📄✨ NIH Formatting Requirements

(Official NIH guidance on how attachments must be prepared and submitted) Grants.gov

🖨️ 🧾 File & PDF Requirements

📎 PDF format only: All document attachments must be prepared in your editor of choice (e.g., Word), then converted to PDF to preserve formatting.
❌ No electronic signatures on PDFs within the application — sign, flatten, then upload.
🧷 Flatten PDFs: Remove fillable fields, electronic signatures, and embedded objects before upload to avoid errors.
🪪 Remove security features: PDFs must be openable without passwords or encryption.
📁 Combine content cleanly: If you need multiple items in one file, merge them into a single PDF with all information directly visible (no linked portfolios). Grants.gov+1

🔡 Legible fonts: No strict list, but recommended include Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype (must be readable).
📏 Fonts & characters:
- Use fonts that allow ≤15 characters per linear inch (including spaces).
- Line spacing: No more than 6 lines per vertical inch.
🎨 Text color: Black or high-contrast — readability is critical.
📝 Plain text preferred in attachments: Keep formatting simple for reviewer ease. Grants.gov+1