Notice Number: NOT-OD-15-050

Key Dates
Release Date: December 30, 2014

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Purpose

This Notice provides guidance about the NIH Fiscal Operations for FY 2015 and implements the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 83/Public Law 113-235), signed by President Obama on December 16, 2014. The Act provides NIH with $30.31 billion in new budget authority or equivalent (program level), an increase of approximately $240 million over the FY 2014 final budget allocations totaling $30.07 billion. The NIH will continue to manage its portfolio in biomedical research investments in a manner that includes recognizing applications from and providing special incentives for new investigators.

The following NIH fiscal policies are instituted in FY 2015:

FY 2015 Funding Levels: Non-competing continuation awards that have already been made in FY 2015 were generally funded at levels below that indicated on the most recent Notice of Award (generally up to 90% of the previously committed level) as described in NOT-OD-15-001. Such reductions may be fully or partially restored, depending on the Institute or Center. Non-competing continuation grants (research and non-research) including those that remain to be issued in FY 2015 likely will be made within the range between the commitment level indicated on the Notice of Award and 3 percent below that level. Out-year commitments for continuation awards in FY 2016 and beyond will remain unchanged. The NIH awarding Institutes/Centers (IC) will develop and post their fiscal policies consistent with overall NIH goals and available FY 2015 funds.

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA): Consistent with the 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act and with the recommendations of the Advisory Committee to the Director regarding the Biomedical Research Workforce, the NIH will increase NRSA stipends by 2 percent on average. The full range of stipend adjustments for FY 2015 is described at NOT-OD-15-048.

New Investigators: NIH will continue to support new investigators on R01 equivalent awards at success rates comparable to that of established investigators submitting new (Type 1) R01 equivalent applications. Achievement of comparable success rates should permit the NIH to support new investigators in accordance with the policies established in FY 2009 and subsequent years as described at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-013.html and at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/index.htm.

Salary Limits: Section 203 of the 2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act prohibits payments for salaries under grants and other extramural mechanisms in excess of Executive Level II currently set at $181,500. See NOT-OD-14-049 for additional information.

Other Legislative Mandates: Other statutory requirements will be described in a notice to be released early in January.

Additional Information: Additional details on Fiscal Operations, including specific funding strategies for ICs will be posted at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/financial/index.htm.

Inquiries

Questions about specific awards may be directed to the Grants Management Specialist identified in the Notice of Award.