NIH eRA Commons

On this page:

• eRA Commons Functions
• eRA Commons Account

eRA Commons Functions

The eRA Commons is an online interface where signing officials, principal investigators, trainees and post-docs at institutions/organizations can access and share administrative information relating to the fully grants life cycle from proposal receipt to award closeout.

The current version of the eRA Commons includes the following functions:

• Status: This module allows Project Directors/Principal Investigators (PD/PIs) and Signing Officials (SOs) to track the status of grant applications through the submission process, view all applications as well as notice of awards and other key documents, and perform several post-submission and post-award transactions.
• Personal Profile: This module serves as a central repository of information on all Commons registered users. Profile information is then integrated throughout eRA's systems and used for a variety of agency business such as peer review, application data, and trainee data.
• Just-in-Time (JIT): This module allows for preparation, review, and submission of additional information that is requested by a grantor agency from grant applicants. It allows applicants and signing officials to submit certain elements of a competing grant application at a later date in the application process – after the peer review and as the application is being considered for funding. This includes information on Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval of the use of human subjects approval, verification of IACUC's approval of the proposed use of live vertebrate animals, etc. The application must meet certain business criteria and have achieved a certain score to be considered. Applicants should only submit JIT information when it is specifically requested by the grantor agency.
• Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (ASSIST): This module allows PD/PIs and administrators to prepare multi-project grant applications electronically for NIH and other agencies serviced by eRA. Applications prepared in ASSIST are submitted to Grants.gov and then processed like any other electronic application. Funding opportunity announcements will indicate whether ASSIST can be used to apply to that opportunity.
• Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR): This module replaces the eSNAP module. It allows PIs, signing officials, and others with delegated authority, to initiate, prepare, review and submit RPPRs.
• xTrain: This module allows PD/PIs,  administrators, and trainees the ability to electronically prepare and submit PHS 2271 Statement of Appointment forms and PHS 416-7 Termination Notices associated with institutional research training grants, institutional career development awards, individual fellowships and research education awards. It is also used by agency grants management staff to review and process the appointments and termination notices submitted electronically.
• LikeThis: This search tool aids PIs/SOs in finding and learning about other research projects that have similar goals and objectives as their own. By entering specific scientific terms or accessing their own grant applications or grants and clicking on LikeThis, investigators will be provided a listing of similar funded projects and/or publications.
• Internet Assisted Review (IAR Pilot): This module is used in tandem with the Peer Review module to expedite the scientific review of grant applications. It provides a standard process for reviewers to submit critiques, preliminary scores and final scores and to view grant applications and related meeting materials. It also allows one-click email capability between the scientific review officer and reviewer.
• Federal Financial Reports (FFR): This module is used by EFM to electronically submit statements of expenditures associated with grants.
• Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI): This module allows users in RPC to report the existence of any identified FCOI to the granting agency as required by the federal grant and cooperative agreement regulations.

For detailed information, user guides and other documentation related to these modules, see the electronic Research Administration website.

eRA Commons Account

To request new User/Account Access please email OCGA eRA Help at erahelp@research.ucla.edu and provide the following information about the new user:

• First Name
• Middle Name/Initial (if applicable)
• Last Name
• E-mail address: (NOTE: this email is used for account information retrieval. For scientific roles, NIH recommends using an email address that the user will have continuous access to, regardless of institutional affiliation, such as a personal Gmail account.)
• Other organizations/institutions that you’ve been affiliated with as a PI, post-doc, graduate student, undergrad, trainee.
• Review the NIH Commons roles and indicate the role(s) needed.

To have your current eRA Commons account affiliated with UCLA, email OCGA eRA Help at erahelp@research.ucla.edu and provide your eRA Commons user ID.