Co-developed by research development professionals at Montana State University, the University of Idaho, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Utah State University, and The AtKisson Group, InterFACE (Faculty Academy for Competitive Excellence) is a multi-institutional initiative to support faculty developing competitive proposals for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.

In 2025, InterFACE will focus on the strategic development of R01 (research project grant) applications. MSU’s Office of Research Development (ORD) will select up to three R01-ready faculty to participate in the program through a university-wide application process.

Format

Through didactic and experiential learning, small group collaboration, mock review panels and expert consultation, InterFACE: NIH R01 will guide participants as they prepare a complete R01 application, including specific aims, research strategy, budget and ancillary documents. As a multi-institutional program, participants will have the opportunity to network with faculty from participating institutions.

Schedule

The bulk of InterFACE: NIH R01 programming will occur in April and May 2025. Formal programming will be followed by two rounds of proposal review during the summer and fall in addition to a mock review panel. Target submission date is February 2026; however, a submission date of October 2025 is also feasible. The schedule of events is provided below.

Date
Session

Tue., April 1 & Wed., April 2
(Moscow, Idaho)

NIH R01 Development Workshop, Part 1
AtKisson Training Group (ATG)
Wed., April 16
Specific Aims Due to ATG for Review

Mon., May 19 & Tue., May 20
(Moscow, Idaho)

NIH R01 Development Workshop, Part 2

Cohort Panel Review of Specific Aims
AtKisson Training Group

Workshop examples:

Biosketches
Facilities and Other Resources
Project Summary, Project Narrative
Data Management and Sharing Plan
Strategic Budgeting

June (Virtual)
Check-In Meeting

September-October 2024
Full Proposal Due to ATG for Non-Technical Review

November (Virtual)
Round Robin Peer Review

November
Full Proposal Due to External Expert for Technical Review

December
Proposal Returned from Technical Review

Wed. Feb. 5, 2026
NIH R01 Submission
 

Eligibility

Faculty conducting research in areas fundable by NIH who have not yet received R01 support as principal investigator are eligible to apply.

Applications

All eligible MSU faculty are invited to apply for InterFACE: NIH R01.
To apply, applicants must submit the following as a single PDF file:

  • a Specific Aims page (1 page maximum)
  • NIH Biosketch
  • one paragraph describing their project’s significance and one paragraph describing their project’s innovation (1 page maximum)
  • a short statement describing their interest in and readiness for InterFACE: NIH R01, including details about their prior proposal efforts, relevant publications, and availability of preliminary/feasibility data. Applicants should also express their intent to fully participate in the program, including workshop travel. Any accommodations that would make full program particular more feasible should be discussed here. (1 page maximum)

 

Apply to InterFACE: NIH R01

 

Applications to participate in the 2025 program are due by Monday, Dec. 9, 2024.

Review and Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed internally by ORD. Application review criteria beyond basic eligibility include:

  • Clear connection between the applicant’s project aims and level of readiness for program participation (e.g., record of relevant peer-reviewed publications and availability of preliminary/feasibility data).
  • Alignment between the applicant’s project aims and opportunities for NIH R01 support.
  • Ability to participate in program activities to the greatest extent possible, including travel to Moscow, Idaho for in-person workshops.

Applicants will be notified of decisions in mid-December.

Program Support

ORD will cover the following costs for selected faculty:

  • In-person workshop fees provided by the AtKisson Group
  • Travel costs to these workshops, held at University of Idaho in Moscow, ID
  • Individualized proposal mentoring and reviews provided by the AtKisson Group
  • (As appropriate) Agreed-upon accommodations requested in the application and negotiated prior to award

Additional Information

For additional information regarding InterFACE: NIH R01, contact Nicole Motzer, Director of Research Development.