electronic signature (or e-signature) to be either an image of a person’s actual signature (a scanned signature) or an official digital signature. Typing a person’s name or initials into a form is not acceptable.
How can I obtain an e-signature on the preproposal form?
Obtaining an e-signature can be handled one of three ways:
- Use Adobe Acrobat to create an e-signature or digital signature. Even though the image appears as a typed name this is acceptable since there is a visible indication that the document was digitally signed. If a typed name without such an indication is submitted, it will not be acceptable.
- Insert a scanned image of the person’s signature in the appropriate place in the form.
- Complete the preproposal form, print it, sign it, then scan it back into your system as a PDF file. The signatures should appear on the scanned image.
What types of information should be included in the essay of proposed work?
The essay of proposed work should be written to a group of well-educated scientists who are not necessarily experts in your field – in the style of a "Scientific American" article. Describe the work being proposed, including the interdisciplinary nature of the work, how your approach to the problem is distinct, and the degree to which the proposed work will open new fields of inquiry. Be sure to mention your interdisciplinary background/training.
Can I include figures, tables, graphs, diagrams, and/or pictures in the section of the preproposal form asking for an essay of the proposed work?
No.
Do I need to include references in the essay of the proposed work?
No. References are not required in the preproposal and should not be included. If you are invited to submit a full application, references can be included at that time.
Can I include submitted manuscripts in the list of publications?
No. Only papers that have been published or are "in press" (accepted for publication) should be included. When entering this information on the form, be sure to use the appropriate format (indicated on the preproposal form).
I have publications where I am one of more than three authors. Since only three authors can be listed for a publication on the preproposal form, how should I list multiple authors?
When you wish to list a publication with more than three authors:
- If you are a middle author – list the first author, yourself as an author, the last author, then ‘et.al.’
- If you are the first author – list yourself, one of the middle authors, the last author, then ‘et.al.’
- If you are the last author – list the first author, one of the middle authors, then yourself, then ‘et.al.’
I have publications from my graduate (and undergraduate) studies, but they are not necessarily relevant to the research I am proposing in the preproposal application. Should I include them on the preproposal application form?
Yes. Up to five of your top publications should be included on the preproposal application form, even if they are not relevant to the research being proposed. When entering this information on the form, be sure to use the appropriate format (indicated on the form).
How do I submit the preproposal form?
After completing the preproposal form, including the required signatures, upload and attach the form to the online preproposal application. The form will then be submitted electronically with the application. Faxed, emailed, or hard copy documents will not be accepted.
Can the preproposal form be sent separately (i.e., faxed or emailed)?
No. The preproposal form must be uploaded and attached to your online application, then submitted electronically by the preproposal application deadline. Faxed, emailed, or hard copy documents will not be accepted.
Recommendation Letter
To whom should my recommendation letter be addressed?
The letter of recommendation should be addressed to the CASI Advisory Committee and must be uploaded to your application by the letter writer prior to submission by the deadline. Faxed, emailed, or hard copy letters will not be accepted.
What should be included in the recommendation letter?
The primary postdoctoral mentor should describe your qualifications and potential for contributing to biomedical science, highlighting specific skills or expertise in a scientific discipline other than biology. The letter should also describe the research environment in which you will work, his/her mentoring plan for you, the number of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in his/her lab, and the supporting services to be provided by the institution.
How can I submit my recommendation letter?
Since the recommendation letter must remain confidential, the recommender (your primary postdoc mentor) must upload his/her own letter, as a PDF file, directly into your application before the application deadline. For this process to work properly, you must send an email from within your application to your primary postdoctoral mentor requesting the letter. The email will contain a link that is specific to your application and your primary postdoctoral mentor. For detailed instructions on how to request a confidential letter from your primary postdoctoral mentor, see Applicant Instructions for Requesting a Confidential Letter.
Can the recommendation letter be sent separately?
No. Letters of recommendation must be converted to PDF files and uploaded by the letter writer prior to submission of your preproposal application. An application can only be submitted when it is complete; therefore, it is highly recommended that the recommendation letter be uploaded to the application a week before the deadline. Faxed, emailed, or hard copy letters will not be accepted.
I have two postdoctoral mentors. Can I submit two recommendation letters?
Only one recommendation letter may be submitted with your preproposal application. This letter should be from the person designated as your primary postdoctoral mentor in the application. However, if both mentors wish to write and sign one letter, that is acceptable. Two letters will not be accepted.
What is a “signature block”?
A signature block is found at the end of a letter and includes the letter writer’s name, title(s), department(s), and institution. It is usually found just after the closing of the letter (e.g., just after the word “Sincerely,’ or ‘Yours truly,’) and just under the letter writer’s signature. Here’s an example of a signature block:
Jane Smith, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Physics
ABC University
I’m having trouble using the online application system to request a confidential letter from my primary postdoctoral mentor. What should I do?
For detailed instructions on how to request a confidential letter, see Applicant Instructions for Requesting a Confidential Letter. For help with troubleshooting problems with this process, see Troubleshooting the Confidential Letters Process. If you’re still experiencing difficulties after reviewing these two documents, contact Rusty Kelley, Program Officer (919-991-5120), or Ruth Reynolds, Program Assistant (919-991-5129).
My primary postdoctoral mentor is having trouble uploading his/her confidential recommendation letter to my application. What should I do?
For detailed instructions on how to upload a confidential letter, see Recommender Instructions for Uploading a Confidential Letter. For help with troubleshooting problems with this process, see Troubleshooting the Confidential Letters Process. If your primary postdoc mentor is still experiencing difficulties after reviewing these two documents, ask him/her to contact Rusty Kelley, Program Officer (919-991-5120), or Ruth Reynolds, Program Assistant (919-991-5129).
Logistics
I completed my application. How do I submit?
Once the application has been completed and all attachments have been uploaded, click the "Review and Submit" button at the bottom of the last page of the application. Review your application. If the application is not missing required items, a “Submit” button should be available at the bottom of the page. If a submit button is not available, the application is missing (one or more) required fields or attachments. Any missing items should be noted in red near the top of the page. Once you have completed all required items and clicked the “Submit” button, you will receive an email confirmation. If you do not, please contact BWF immediately at 919-991-5120.
Can I change my application once submitted?
No. Once your application is submitted, it cannot be changed.
What internet browsers are compatible with the BWF Grant Application System?
Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Safari (for Mac)
Google Chrome
I forgot my user ID/password. What should I do?
For a forgotten password or user ID, access the BWF system log-in screen and click the forgotten password link.
How can I convert a document to a PDF file?
You can use standard word processing software (e.g., MS Word, WordPerfect) to prepare the documents for your application. However, you MUST convert ALL documents to portable document format (PDF) files prior to uploading and attaching them to your application.
A list of PDF generator software is available on the grants.gov website.
Please note that BWF does not endorse or take responsibility for any of the software programs listed on the grants.gov website. Please review vendor websites for additional information. For assistance with PDFs, visit Troubleshooting PDFs.
If I have questions about a particular program guideline or the electronic application, whom can I contact for help?
For problems with the electronic application, please contact Rusty Kelley by email or phone at 919-991-5120.