Direct comparison
NIH vs. NSF Resubmission Policy
NIH caps resubmission at one A1 within 37 months, with a required Introduction. NSF has no formal cap but expects substantial revision. Compared side by side.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | NIH | NSF |
|---|---|---|
| Formal resubmission category? | Yes — a resubmission is a distinct, tracked application type (A1), following an original (A0) application. | No agency-wide category. A resubmission is processed as a new proposal under standard review procedures. |
| Cap on number of resubmissions | One. Only a single resubmission (A1) of an original application (A0) is accepted; no A2. | No fixed agency-wide numeric cap, though individual programs may set their own resubmission moratorium period. |
| Time limit to resubmit | 37 months from the receipt date of the original (A0) application; after that, must be submitted as new. | No agency-wide fixed window, though some programs accepting rolling proposals set their own moratorium before a declined proposal is eligible again. |
| Required response-to-critique attachment | Yes — a one-page Introduction (for standard R01-type applications) summarizing changes and responding to the prior summary statement. | No dedicated attachment requirement. Reviewers and program officers are expected to recognize submission history and judge whether revision was substantive. |
| Marking changed text in the narrative | Not permitted since NOT-OD-24-061 (effective for applications submitted May 25, 2024 onward) — no bolding, bracketing, or similar markup; changes go in the Introduction only. | No equivalent rule; NSF has no formal change-marking convention for resubmitted proposals. |
| Consequence of an inadequately revised resubmission | Reviewed on its merits by a study section like any application; a weak resubmission simply scores poorly again. | Can be returned without review if it does not clearly take into account the major comments from the prior NSF review. |
| Governing source | NIH Center for Scientific Review, “Resubmitting Your Application”; NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-24-061. | NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Chapter IV, plus individual program/directorate solicitations for any moratorium terms. |
Common questions
FAQ
How many times can I resubmit an NIH grant application?+
Once. NIH accepts only a single resubmission (A1) of an original (A0) application. If the A1 is not funded, the next step is submitting the idea as a new A0 application, not a second resubmission.
Is there a deadline for submitting an NIH resubmission?+
Yes. NIH will not accept a resubmission submitted more than 37 months after the receipt date of the original application it follows. After that window, the application must go in as new.
Does NSF limit how many times I can resubmit a declined proposal?+
Not through an agency-wide numeric cap the way NIH does. NSF processes a resubmission as a new proposal, though individual programs that accept proposals on a rolling basis may impose their own moratorium period, and a proposal that hasn't been substantially revised can be returned without review regardless of how many times it's been tried.
Do I need to mark changes in bold or brackets in an NIH resubmission?+
No, not since NOT-OD-24-061 took effect for applications submitted on or after May 25, 2024. NIH now asks applicants not to use bolding, bracketing, underlining, or similar typographic marking to flag changes; changes should be summarized in the one-page Introduction attachment instead.
Does NSF require an Introduction attachment like NIH does for resubmissions?+
No. NSF's PAPPG has no equivalent fixed-format, dedicated attachment requirement for resubmitted proposals. The expectation that a resubmission substantively addresses prior review comments is enforced through program officer and panel judgment rather than a required standalone document.
