Key Dates

Related Announcements

None

Issued by

Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health (OD)

Purpose

It is highly likely that wildfires in the US will adversely impact some NIH-applicants’ and recipients’ ability to submit applications and/or reports in a timely manner. Generally, NIH considers accepting late applications when delays occur because the applicant or recipient organization is officially closed due to a natural disaster or other emergency. Given the current combination of the existing Presidentially-declared Public Health Emergency concerning COVID-19 and the wildfires, NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) may, at their discretion, accept late applications to Funding Opportunity Announcements reviewed at their IC on a case by case basis due to other circumstances than an official closure. In addition, note the following:

• Institutions must submit applications or reports as soon as possible after reopening, not to exceed the number of days the institution was officially closed.
• Institutions must submit a cover letter with the application, with enough detail about the delay so that NIH staff can determine whether circumstances justify accepting the application late
• Institutions need not request advance permission to submit late due to a disaster-related delay.

We will continue to monitor the situations closely, identifying ways we can help and publishing any additional information in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Division of Grants Policy,
Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA)
GrantsPolicy@OD.NIH.gov