As part of NIH’s Enhancing Peer Review initiative, NIH review criteria now include a criterion for “significance” as well as an overall “impact” score.  Significance addresses whether (and to whom) the project or work proposed is important; impact addresses the likelihood that the project will have an effect on the field. Thus, overall impact embraces not only the importance of the goals but also the likelihood of success in achieving those goals.

Scored core review criteria in addition to significance include investigator(s), innovation, approach and environment. The overall impact/priority score is not a summation of criterion scores. Additional review criteria include, as appropriate to the project: human subject protection; inclusion of women, minorities and children; vertebrate animals; biohazards; resubmission, renewal and/or revision issues. 

The overall impact score reflects the reviewers’ assessment of the likelihood for the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the research field(s) involved.  The current NIH scoring system fully implemented during Federal FY2009. The Center for Scientific Review (CSR) has the primary authority and responsibility for implementing and managing the NIH peer review processes. CSR maintains a robust array of web-based information and resources to inform and assist both reviewers and applicants. Some web sites of general interest are listed below: