Faculty Research - Request for Proposals

Montana INBRE is soliciting proposals for Major Research Projects, Pilot Research Projects, and Pilot Planning Grants in the areas of basic biomedical science, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, environmental health, public health, community wellness, and health-related challenges facing rural or Native American communities. Montana INBRE strives to develop a varied research portfolio that spans bench science, data science, social science, and community engagement spheres and seeks to include all academic institutions across the Montana INBRE network.

Projects can be developed within a single discipline (e.g., social sciences), but collaborative projects between biomedical and social and behavioral health investigators are also possible and encouraged. Student involvement in research is important and strongly encouraged, as well. Research projects should have a high likelihood of leading to independent funding and scientific publications.

Successful proposals will be offered funding for one grant year with the possibility for competitive renewal the subsequent year. In special cases, a third year of support may be considered for projects at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).

Per NIH rules, leaders of major research projects are expected to contribute six month's effort towards research during the grant year. Pilot Project Leaders are expected to contribute at least three month's effort towards research. Contact Montana INBRE Director, Brian Bothner, or Program Coordinator, Sarah Codd, for more information on investigator effort. 

Investigators are required to consult with Montana INBRE Core staff and/or facility managers in the development of their research proposal and are strongly encouraged to take advantage of research resources available through MT INBRE programs, cores, and facilities. These resources are:

• Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP)| Dr. Mark Quinn, DRPP Director, mquinn@montana.edu | Dr. Brian Bothner, DRPP Co-Director, bbothner@montana.edu
• Community Engagement Core| Dr. Alex Adams, Core Director, alexandra.adams2@montana.edu | in addition also copy at least one of the following CEC members: erica.mckeonhanson@montana.edu for rural communities or anna.sorrell@montana.edufor tribal communities
• Data Science, Genomics | Dr. Jeffrey Good, DSC Director, jeffrey.good@mso.umt.edu | Dr. Eric Raile, DSC Co-Director, eric.raile@montana.edu
• Mass Spectrometry, Metabolomics| Dr. Don Smith, Facility Manager, donald.smith8@montana.edu
• Social and Behavioral Data | Dr. Eric Raile, DSC-Co-Director, socialdata@montana.edu

If human subjects are involved in the proposed research, applicants should consult with the IRB of record (at their own institutions or the institution to which protocols are deferred) regarding application requirements and due dates. The IRB of record in collaborative research between MSU investigators and researchers at partner intuitions is generally the IRB at the partner institution, though MSU investigators must submit the protocol to MSU’s IRB for review as well. For guidance, contact:

• MSU IRB | Dr. Mark Quinn, IRB Chair, mquinn@montana.edu

NIH/NIGMS requires all Major and Pilot Project Leaders to identify a primary mentor who can supply suitable scientific and/or career guidance throughout the proposed project and help mentor them towards independent status. Mentors do NOT need to be located at the same institution as the project leader, though availability is a key attribute for any effective mentorship arrangement. For more information on the mentorship requirement, please contact:

• Dr. Mark Quinn mquinn@montana.edu
• Dr. Brian Bothner bbothner@montana.edu
• Dr Sarah Codd scodd@montana.edu

Faculty in the biomedical, social, behavioral, economic, agricultural, computational, and engineering sciences may apply for Montana INBRE research funding. Most successful applicants will not have independently funded programs and priority is given to new, junior, and/or early-stage investigators. Research proposals may include contributions from established investigators. New/junior investigators should always have the lead role in any proposal, and grant-budget compensation for any collaborators with established research programs must be minimal, if any.

Important clarifications:

Only one proposal per project leader will be considered.

NIH rules preclude investigators from holding concurrent funding from more than one NIH IDeA-program. As such, a Montana INBRE-funded Project Leader may not have concurrent funding from other IDeA programs supporting Montana-based investigators such as MSU's Center for American Indian and Rural Health Excellence (CAIRHE) and the Mountain West CTR-IN.

