Inflationary Increases:
NIH’s currentFiscal Policy for Grant Awards states that certain awards will be issued without cost-of-living/inflationary increases.However, NIH has not specifically changed its application instructions, and has stated that applications with detailed budgets can continue to request cost-of-living/inflationary increases in accordance with institutional policy. (See Frequently Asked Questions,
NIH has not restricted inflationary increases from being proposed unless specifically restricted by the funding announcement. The PreAward section in the Office of Grants and Contracts will not make changes to NIH proposals that include allowable inflationary increases. Asareminder,NIHNoticeNumber: NOT-OD-12-036, ReleaseDate: January20, 2012, (and continuedonNoticeNumber: NOT-OD-13-064ReleaseDate:May8, 2013)set forth the policy concerning the discontinuation of inflationaryincreases forall competing and non-competing RESEARCHgrant awards.
NIH POLICY
2012: Purpose:
ThisNoticeprovidesguidanceaboutthe NIH Fiscal OperationsPlan for FY2012 and implementsthe
Consolidated AppropriationsActof2012(P.L. 112-74),signed byPresidentObama onDecember23,
2011. The ActprovidesNIH with$30.7billion,an increaseof lessthanone percentover FY2011(after transfers).TheNIHwill continueto manageitsportfolioin biomedicalresearchinvestmentsin a mannerthatincludesaddressing theneed for a highly productivepoolofresearchersbyproviding supportfor newinvestigators.
Thefollowing NIH fiscal policiesareinstituted in FY2012:
FY2012 FundingLevels: Non-competing awardswillbeissuedwithoutcostof living/inflationary adjustmentsin FY2012;however adjustmentsfor special needs(such asequipmentand added personnel)will continuetobeaccommodated. This policyappliestoallgrants(research and non- research)whenapplicable.
TheNIH willmakeeffortstokeep theaveragesizeofawardsconstantatFY2011levelsor lower. For newand competing grants,NIH awarding Institutes/Centers(IC)will develop funding principles consistentwithoverall NIH goals,consideringthefundsprovided totheirICthisfiscal year.
InflationaryIncreasesforFuture Years:Inflationaryincreasesforfutureyearcommitmentswill be discontinued for allcompeting and non-competing research grantawardsissued in FY2012,however adjustmentsfor special needs(such asequipmentand added personnel)willcontinueto be accommodated.
FY2012awardsthat havealreadybeen issuedwill berevisedtoadjusttheawardleveland futureyear commitmentsinaccordancewiththeseprinciples.
Ruth L. KirschsteinNationalResearch Service Awards(NRSA): TheNIH will implementatwopercent increaseatall stipend levels. Further informationaboutNRSA stipendsin FY2012will bepublished in theNIH Guidein thenearfuture.
NewInvestigators: NIH will continuetosupport newinvestigatorsonR01equivalentawardsatsuccess ratesequivalenttothatofestablished investigators submitting new(Type1)R01equivalent
applications. Achievementof comparablesuccessratesshould permitthe NIH tosupportnew investigatorsin accordancewith thepoliciesestablished in FY2009and subsequentyearsand described at at
2013:
Purpose:
This Noticeprovides guidanceabout theNIH Fiscal Operations forthe remainderofFY 2013 in
light oftheConsolidated and FurtherContinuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6), signed byPresident ObamaonMarch 26, 2013, and thesequestration provisions oftheBalanced Budget and EmergencyDeficit Control Act, as amended,2 U.S.C. § 901a. NIH is operating at a
program level of$29.15billion in FY 2013, adecreaseof about fivepercent from FY
2012. Despitethe reduced funding, theNIHremains committed to themission ofseeking fundamental knowledgeabout thenatureand behaviorofliving systems and the application of that knowledgeto enhancehealth, lengthen life, and reducetheburden ofillness and disability.
Inaddition, theNIH willcontinueto manageits portfolio in biomedical research investments in a mannerthat includesaddressing theneedforahighlyproductivepool of researchers by
providing support fornew investigators.
The following NIH fiscalpolicies applyin FY 2013:
FY 2013 FundingLevels:Non-competing continuation awards that havealreadybeen madein FY 2013 weregenerallyfunded at levels below that indicated on themost recent Noticeof Award (generallyup to 90%ofthepreviouslycommitted level) as described in NOT-OD-13-
002, NOT-OD-13-018and in NOT-OD-13-043. Such reductions maybepartiallyrestored, but areunlikelyto berestored to theprevious commitment level. Therefore, non-competing continuation grants (research and non-research)including thosethat remainto beissued in FY
2013 likelywill bemadeat levels below thoseindicated on theNoticeofAward. Commitments for continuation awards in FY 2014 and beyond will remain unchanged. TheNIH will makean effort to keep the averagesizeof competing awards constant at FY 2012 levels, but is likelyto make fewercompeting awards in FY 2013. TheNIH awardingInstitutes/Centers (IC)will develop and post their fiscal policies consistent with overall NIH goals andavailableFY 2013 funds.
Inflationary Increases forFutureYears:Inflationaryincreases for futureyearcommitments will bediscontinued forall competing research grant awards issued in FY 2013 extending the policyestablished in FY2012 (see NOT-OD-12-036), however adjustments forspecial needs (such as equipment andadded personnel)will continueto be accommodated.
Ruth L. KirschsteinNational Research ServiceAwards (NRSA):Thestipend levels established in FY 2012 will be continued in FY 2013 (see NOT-OD-12-033).
NewInvestigators:NIHwill continueto support new investigators on Type1 (new), R01 equivalent awards at success ratescomparabletothat of established investigators submitting Type1applications. Achievement of comparablesuccess rates should permit theNIH to support new investigators in accordancewith thepolicies established in FY 2009 and subsequentyears and described in NOT-OD-09-013andat
Salary Limits:Salarylimits on grants, cooperative agreements andcontracts described in NOT-OD-12-035will be continued in FY 2013.