A brief, frustrating moment of excitement.

[rivka]

It occurred to me this morning that I was supposed to hear about my grant application at the end of January.

As you probably won't recall, back in November I got an ambiguous score from the scientific review committee - on the border between the low end of fundable scores and the high end of unfundable scores. I believe that the exact words my Program Officer used were "not outside the realms of possibility." Then she talked to me about how I could revise the application to make it stronger.

So this morning, remembering that I ought to have heard by now, I checked NIH's electronic research commons. For the longest time, my grant had the words "Pending Council Review" next to the title. This morning? I was flummoxed to see, next to the title, the words "Pending Award."

Pending Award.

I clicked through to the detailed information page. The Council was recorded as having met on February 13. There was no other new information about the status of my application.

Pending Award!! I didn't quite believe it, having not actually heard anything, but as I headed off to the clinic to run subjects I let my mind linger on how totally awesome it would be to actually have my own funding.

When I got back to the office, I sent a little query to my NIH Program Officer, in which I tried to restrain my excitement as best I could. Then I googled "NIH pending award." And immediately found:

"For example, some applicants get excited when they see a "Pending Award" status for their application. But that doesn't mean an award is in process. Even some applications that are ultimately not funded will show the "Pending Award" status in the Commons for the remainder of the fiscal year. Read more about deferred applications [...]

And from there, I learned that some applications - usually ones just on the "payline," or the cut point between funded and unfunded scores - are deferred until the end of the fiscal year, when the various Centers know how much money they're likely to have left.

Oh.

It's still better than a rejection, of course, but my momentary excitement deflated like a balloon. "Pending award" doesn't mean that an award is, actually, pending. It means that they're still making up their minds. Which is totally better than having them say no outright, mind you. It's just not what I briefly had the luxury of thinking it was.

Sadder but wiser, I started to write up this post. In the middle of it, I got an e-mail back from my Program Officer. (Have I mentioned that she's a lovely woman? She's marvelous.) It said:

"They often say pending award, but in your case it is a real possibility. Have you sent in your JIT yet? If not, I think you should."

So. Welcome back aboard the Merry-Go-Round of Hope! I hope you enjoy your ride, and that the nausea you experience is only mild.

Comments

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Hope on! This is looking promising.

[janetmiles.livejournal.com]

Whoo! I continue to hope that your proposal gets funded.

What's a JIT?

[ailbhe]

Next, they can do that thing with the tablecloth, where all the glasses stay standing.

[ckd]

Good luck! When's the end of the fiscal year? I think our grant fiscal years start in October or November, but I'm not sure (that's not my particular area).

[rivka.livejournal.com]

It stands for "Just In Time" information. There are certain things they don't make you waste your time providing unless there's a real chance that you'll be funded. For my JIT I had to provide proof that everyone expected to work on the project has received human subjects training, documentation that the project itself is under review for its human subjects acceptability, and documentation of my and my team's other financial support.

[malibrarian.livejournal.com]

So glad to hear this good news. Now to wait for the funding letter!

[selki.livejournal.com]

*fingers crossed*

JIT?

JIT - never mind

[selki.livejournal.com]

I see the explanation above. D'oh.

[tassie-gal.livejournal.com]

Fingers crossed. I hope you get it....

[redbird]

Fingers crossed, and your program officer is indeed excellent.

[treadpath.livejournal.com]

We've got our fingers and toes and ears crossed for you and your grant!

I must, however, abstain from voluntarily riding the Merry-Go-Round of Hope until I've taken the Dramamine of Low Expectations. Otherwise, I end up yooking all over the place.

[bosssio.livejournal.com]

plan for the worst, hope for the best... always served me well...

Good luck!

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

Good luck! Well, I suppose it isn't luck. Good funding probability!

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I hope for moneys to come to you! (Distracts me from whining over my own hopes of moneys, ha.)

Pending, JIT

[hazelchaz]

Wow. That's amazing.

I mean, it's potentially amazing. Pendingly amazing, how's that?

So you're near the top of the list of "things we'd like to fund if we find enough money to fund them all." Great!