Investigators may of course submit proposals to multiple IDeA program RFPs / FOAs simultaneously; however, if successful, an investigator may not accept or receive funding from more than one IDeA program when grant years overlap.

Per NIH rules, leaders of major awards are expected to contribute six month's effort towards research during the grant year. Pilot Project Leaders are expected to contribute at least three month's effort towards research. Contact Montana INBRE Director, Brian Bothner, or Program Coordinator, Sarah Codd, for more information on investigator effort. 

Proposals will be accepted across three categories.

IMPORTANT: All prospective proposal writers should discuss their project ideas with Brian Bothner, Sarah Codd, or Mark Quinn before submitting a letter of intent. This is important at any award level and is especially true for those proposing research collaborations and/or work involving community engagement.

Pilot Planning Grant

Funded at up to $10,000 direct costs per year, planning grants are available to prospective investigators who require time to develop relationship(s) and research partnerships with communities, define a collaborative research project scope, develop a Community Advisory Board, and begin the IRB process. This competitive funding mechanism is for one year and is intended to facilitate the development of a Pilot Research Project proposal the following year.

Pilot Research Project

Funded at $10,000 - $50,000 direct costs per year, Pilot Research Projects are designed for investigators who may not currently have significant preliminary data or fully established community partnerships. However, having preliminary data and/or established community partnerships in place already would be considered an advantage. Pilot projects can be competitively renewed for a second year if clear and significant progress toward a research project grant proposal is evident. In special cases, a third year of INBRE Pilot or Major research funding may be obtained by PLs from PUIs and TCUs, pending DRPP leadership approval and competitive scientific review.

Major Research Project

Funded at $50,000 - $100,000 direct costs per year, major research projects are designed for PLs who currently have preliminary data (but insufficient to be competitive for an external grant application) and established partnerships with communities, if engaging in community-based participatory research. Pending a competitive renewal, Major projects are eligible for a second year of research funding, during which PLs will be expected to pursue external funding from NIH and/or other funding agency. Interdisciplinary major research projects are strongly encouraged, such as those involving collaborations among social, behavioral, cultural and biomedical faculty.

Clarification on funding maximums: Between the Pilot Research and Major Research funding categories, the total number of grant years a Project Leader may be funded is capped at a maximum of two for investigators at Research-Intensive (RI) institutions (i.e., MSU Bozeman and UM Missoula). For investigators at PUIs and TCUs, the standard cap is also two years; however, in special cases, a third year of INBRE Pilot or Major research funding may be considered pending DRPP leadership approval and competitive scientific review. This special third-year consideration does not apply to PLs who have already received two years of major-level funding but instead may be considered for those who have already received two years of pilot-level funding or those who received a pilot award during the first year and a major award during the second year.

Pilot Planning Grants do not count towards research award funding maximum limits described above.

Pre-Proposal

• Discuss project idea(s) with Montana INBRE PI, Project Coordinator, DRPP Director
• Discuss proposal with appropriate/relevant INBRE Core(s) and/or Facilities
  • Community Engagement Core (for proposals involving rural and/or Native community engagement components)
  • Data Science Core (for proposals involving bioinformatics, biostatistics, genomics, mass spectrometry, metabolomics, social data, and/or other data-science-related components)
• Identify and secure a primary mentor for the project
• Begin seeking IRB and/or IACUC approval (if applicable)
• Begin seeking letters of support (if applicable)
• Submit your simple, plain-text Letter of Intent by 3:30pm Mountain on October 31, 2025 at  https://montanainbre.piestar-rfx.com/opportunities/piestar

Full Proposal: Submit the following by  3:30pm Mountain on Monday, December 15, 2025 at https://montanainbre.piestar-rfx.com/opportunities/piestar

