The National Institutes of Health is reducing funding for non-competing fiscal year (FY) 2011 research awards to 3 percent below FY 2010 for the National Cancer Institute and to 1 percent below FY 2010 for all other NIH Institutes and Centers. NIH is increasing all FY 2011 NRSA stipends by 2 percent.
NIH published two NIH Guide Notices on April 25, 2011: the NIH Fiscal Policy for Grant Awards – FY 2011 (NOT-OD-11-068) and Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2011 (NOT-OD-11-067).
NIH provides guidance in NOT-OD-11-068 to implement the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-10). Because the Act provides NIH with $30.9 billion or nearly 1 percent less than the total FY 2010 budget of $31.2 billion, NIH is reducing commitment levels for NIH research grants.
Non-Competing Research Awards
Modular and non-modular research grants, from all NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) except the National Cancer Institute (NCI), will be reduced to 1 percent below the FY 2010 award level. For NCI, modular and non-modular research grants will be reduced to 3 percent below the FY 2010 award level.
For all ICs, inflationary adjustments for recurring costs on non-competing research grants in FY 2012 and beyond will be set at the 2 percent level, calculated based on the adjusted FY 2011 level. Awards that have already been made in FY 2011 which are impacted by this policy may be revised.
This policy does not apply to projects supported by Career Awards, SBIR/STTRs, and NRSA Individual Fellowships and Institutional Training Grants.
Competing Research Awards
Each NIH IC will manage its competing portfolio using funds that have not been committed for non-competing awards. NIH estimates that this will allow ICs to to provide 9,050 new and competing Research Project Grants. Consistent with the policy for non-competing awards, future inflationary adjustments for recurring costs on competing research grants will be provided at 2 percent. Awards that have already been made in FY 2011 may be revised.
New Investigators
NIH will continue to support new investigators on R01 equivalent awards at success rates equivalent to that of established investigators submitting new R01 equivalent applications.
NRSA Stipends
NIH will implement a 2 percent increase at all stipend levels. Further information about the NRSA program in FY 2011 is available at NOT-OD-11-067 .
Update (April 27, 2011): NCI’s Fiscal Picture and Grant Support for FY2011
Update (May 20, 2011): Clarification of NIH Fiscal Policy for Grant Awards – FY 2011 (NOT-OD-11-077)
