Grants.gov is Transitioning to Adobe Forms

Grants.gov is transitioning most funding opportunity applications (FOAs) to Adobe Forms. To use the new Adobe forms, you'll need to make sure you have a compatible version of Adobe Reader. If you're not using a compatible version of Adobe Reader, you're completed grant application will not validate and you will not be able to submit your proposal to SPA. In addition, all of the people who work on an individual grant application using Adobe forms need to use the same version of Adobe Reader.

Ensure that you're using a compatible version of Adobe Reader

Currently, there are several versions of Adobe Reader that are compatible -- 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3 and 9.0 -- all compatible with both PC and Mac systems. However, due to technical errors and issues that have been reported thus far, the Grants.gov help desk suggests that the version that is least likely to result in technical error messages is 8.1.3.

Whether you're using Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional, If you already version 8, you can upgrade to 8.1.3. If you don't have Adobe Reader on our computer or you'd like to switch to 8.1.3, visit the Adobe Website's Download new and previous versions of Adobe Reader page.

Compatibility with Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional

If you already have version 8 or 9 of Adobe Acrobat Standard or Professional software installed on your computer, you can open, complete and submit an Adobe Reader application package to Grants.gov. Adobe Acrobat software allows you to perform all tasks performed by the corresponding version of Adobe Reader software.

Check your Adobe Version and Update

First check the version you're using:

1. Launch your Acrobat application
2. Click Help from the menu bar and select About Adobe Acrobat. A small screen displays the version number. To close the window, press the Escape button on your keyboard.

To update your Adobe version 8:

1. Click Help from the menu bar.
2. Select Check for Updates. Your computer will look to see if there are updates available and let you know whether an update is available.

Note: Most electronic submissions to NIH on or after Jan. 1, 2009, must use Adobe application forms, with the exception of Small business (R41, R42, R43, R44) ). Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) expiring on or before January 31, 2009 that will continue to use PureEdge until the expiration date. (See complete list). If you need to apply for a grant using PureEdge and don't have the software install on your system, see PureEdge Information for your PC or Mac system.