• Signed Face Page
• Project Summary
• Specific Aims
• Research Strategy
• Bibliography
• Human Subjects & IRB Documentation (if applicable)
• Animal Research Protocol (if applicable)
• One-year Budget & Justification
• NIH Biosketch for Project Leader and any Co-Investigator(s)
• Letter(s) of Support and Collaboration (if applicable)

Submission Instructions & Formatting

• An electronic version of the complete proposal must be submitted no later than 3:30 pm Mountain on December 15, 2025, through Montana INBRE’s proposal submission portal available at https://montanainbre.piestar-rfx.com/opportunities/piestar
• Please contact Montana INBRE Program Coordinator, Dr. Sarah Codd, if you have questions about your proposal, Montana INBRE / NIH proposal requirements, document format or instructions
• Technical support using the online submission portal is available at support@piestar.com

Document Formatting Requirements

Unless otherwise noted, submit files for all sections in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) format. Exceptions include the scanned/signed Face Page, signed letters of support, and any supplemental Human Subjects, IRB, CITI and/or IACUC documents that necessitate use of .PDFs. Most file upload sections in the submission portal make use of document format validation controls to prevent incorrect file types from being uploaded.

For all Word.doc documents, use 0.5 inch margins, single spacing, 11-point font in Arial, Times New Roman, or Palatino Linotype. These are default NIH formatting requirements set by NIH and are non-negotiable. Please adhere to all text limits noted in red in the instructions below.

Document Naming Conventions

To help Montana INBRE keep all applications well organized, please name each document file beginning with the Project Leader's last name followed by the name of the corresponding proposal document section (e.g. kardashian_face_page). Doing so will ensure your records remain uniform and clearly identifiable, as well as help decrease unnecessary administrative / clerical tasks for those making funding decisions regarding your application.

Submission Instructions

To submit, log into Montana INBRE’s proposal submission portal (available at  https://montanainbre.piestar-rfx.com/opportunities/piestar). New users will first need to create an account. Returning users should use your existing account. You may recover lost passwords by reaching out to Piestar support from their website. Once logged in, select “Funding Opportunities,” select the current year Faculty Research Proposal, and then upload your completed proposal documents to the correct corresponding section.

Individual forms used for each section are referenced extensively below. A master link to all required and supplemental forms is available via this PHS 398 forms web page. Federal instructions for filling out these forms are available in this guide. Please consider bookmarking these pages for future reference.

Additional instructions, recommendations, notes, and links are provided in each section below.

Please contact the Montana INBRE office or Program Coordinator, Dr. Sarah Codd, if you have questions about the proposal format or instructions.

1. Face Page

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 4.1, pages 14–19. Text limit: Do not exceed the single form page as provided.

Use the MS Word form "Face Page" (Form Page-1) to draft/edit this section and (once done) create a final signed .PDF version to submit. In Box 6, enter the "Dates of Proposed Period of Support" as "05/01/202x through 04/30/202y" (replace "x" and "y" with current RFP date range). Note that your proposal is for one year only, so your budget numbers for 7 a/b and 8 a/b will be the same. These figures will come from your budget section; see "Budget" section below. Once completed, convert your document to .PDF format, sign it (using an electronic signature or by printing, signing, and scanning the completed document) and name the completed .PDF file "PLlastname_face_page." For this section, only a completed signed/scanned .PDF is required.

IMPORTANT: Current INBRE-funded investigators applying for an additional year of funding for the same project MUST use the SAME proposal title approved by NIH/NIGMS for the previous year. DO NOT alter, amend, add to, or invent a new proposal title even if the scope or aims of your research have matured. If a returning investigator is proposing an entirely new research project with a completely different scope and aims, please talk first with Montana INBRE program leadership before proceeding with your proposal.

2. Project Summary

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 4.2, pages 20–21. Text limit: Do not exceed the spaces provided on the two-page form.

Use the MS Word form "Form Page 2" for this section. Fill out both pages, as applicable. Submit final draft as a MS Word .doc or .docx file with a file name of "PLlastname_project_summary."

