NIH Extramural Nexus (News)

We invite input by April 17, 2026 on a Proposed Clinical Trial-Specific Application Form for investigator-initiated clinical trials. 

These Survey Results help inform NIH’s ongoing efforts to reduce time and effort spent by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) administrators and principal investigators (PIs) while maintaining the integrity and credibility of research findings and protection of research animals.

Last November, NIH announced it is implementing steps towards a unified strategy that will help guide clearer and consistent funding decisions across all Institutes and Centers (ICs). The August NIH Director’s statement laid the foundation, and today we are sharing our thoughts on this NIH Unified Funding Strategy (UFS) from a holistic NIH viewpoint first, and then how this approach aligns with our individual Institute or Center (IC) established funding practices. 

Simplifying administrative processes to reduce burden for the scientific community and the NIH is one of several ongoing NIH priorities for 2026. Towards this goal, HIV/AIDS-related applications submitted after May 7, 2026 will follow the general standard application receipt dates. Aligning the receipt dates will simplify the grant submission process for applicants, NIH receipt and referral processes, and   Notices of Funding Opportunities. 

NIH implemented its Simplified Review Framework (SRF) for the peer review of the majority of competing research project grant (RPG) applications in summer 2025. How is it going?

Blog co-authored by Dr. Lyric Jorgenson, Associate Director for Science Policy, and Dr. Jon Lorsch, NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research.
Throughout the year we advanced a policy agenda that was based on two interlocking principles. The first principle involved pro-actively anticipating policy needs that would drive biomedical research. The second was to ensure that we cut unnecessary red tape to the maximum extent possible.

NIH will contact the applicant in certain, limited situations if required attachments of an application were not submitted on time. 

Familiarize yourself with the new Explore NIH Grant Opportunities tool. Use its NIH-specific filters, sort, and advanced search options to help you quickly identify funding opportunities posted on Grants.gov.

We are excited to announce a new centralized and simplified web resource that informs the research community about particular areas of science of interest to NIH. Visiting this resource early and often when conceptualizing your research ideas will help ensure you are aware of some of NIH’s latest scientific interests.