The traditional NIH research project grant consists of a single Principal Investigator (PI) working with a small group of subordinates on an independent research project. Although this model clearly continues to work well and encourages creativity and productivity, it does not always work well for multidisciplinary efforts and collaboration. Increasingly, health-related research involves teams that vary in terms of size, hierarchy, location of participants, goals, disciplines, and structure. The multiple-PI model is intended to supplement, and not replace, the traditional single PI model, and allows applicants and their institution to identify more than one PI on a single grant application. The goal is to encourage collaboration among equals when that is the most appropriate way to address a scientific problem.  The NIH adopted a multiple-PI model in November, 2006, in response to recommendations from the NIH 2003 Bioengineering Consortium (BECON), an NIH Roadmap Initiative to stimulate interdisciplinary science in 2004, and a directive from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). As a result of a Request for Information (RFI) to obtain input on policies and issues of special interest to the health-related research community, and experiences from pilot initiatives offered through a select group of Requests for Applications and Program Announcements, NIH implemented the Multi Principal Investigator Policy (see NOT-OD-07-017). The NIH expects the availability of the Multiple PI option to encourage interdisciplinary and other team approaches to biomedical research. 

The format, peer review and administration of applications submitted under the multiple-PI model have some elements that differ significantly from the traditional single-PI model.

In addition to its direct impact on researchers, the adoption by the NIH of a multiple-PI model affects some administrative operations of both the NIH and the awardee institutions. For example, as a result of the multiple PI initiative, the NIH Departmental Ranking Tables that ranked institutions and medical school departments by the amount of NIH funding they received have been replaced with a web-based tool that allows users to determine dollars awarded to any one organization or department. With multiple PIs from different departments, assignment of funds is not possible; in addition, many institutions responded to the RFI that the value of the tables to the scientific community was limited.  Extramural award data is now available from the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT).

Specific features of the Multiple PI Option include the following:

• Applications
  • NIH Grant Applications Forms, including the PHS 398 and SF424 R&R, accommodate more than one PI (see application forms at http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm)
  • Applications that involve more than one PI must include a Leadership Plan that describes the roles, the responsibilities, and the working relationship of the identified PIs
• Principal Investigators
  • All PIs are designated by the applicant institution
  • All PIs share the responsibility and authority for leading and directing the project
  • All listed PIs must be registered in eRA Commons with a PI role type 
  • All listed PIs will have access to Status on the eRA Commons at  https://commons.era.nih.gov/commons/
  • The first PI listed must be affiliated with the institution submitting the application and will serve as the contact PI 
  • The contact PI will be responsible for communication between the NIH and the rest of the leadership team
  • Being named contact PI does not imply any particular role within the leadership team 
  • When requested by the grantee institution at the time of a non-competing application, another member of the leadership team may assume the role of contact PI
  • All PIs will be listed on summary statements
  • All PIs will be listed on the Notice of Award (NoA)
  • All PIs will be listed in CRISP (see http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/)
  • Any requested allocation of funds to components of the project or the associated PIs must be included in the Leadership Plan (see below).  If an award is made, the requested allocation will be acknowledged in the NoA.  Unless limited by a specific term of award, the acknowledgment of the requested allocation will not limit institutional authority to manage the funds nor will it impose additional prior approval requirements.
  • The role type, “co-PI” will not be used by the NIH
• New Investigator Policies
  • NIH policies related to New Investigators will be applied to multi-PI applications only when all PIs involved are classified as New Investigators (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/resources.htm). 
  • For the purpose of classification as a New Investigator, serving as a PI on a multiple PI grant will be equivalent to serving as a PI on a single PI grant. 
• Review Criteria   
  • Standard NIH review criteria accommodate both single PI and multiple PI applications
• Awards Involving More Than One Institution
  • Awards involving PIs at different institutions are managed using subcontracts.

• The ability to manage research projects using linked awards involving PIs located at more than one institution.
• The ability to recognize non-PI key contributors to the project.
• The desirability of formally apportioning funds under a grant to various components of a project, or the PIs associated with those components.

The multiple PI option is extended to most research grant applications submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the SF424 R&R application package.  Grant applications that currently accommodate more than one PI include:  R01, R03, R13/U13, R15, R18/U18, R21, R21/R33, R25, R33, R34, R41, R42, R43, and R44,(see http://era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/strategy_timeline.htm). Some types of applications including individual career awards (K08, K23, etc.), individual fellowships (F31, F32, etc.), Dissertation Grants (R36), Director’s Pioneer Awards (DP1), Construction Grants (C06/UC6), Grants for Repair, Renovation and Modernization of Existing Research Facilities (G20) and Shared Instrumentation Grants (S10) will not accommodate more than a single PI.  The restriction to a single PI will be described in announcements for those programs. Paper applications submitted on PHS 398 application forms allow inclusion of more than one PI only when the multiple PI option is clearly specified in the soliciting Request for Applications (RFA) or Program Announcement (PA).

The decision to apply for a single PI or a multiple PI grant is the responsibility of the investigators and the applicant organization.  Those decisions should be consistent with and justified by the scientific goals of the project.  Therefore, as with the preparation of any research proposal, it is essential that investigators consider all aspects of the funding mechanism before submitting an application. While there are some projects that clearly will be appropriate for the multiple-PI model, the “fit” of other projects may not be so clear. All applicants proposing team science efforts are strongly encouraged to contact their NIH program officials at the earliest possible date to discuss the appropriateness of the multiple-PI model for the support of their research.

See a list of Frequently Asked Questions.

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