3. Specific Aims

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 5.5.2, page 33. Text limit: One (1) page (including any tables and figures).

Use the MS Word form “Continuation Format” for this section. Submit final draft as a MS Word .doc or .docx file named "PLlastname_specific_aims".

Regarding Specific Aims: Returning applicants should make sure to revise and update specific aims to reflect proposed changes. Current INBRE Pilot Planning and Pilot Grant awardees seeking next-level funding should take particular care that their updated / matured aims appropriately match the proposal category for which they are applying.

4. Research Strategy

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 5.5.3, pages 33-34. Text limit: For Research Strategy, do not exceed six (6) pages for the three (3) required headings (Significance, Innovation, and Approach), including any tables/figures. Combine all pages in this section into one MS Word file before submitting.

Use the MS Word form “Continuation Format Page” to detail your Research Strategy, organized under the main headings: Significance, Innovation, Approach. Make sure to address your proposed project timeline and potential/anticipated outcomes, including student/faculty involvement, curricular changes/additions, faculty research, etc.

Be sure to explain the outcome(s) of your consultation(s) with relevant INBRE Cores and Facilities as well as any agreed-upon action plan(s).

Do NOT provide full citations in this section; rather, full citations should be reserved for the "Bibliography and References Cited" section (see below for details).

Submit final document as a MS Word .doc or .docx file named "PLlastname_research_strategy."

5. Bibliography and References Cited

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 5.5.4, page 35. There is no page limit for the Bibliography/Works Cited.

Format your MS Word document using default NIH formatting requirements (0.5 inch margins, single spacing, 11-point font in Arial, Times New Roman, or Palatino Linotype). Submit final document as a MS Word .doc or .docx file named "PLlastname_bibliography.

6. Human Subjects & Clinical Trial Documentation (if applicable)

If conducting research involving human subjects, please see PHS 398 Instructions, Section 5.5.12, page 39.

IMPORTANT: Forms have been updated since 2019!

Background: In 2018, the National Institutes of Health increased the paperwork burden for projects involving human subjects and clinical trials, including an expanded definition of clinical trial that now encompasses certain behavioral interventions. Please follow NIH directions very carefully.

In March 2020 NIH subsequently updated this form. Returning applicants should use care to use the new form instead of a previously saved version.

If you have questions about this section, please contact the Montana INBRE office.

A full description of NIH Human Subjects and Clinical Trials requirements can be found here.

Downloading the Main Form

IMPORTANT: PHS Human Subjects forms are only available in .PDF format and MUST be DOWNLOADED to a desktop computer, saved, and viewed in a capable .PDF program like Adobe Acrobat! (Web / browser-based .PDF viewers will NOT work for this layered PDF document). There is no page limit for this section.

FROM A DESKTOP COMPUTER, begin by right clicking the form link below, choose "save link as", and save PDF form: "Human Subjects Clinical Trials Information" to a desired file destination on your desktop computer. DO NOT click the link and open in a web-based PDF-viewer and begin working!

Next, open the saved desktop file in a capable .PDF program like Adobe Acrobat/Pro or similar.

Alternatively, contact the Montana INBRE office if you would like this PDF form emailed to you.

Filling Out the Main Form & Embedded Sub-Forms

The "Human Subjects and Clinical Trials" .PDF form begins with a yes/no decision tree, and your individual answers to these questions will unlock and reveal subsequent questions and links to other .PDF subforms that are embedded in the main document, as required based on your answers at the beginning. Although not all subsequent embedded PDF forms will apply to everyone, the scope of information required for a proposal may include:

• Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children
• Recruitment and Retention Plan
• Recruitment Status
• Study Timeline
• Protection and Monitoring Plans
• Protection of Human Subject and IRB plan
• Data and Safety Monitoring plan
• Overall Structure of the Study Team
• Statistical Design and Power

Follow all provided instructions and attach any required subsequent .PDF subforms to the main 'Human Subjects' .PDF form using the upload instructions included in the parent PDF document. Following these instructions will effectively bundle all required forms into one .PDF file.

