IRB Review for Nonprofits and Federal Grants

TIER IRB provides independent IRB review for nonprofits and community organizations. TIER IRB is registered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Human Research Protections (IRB00014054, parent organization IORG0010811). We help organizations get a clear written determination for grant-funded evaluations, community surveys, and social research, without a long wait.

Exempt Review for Federal Grants

Many federal grants ask whether a project involves human subjects research and, if it does, for an IRB approval or exemption determination. A funder usually wants that determination from an IRB, not from the organization itself.

Most nonprofit projects are minimal risk and many qualify for exemption. We review your project, decide the right category, and give you a written determination you can include with grant reports or share with your program officer.

Nonprofit Projects We Review

• Program evaluations for grant-funded services
• Community needs assessments and surveys
• Participant interviews and focus groups
• Outcome studies using program records
• Pilot programs and community-based participatory research
• Research partnerships with universities or outside evaluators

Is It Research or Program Evaluation?

Not every evaluation is research under federal rules. Activities designed only to improve a specific program may not need IRB review. Activities designed to produce generalizable knowledge, such as findings you plan to publish or present, usually do. Funders sometimes require a determination either way.

Our article Does Program Evaluation Need IRB Approval? walks through the difference. If you are still not sure, we can make the determination for you. TIER also provides program evaluation services for nonprofits that need an outside evaluator.

Built for Small Organizations

• Flat, published fees so you can build IRB costs into a grant budget
• Pre-review consultations with a board member before you submit
• Plain-language guidance for staff who are new to IRB review
• Exempt and expedited reviews in about two weeks once we have a complete application

See our IRB fees and submission steps for pricing and checklists.

Why Researchers Choose TIER IRB

TIER has more than 20 years of experience in research, evaluation, and IRB review, and our board works exclusively on social-behavioral, educational, and evaluation research. That means reviewers who understand your methods and do not apply clinical-trial standards to a survey or interview study.

• HHS-registered IRB you can verify in the OHRP database
• Flat, published fees with no surprise charges
• A board member you can talk to before and during review
• Written determinations that funders, partners, and journals recognize
• Service for researchers anywhere in the United States, based in Redfield, KS

Frequently Asked Questions

Does our grant require IRB review?

Check your grant terms and the funder’s human subjects requirements. If the project involves research with people, the funder will usually expect an IRB determination, even if the study is exempt.

Can a nonprofit decide its own project is exempt?

Federal guidance generally expects someone other than the researcher, usually the IRB, to make exemption determinations. A written determination from an IRB is what most funders accept.

We have never been through IRB review. Can you help?

Yes. Many of our clients are small organizations doing their first review. A pre-review call with a board member is a good first step.

Can you review projects already underway?

IRB review should happen before research begins. If your project has started, contact us and we will talk through your options.