Key Dates

Related Announcements

• May 22, 2024 - Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows and Institutional Research Training Awards. See Notice NOT-OD-24-116.

Issued by

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

Purpose

This notice updates the NIH procedures for providing childcare costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Awards. In FY 2022, NIH began providing childcare cost support to full-time predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees appointed on NRSA institutional research training awards. 

To date, NIH has provided the annual childcare costs (currently $3,000) for each full-time predoctoral or postdoctoral NRSA trainee appointment slot at the time the new, renewal or continuation award is made. Unused childcare costs are reported as an unobligated balance on the annual Federal Financial Report (FFR). Since implementing this policy, NIH has monitored the utilization rates of childcare costs on NRSA institutional research training awards. To more effectively manage these funds, NIH is modifying the process going forward.

Effective with the date of this notice, NIH will provide the annual childcare costs (currently $3,000) for 25% of the full-time predoctoral or postdoctoral NRSA training appointment slots at the time each new, renewal or continuation awards is made. In line with current policy, when the costs are awarded, they are restricted and must be use for childcare expenses. Unused funds cannot be rebudgeted and must be reported as an unobligated balance on the FFR.

If more than 25% of the full-time predoctoral or postdoctoral trainees appointed on an NRSA institutional training award have eligible childcare costs, the recipient may request an administrative supplement to provide childcare costs for the additional trainee slots, as appropriate.

All of other aspects of the policy remain the same (see NOT-OD-24-116).

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration
Division of Grant Systems Integration, Systems Policy Branch
Email: OPERAsystemspolicy@nih.gov