Once all forms are complete and combined into the "Human Subjects and Clinical Trial" .PDF form, rename your document "PLlastname_human_subjects."

Submit the completed 'Human Subjects' form package for this section of your proposal. If done properly, you will upload only the one .PDF document for this section, although that one .PDF will have other required forms/pages embedded within it.

7. IRB & Related Documentation (if applicable)

If your project will involve human subjects, you must also submit the following as part of your proposal:

1. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval(s) or exemption(s) with valid dates shown. If your project will involve American Indian participants, NIH requires tribal IRB approval. This can sometimes take additional time to complete. Consult with The Montana INBRE Community Engagement Core for guidance very early in the process. Begin by consulting with Community Engagement Core Director, Dr. Alex Adams. Montana INBRE DRPP Director, Dr. Mark Quinn, is also the MSU IRB Chair and can also assist with IRB-related questions.
2. The Project Leader and other significant contributors to the project (including students) must also complete CITI human subjects training certification. CITI certification is valid for three years.

Note: Official IRB approval or exemption letter must be available for successful proposals no later than March 1.

Montana INBRE does not necessarily need completed IRB approval to arrive with the proposal in order to be considered preliminarily; however we cannot submit any proposal to NIH for final approval without all completed documentation, including IRB, Human Subjects, IACUC Animal Protocal, Biohazards, Select Agents, and any required support letters, as applicable.

Be proactive and start planning early to avoid potential funding delays!

8. Vertebrate Animal Research Protocol (if applicable)

If conducting animal model research, see PHS 398 Instructions, Section 5.5.5, page 36. The NIH Grants Policy Statement on "Animal Welfare Requirements" (Section 4.1.1) also provides instruction. There is no page limit for this section.

Use NIH's Vertebrate Animal Section Worksheet to complete this section. Rename your completed .PDF file "PLlastname_vertebrate_animal_protocol" before submitting to Montana INBRE.

Note: IACUC approval letter must be available for successful proposals no later than March 1.

Montana INBRE does not necessarily need completed IACUC approval to arrive with the proposal in order to be considered preliminarily; however we cannot submit any proposal to NIH for final approval without all completed documentation, including IRB, Human Subjects, IACUC Animal Protocal, Biohazards, Select Agents, and any required support letters, as applicable.

Be proactive and start planning early to avoid potential funding delays!

9. One-Year Budget and Justification

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 4.4, page 22. Text limit: Do not exceed the “Initial Budget” page for budget. There is no limit for the budget justification; use an appropriate level of detail.

Initial Budget: Use MS Word form Initial-Budget "Form Page 4" for the One-Year Budget. Submit final draft as a MS Word .doc or .docx file named "PLlastname_initial_budget."

Justification: Use MS Word Form "Continuation Format Page" for justification. Include headings to match the budget categories on the “Initial Budget” form. Submit final draft as a MS Word .doc or .docx file named "PLlastname_budget_justification."

For additional questions about forming your budget, consult with Montana INBRE Finance Manager, Cori Huttinga, who can help answer questions about your budget and assist in making sure the forms are completed correctly. (406-994-7531, chuttinga@montana.edu)

10. NIH Biosketch for Project Leader and, if applicable, Co-Investigator(s)

SeePHS 398 Instructions, Section 4.6, pages 25-28. There is a 5-page limit per biosketch.

For all Project Leaders and other faculty-level collaborators who will contribute significantly to the scientific development and overall implementation of the proposal (note, this does not include students, technicians, assistants, mentors, consultants, and others with minor or non-leadership roles in the proposed project), please use NIH's Biographical Sketch Format Page to prepare this section and to view sample biosketches.

11. Letters of Support (if applicable)

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 5.5.9, pages 38. There is no page limit for letters of support; instruct letter-writers to use an appropriate level of detail.

