Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards, NRSAs, NRSA, individual fellowship, other terms and conditions, leave, vacations and holidays, sick leave and other leave, parental leave, terminal leave, unpaid leave, termination, publications and sharing of research results, copyright, inventions and patents, disposition of professional fees, public policy requirements and objectives, human subjects, vertebrate animals, NIH standard terms of award

11.2.13 Other Terms and Conditions

11.2.13.1 Leave

Vacations and Holidays. Kirschstein-NRSA fellows may receive the same vacations and holidays available to individuals in comparable training positions at the sponsoring institution. Fellows shall continue to receive stipends A payment made to an individual under a fellowship or training grant in accordance with pre-established levels to provide for the individual's living expenses during the period of training. A stipend is not considered compensation for the services expected of an employee. during vacations and holidays. At academic institutions, the time between semesters or academic quarters generally is considered an active part of the training period and is not considered to be a vacation or holiday.

Sick leave and Other Leave. Kirschstein-NRSA fellows may continue to receive stipends A payment made to an individual under a fellowship or training grant in accordance with pre-established levels to provide for the individual's living expenses during the period of training. A stipend is not considered compensation for the services expected of an employee. for up to 15 calendar days of sick leave per year. Under exceptional circumstances, this period may be extended by the NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award. in response to a written request from an AOR. Sick leave may be used for medical conditions related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Parental Leave. Kirschstein-NRSA fellows may receive stipends A payment made to an individual under a fellowship or training grant in accordance with pre-established levels to provide for the individual's living expenses during the period of training. A stipend is not considered compensation for the services expected of an employee. for up to 60 calendar days (equivalent to 8 work weeks) of parental leave per year for the adoption or the birth of each child. NRSA trainees and fellows must provide advanced notification to the recipient institution prior to taking parental leave. Notification of supervisors and others about plans to use leave must be consistent with the organization's policy and must be consistently applied regardless of the source of funds. Either parent is eligible for parental leave. The use of parental leave requires approval by the sponsor.

Terminal Leave. A period of terminal leave is not permitted, and payment may not be made from grant funds for leave not taken.

Unpaid Leave. Individuals requiring extended periods of time away from their research training experience, that is, more than 15 calendar days of sick leave or more than 60 calendar days of parental leave, must seek approval from the NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award. for an unpaid leave of absence. A request letter signed by the fellow and fellowship sponsor must be submitted by the AOR, and must advise the NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award. of the dates of the leave of absence. Upon approval of the request, the NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award. will issue a revised NoA Notice of Award: The official, legally binding document, signed (or the electronic equivalent of signature) by a Grants Management Officer that: (1) notifies the recipient of the award of a grant; (2) contains or references all the terms and conditions of the grant and Federal funding limits and obligations; and, (3) provides the documentary basis for recording the obligation of Federal funds in the NIH accounting system. extending the ending date of the current budget/project period by the appropriate number of days or months of unpaid leave time. Recipients are precluded from spending award funds during the leave of absence; although continued coverage of health insurance would be allowable if in accordance with policy of the sponsoring institution.

During a leave of absence, documentation to suspend the award and/or the accrual of service for calculating the payback obligation must be completed and retained by the sponsoring institution. When the fellowship is eventually terminated, the leave of absence must be clearly documented on the Termination Notice.

11.2.13.2 Termination

NIH may terminate a Kirschstein-NRSA individual fellowship before its scheduled completion date if it determines that the recipient has materially failed to comply with the terms and conditions of the award or to carry out the purpose for which it was made. If an award is terminated, NIH will notify the fellow in writing of the determination, the reasons for the determination, the effective date, and the right to appeal the decision.

NIH also may terminate an award at the request of the sponsoring institution or the individual fellow. The NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award. must be notified immediately if a sponsoring institution wants to terminate an individual fellow or the fellow decides to terminate training before the scheduled completion date.

If a fellow receives another NIH award, e.g., as a PD/PI on an R03, then the fellow is no longer eligible for the fellowship and the sponsoring institution should contact the awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award. concerning early termination.

If a Kirschstein-NRSA fellowship is terminated early, the stipend A payment made to an individual under a fellowship or training grant in accordance with pre-established levels to provide for the individual's living expenses during the period of training. A stipend is not considered compensation for the services expected of an employee. must be prorated according to the amount of time spent in training, and the NoA Notice of Award: The official, legally binding document, signed (or the electronic equivalent of signature) by a Grants Management Officer that: (1) notifies the recipient of the award of a grant; (2) contains or references all the terms and conditions of the grant and Federal funding limits and obligations; and, (3) provides the documentary basis for recording the obligation of Federal funds in the NIH accounting system. will be revised downward. In addition, if the length of the final budget period was 6 months or less, the balance of any institutional allowance (at least one-half) must be refunded.

