The following format specifications are from the NIH SF 424 Application Guide, which can be found at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/424/SF424_RR_Guide_General_Ver2.pdf.

Use an Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia typeface, a black font color, and a font size of 11 points or larger. (A Symbol font may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters; the font size requirement still applies.) Type density, including characters and spaces, must be no more than 15 characters per inch. Type may be no more than six lines per inch.

Use at least one-half inch margins (top, bottom, left, and right) for all pages. All pages must be exactly 8.5 x 11; if one page is not 8.5 x 11 (i.e. fax letter from a consultant), then convert to exactly 8.5 x 11 (using the standard or professional versions of Adobe, print to a conversion software such as CutePDF or Acrobat Distiller).

Do not include any information in a header or footer of the attachments. A header will be system-generated that references the name of the PD/PI. Page numbers for the footer will be system-generated in the complete application, with all pages sequentially numbered.

You may use a smaller type size but it must be in a black font color, readily legible, and follow the font typeface requirement. Color can be used in figures; however, all text must be in a black font color, clear and legible.

Full-sized glossy photographs of material such as electron micrographs or gels must only be included within the page limitations of the Research Plan. The maximum size of images to be included should be approximately 1200 x 1500 pixels using 256 colors. Figures must be readable as printed on an 8.5 x 11 page at normal (100%) scale.

Investigators must use image compression such as JPEG or PMG. Do not include figures or photographs as separate attachments either in the Appendix or elsewhere in the application.

If terms are not universally known, spell out the term the first time it is used and note the appropriate abbreviation in parentheses. The abbreviation may be used thereafter.

Begin each text section of the Research Plan with a section header (e.g., Introduction, Specific Aims, Background & Significance, etc).

All attachments must be in PDF format. To convert from OpenOffice to PDF, simply click on the Convert to PDF link in the main menu tab.

The following lists various page limitations depending on PDF attachment and grant proposal. It is strongly urged that for the main body of the grant (Specific Aims through Research Design & Methods), the document should be written as one document to keep track of page limitations. When uploaded in separate PDFs, the NIH allows for white space but does not allow the main body to go over the specified page limits.

• Abstract - 30 lines maximum
• Introduction to Application (resubmissions) - 3 pages for most mechanisms
• Specific Aims through R&D - 25 pages for R01
• Biographical sketches - 4 pages