All proposals should include any letters necessary to demonstrate the support of the consortium of participants and collaborators included in the grant proposal.

IMPORTANT: In particular, projects with components taking place on Native or tribal lands, projects that involve Native or tribal parterns / participants, and/or any project proposing community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches with Rural and/or Native communities MUST include letters of support from a community advisory board (if one has been established), tribal college leadership (if applicable to the proposal), and/or letters from other relevant community partners evidencing strong community support for the proposed project and that sufficient community involvement has been sought and established prior to proposal preparation.

Signed .PDF copies of letters (with files named something very similar to "PLlastname_support_letter#) should accompany your proposal.

Although not preferred, we understand that letters of support may occasionally arrive separately from your proposal. We appreciate your efforts to limit these instances and ensure all letters are submitted with your proposal. Please be aware that letters arriving significantly late (i.e., after the proposal has have been routed for external scientific review) may constrain reviewers' ability to fully judge your proposal and potentially result in lower scores -- especially if the review is completed prior to the letter arriving. 

For assistance getting late letters attached to your proposal, please contact the Montana INBRE office.

Review Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by up to three experts in relevant disciplines who are external to the Montana INBRE network. Reviewers will score the proposals on the standard NIH 1-9 scale and include written strengths and weaknesses regarding the proposal's significance, investigators, innovation, approach, and environment. Additionally, reviewers will be asked to evaluate each proposal's potential to lead to outside funding, involvement of undergraduate students in research, and early involvement of appropriate MT INBRE Cores and/or research facilities. Priority consideration is often extended to projects that score high based on scientific merit, that are led by new/junior investigators who have not yet achieved independent status, that involve and train students at a significant level, that propose meaningful network collaborations, and those that take advantage of MT INBRE and IDeA Program Core and facility resources.

Scoring & NIH Approval

Reviewer scores and comments will be considered by the Montana INBRE Proposal Review Committee (comprised of Montana INBRE's Core Directors, the PI, and the Program Coordinator), which will prioritize successful proposals and forward them to the Montana INBRE External Advisory Committee, who will make the final prioritization of proposals. A list of successful applicants and the information required for each project (narrative, budget, human subjects, IRB, vertebrate animal approval, biohazards, select agents) will be forwarded to the National Institutes of Health-National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIH/NIGMS) for final approval, after which applicants will be notified of the final award decision regarding their projects. All awards are contingent upon the continued availability of NIH/NIGMS funding for the Montana INBRE program.

All funding must be fully expended before April 30, 2027. No carryover of funds is allowed due to NIH regulations. 

Dr. Brian Bothner, Montana INBRE Principal Investigator, DRPP Co-Director | 406-994-5270 | bbothner@montana.edu

Dr. Sarah Codd, Montana INBRE Program Coordinator, Student Research Programs Director | 406-994-1944 | scodd@montana.edu

Dr. Alex Adams, Montana IDeA Community Engagement Core Director | alexandra.adams2@montana.edu

Dr. Jeffrey Good, Data Science Core Director | jeffrey.good@mso.umt.edu

Cori Huttinga, Montana INBRE Finance Manager | 406-994-7531 | chuttinga@montana.edu

Greta Linse, Social & Behavioral Data, Statistical Consulting | 406-994-5594, (greta.linse@montana.edu)

Erica McKeon-Hanson, Community Research Associate - Rural Communities | erica.mckeonhanson@montana.edu

Dr. Mark Quinn, DRPP Director, MSU IRB Chair | 406-994-4707 | mquinn@montana.edu

Dr. Eric Raile, Data Science Core Co-Director, Social & Behavioral Data | 406-994-4107 | eric.raile@montana.edu

Dr. Anna Whiting Sorrell, Community Research Associate - Native Communities| anna.sorrell@montana.edu

Bill Stadwiser, Technology Specialist & Internal Evaluation | 406-994-3360 | william.stadwiser@montana.edu