Checklist for Formatting Requirements and Screenout Criteria for SAMHSA Grant Applications
SAMHSA’s goal is to review all applications submitted for grant funding. However, this goal must be balanced against SAMHSA’s obligation to ensure equitable treatment of applications. For this reason, SAMHSA has established certain formatting requirements for its applications. If you do not adhere to these requirements, your application will be screened out and returned to you without review. In addition to these formatting requirements, programmatic requirements (e.g., relating to eligibility) may be stated in the specific NOFA and in Section III of the standard grant announcement. Please check the entire NOFA and Section III of the standard grant announcement before preparing your application.
 Use the PHS 5161-1 application.
Applications must be received by the application deadline or have proof of timely submission, as detailed in Section IV-3 of the grant announcement.
Information provided must be sufficient for review.
Text must be legible.
-
Type size in the Project Narrative cannot exceed an average of 15 characters per inch, as measured on the physical page. (Type size in charts, tables, graphs, and footnotes will not be considered in determining compliance.)
-
Text in the Project Narrative cannot exceed 6 lines per vertical inch..
Paper must be white paper and 8.5 inches by 11.0 inches in size.
To ensure equity among applications, the amount of space allowed for the Project Narrative cannot be exceeded.
-
Applications would meet this requirement by using all margins (left, right, top, bottom) of at least one inch each, and adhering to the page limit for the Project Narrative stated in the specific funding announcement.
-
Should an application not conform to these margin or page limits, SAMHSA will use the following method to determine compliance: The total area of the Project Narrative (excluding margins, but including charts, tables, graphs and footnotes) cannot exceed 58.5 square inches multiplied by the page limit. This number represents the full page less margins, multiplied by the total number of allowed pages.
- Space will be measured on the physical page. Space left blank within the Project Narrative (excluding margins) is considered part of the Project Narrative, in determining compliance.
To facilitate review of your application, follow these additional guidelines. Failure to adhere to the following guidelines will not, in itself, result in your application being screened out and returned without review. However, the information provided in your application must be sufficient for review. Following these guidelines will help ensure your application is complete, and will help reviewers to consider your application.
The 10 application components required for SAMHSA applications should be included. These are:
- Face Page (Standard Form 424, which is in PHS 5161-1)
- Abstract
- Table of Contents
- Budget Form (Standard Form 424A, which is in PHS 5161-1)
- Project Narrative and Supporting Documentation
- Appendices
- Assurances (Standard Form 424B, which is in PHS 5161-1)
- Certifications (a form within PHS 5161-1)
- Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL, which is in PHS 5161-1)
- Checklist (a form in PHS 5161-1)
Applications should comply with the following requirements:
- Provisions relating to confidentiality, participant protection and the protection of human subjects specified in Section IV-2.4 of the FY 2005 standard funding announcements.
- Budgetary limitations as specified in Section I, II, and IV-5 of the FY 2005 standard funding announcements.
- Documentation of nonprofit status as required in the PHS 5161-1.
Pages should be typed single-spaced in black ink, with one column per page. Pages should not have printing on both sides.
Please number pages consecutively from beginning to end so that information can be located easily during review of the application. The cover page should be page 1, the abstract page should be page 2, and the table of contents page should be page 3. Appendices should be labeled and separated from the Project Narrative and budget section, and the pages should be numbered to continue the sequence.
The page limits for Appendices stated in the specific funding announcement should not be exceeded.
Send the original application and two copies to the mailing address in the funding announcement. Please do not use staples, paper clips, and fasteners. Nothing should be attached, stapled, folded, or pasted. Do not use heavy or lightweight paper or any material that cannot be copied using automatic copying machines. Odd-sized and oversized attachments such as posters will not be copied or sent to reviewers. Do not include videotapes, audiotapes, or CD-ROMs.
 
 
|
