Your ERA Commons username is the login name you created when you first registered for an account

ERA Commons is the login system used by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal research agencies. Your username is the text you type into the login field — not your password, and not your email address. If you set up an account to submit grant applications, access research databases, or manage NIH correspondence, that username is still tied to your account.

The fastest way to find it is to look at any email from NIH that mentions your account. These emails typically show your username in the message body or in instructions about logging in. If you do not have those emails, you can retrieve your username directly from ERA Commons without needing to remember it.

Key Takeaways

  • Your ERA Commons username is the login name you chose during registration, separate from your password and email address.
  • Check old emails from NIH — they often include your username in account notifications or login instructions.
  • Use the ERA Commons "Forgot Username" tool on the login page to have your username sent to your registered email address.
  • If you registered through an institution, your institution's grants office may have a record of your username in their system.
  • Your username stays the same even if you change your password or update other account details.

Check your email for NIH account messages

Search your email inbox for messages from NIH or from an address ending in @nih.gov. Look for subject lines that mention "ERA Commons," "account," "registration," or "login." NIH sends confirmation emails when you first create an account, and these almost always include your username in the body of the message.

Check your spam or promotions folder as well — some email providers filter official government messages there. If you have access to the email address you used to register, search that account first. If you registered years ago and have since changed email addresses, you may need to use the username recovery tool instead.

Use the ERA Commons username recovery tool

Go to the ERA Commons login page at commons.era.nih.gov. Below the username and password fields, you will see a link that says "Forgot Username?" or "Forgot your username?" Click that link.

Enter the email address associated with your ERA Commons account. NIH will send an email to that address containing your username. Check your inbox and spam folder within a few minutes. The email will come from an NIH address and will include your username in plain text so you can copy it.

If you do not receive the email within 10 minutes, double-check that you entered the correct email address. If you are still not receiving it, your registered email address may have changed since you created the account, or the account may be inactive. In that case, contact the NIH Help Desk.

Contact your institution's grants office

If you registered for ERA Commons through a university, hospital, research center, or other institution, that organization's grants office or research administration team may have your username on file. They maintain records of all staff and faculty accounts registered under their institution's name.

Call or email your institution's grants office and tell them you need your ERA Commons username. They can usually look it up in their system within a few minutes. This is often faster than waiting for an email recovery, especially if your registered email address is no longer active.

What to do if you cannot recover your username

If the recovery email does not arrive and your institution does not have a record, you may need to create a new ERA Commons account. This is straightforward — go to commons.era.nih.gov and select "Register" or "Create Account." You will choose a new username and set up your account from scratch.

Before you register a new account, contact the NIH Help Desk at 1-866-504-9552 or through the ERA Commons support page. They can confirm whether your old account is still active and may be able to reset it for you. If you have submitted grants or have active correspondence under the old account, the Help Desk can help you link your new account to that history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my ERA Commons username the same as my email address?

No. Your username is a separate login name you created during registration. Your email address is used for password recovery and account notifications, but you log in with your username. They are often different.

Can I change my ERA Commons username?

No, ERA Commons usernames cannot be changed once created. If you want a different username, you would need to create a new account. Contact the NIH Help Desk before doing this if you have active grants or correspondence under your current account.

What if I registered a long time ago and do not remember which email I used?

Try the email addresses you have used over the years — personal email, work email, institutional email. If none of those work, contact the NIH Help Desk with your name and any other details you remember about your account. They can search their records and help you recover access.

Do I need my username to reset my password?

No. On the ERA Commons login page, you can click "Forgot Password?" and enter your email address. NIH will send you a password reset link without needing your username. You only need your username to log in normally.