Program Announcement (PA): funding announcement for grants relating to areas of increased priority and/or emphasis on particular funding mechanisms for a specific area of science. Applications are usually accepted on standard receipt dates on an on-going basis. (A PAR is a PA for which special referral guidelines apply, as described in the PAR announcement. A PAS is a PA that includes specific set-aside funds, as described in the PAS announcement.)

Request for Applications (RFA): funding announcement for grants that identifies a more narrowly defined area for which one or more NIH institutes have set aside funds for awarding grants. An RFA usually has a single receipt date, as specified in RFA announcement.

Request for Proposals (RFP): solicits contract proposals. An RFP usually has one receipt date, as specified in RFP solicitation.

Notice (NOT): announces policy and procedures, changes to RFA or PA announcements, RFPs and other general information items.