Frequently Asked Questions - BLOODSAFE: Research to enhance availability of safe blood for patients with severe anemia and hemorrhagic conditions in low or lower-middle income countries (LLMICs) in Sub-Saharan Africa

Q1. What countries are part of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)?

A1. Please refer to Sub-Saharan African Region Information provided by the Fogarty International Center of NIH.

Q2. Is a component of a US institution in a low-income or lower-middle income country in Sub-Saharan Africa eligible to apply?

A2. Yes, if the component of a US institution in a low-income or lower-middle income country in Sub-Saharan Africa is able to submit grant applications to and receive awards from NIH directly without going through the US institution. This also applies to a component of any other country’s institution in a low-income or lower-middle income country in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Q3. Can an investigator from a country outside of Sub-Saharan Africa or from a country that is not low-income or lower-middle income serve as a co-PI?

A3. Yes, as long as the primary PI is from an institution in a low-income or lower-middle income country of Sub-Saharan Africa, that is, the institution in a low-income or lower-middle income country of Sub-Saharan Africa will be the grantee institution. Investigators from a country outside of Sub-Saharan Africa or from a country that is not low-income or lower-middle income can also serve as co-investigators or consultants.

Q4. The FOA indicated only one award per country. What will happen if two different PIs from the same eligible country and their respective teams of investigators submitted two different applications?

A4. The idea of having only one award per country is to have as many countries represented in the final consortium as possible and also to discourage one primary PI from submitting more than one application. If two different (primary) PIs from the same eligible country submitted two different applications, both applications will be evaluated by the peer review panel with consideration of an award based on scientific merit.