11.2.13.3 Publications and Sharing of Research Results

NIH supports the practical application and sharing of outcomes of funded research. Therefore, recipients of Kirschstein-NRSA fellowships should make the results and accomplishments of their activities available to the research community and to the public at large. The sponsoring institution should assist the fellow in such activities, including the further development of discoveries and inventions for furthering research and benefiting the public. No restrictions should be placed on the publication of results.

Kirschstein-NRSA fellows are encouraged to submit reports of their findings to the journals of their choice for publication. Responsibility for direction of the project should not be ascribed to NIH. However, NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award. support must be acknowledged by a footnote in language similar to the following: "This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (number) from the (name of NIH IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award.)." In addition, Federal funding must be acknowledged as provided in Appropriation Mandates-Acknowledgment of Federal Funding in IIA.

The Public Access Policy requirements described in Administrative Requirements-Availability of Research Results-NIH Public Access Policy in IIA apply to articles that are authored or co-authored by NRSA fellows and arose from NIH Support. Information on publications is included as part of the annual progress report.

11.2.13.4 Copyright

Except as otherwise provided in the conditions of the award, when a publication or similar copyrightable material is developed from work supported by NIH, the author is free to arrange for copyright without approval of the NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award.. Any such copyrighted materials shall be subject to a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to the Federal government to reproduce, translate, publish, and use and dispose of such materials, and to authorize others to do so for Federal government purposes.

11.2.13.5 Inventions and Patents

Fellowships funded primarily for educational purposes are not subject to invention reporting requirements nor does NIH have any rights to inventions under those awards (as specified in 37 CFR Part 401.1(b)). Kirschstein-NRSA fellows training at NIH represent an exception to this policy. Those fellows are subject to the provisions of EO 10096 and NIH determines the disposition of rights to any invention conceived or first actually reduced to practice during the period of the fellowship.

11.2.13.6 Disposition of Professional Fees

Fees resulting from clinical practice, professional consultation, or other comparable activities performed pursuant to the purpose of the award must be assigned to the sponsoring institution for disposition in accordance with established organizational policy. The term "professional fees" does not apply to honoraria, fees for scholarly writing, delivery of occasional outside lectures, or service in an advisory capacity to public or private non-profit organizations, which, if permitted by organizational policy, may be retained by the fellow.

11.2.13.7 Public Policy Requirements and Objectives

All Public Policy Requirements, Objectives, and Other Appropriation Mandates discussed in IIA apply to Individual Kirschstein-NRSA fellowships when appropriate. Applicants must comply with policies and procedures governing such requirements as civil rights; the protection of human subjects, including data and safety monitoring requirements and inclusion policies for women, minorities and individuals across the lifespan; the humane care and use of live vertebrate animals; human embryonic stem cells; and/or or synthetic nucleic acid research. See IIA for a complete list of applicable requirements.

It is the sponsoring institution's responsibility to ensure that a fellow has received the proper training/education and is properly supervised particularly in the areas of human subjects research, vertebrate animal research, and occupational safety programs.

Additional information and any application requirements can be found in the Individual Fellowship Application Guide.

Information provided below is in addition to that provided in IIA where unique circumstances might exist for individual fellowships.

11.2.13.7.1 Human Subjects

Indefinite Involvement. If the sponsoring institution has an approved FWA on file with OHRP but, at the time of application, plans for the involvement of human subjects are indefinite, the assurance number should be provided in the application. If an award is made, human subjects may not be involved until a certification of IRB approval or designation of exemption has been submitted.

If the applicant organization does not have an approved FWA with OHRP, one needs to be obtained prior to IRB approval.

11.2.13.7.2 Vertebrate Animals

Indefinite Involvement. If the sponsoring institution has an approved Animal Welfare Assurance on file with OLAW but, at the time of application, its plans for the involvement of vertebrate animals are so indefinite that IACUC review and approval are not feasible, the institution should indicate "Yes," to the involvement of Vertebrate Animals, include the Animal Welfare Assurance number, and indicate "Indefinite." If an award is made, vertebrate animals may not be involved until verification of the IACUC approval date has been submitted to the NIH awarding IC The NIH organizational component responsible for a particular grant program or set of activities. The terms "NIH IC," or "awarding IC" are used throughout this document to designate a point of contact for advice and interpretation of grant requirements and to establish the focal point for requesting necessary prior approvals or changes in the terms and conditions of award..

If the applicant organization does not have an approved Animal Welfare Assurance on file with OLAW or for additional information on vertebrate animals, refer to the Individual Fellowship Application Guide or contact OLAW (see Part III).

11.2.13.8 Applicability of NIH Standard Terms of Award

Individual Fellowships are awarded under the NIH Standard Terms of Award however the provisions to extend the final budget period of a project period without additional funds and carryover of unobligated balances do not apply.