NIH Extramural Nexus (News)

We are seeking your feedback on whether distributing Research Project Grants (RPGs) funding across more investigators could increase overall scientific productivity and innovation (see NOT-OD-26-086). Through this Request for Information (RFI), NIH is presenting a proposal as one possible approach to advance stewardship, workforce sustainability, and the goals of the NIH Unified Funding Strategy. Comments may be sent electronically here by August 3, 2026.

NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) communicate their research priorities through a variety of channels. For example, general interest areas may be discussed on an ICOs’ profile page or they may be expressed through a specific Highlighted Topic. In any case, the ICO may fund research in a wide range of scientific areas within their mission, whether or not they are explicitly identified as a particular Highlighted Topic.

For most career development (K) award programs, the K award recipient must commit at the minimum 9 person months, equivalent to 75% full-time professional effort, directly to their research project and career development activities. The recipient can devote the remaining effort (up to 25%) to additional research, teaching, clinical work, or other efforts complementary to their career development.

NIH has released its first Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under the new Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) SimplerNOFO initiative, which aims to make funding opportunities more accessible, understandable, and actionable for applicants.

NIH’s policies and funding approaches are designed to maintain strong support for investigator-initiated fundamental research. NIH’s Gold Standard Science plan explains that our priority-setting processes provide strong support for hypothesis-driven research while balancing opportunities to support other forms of research. Advancing foundational knowledge of human health and disease is a stated goal for the next NIH-wide strategic plan. Here we discuss NIH’s continued commitment in this area.

Watch NIH’s 6-minute overview of the new Collaborative International Research Project (PF5) award structure to learn key features, application format, and how applications may be split into linked awards after review and before Just-in-Time requests.

Fiscal year 2025 data in the NIH Data Book are currently being rolled out, ensuring users have access to the most recent information available.

In March 2025, NIH announced that all peer review would be centralized within the Center for Scientific Review (CSR) (see also this NIH Guide Notice). As the one-year anniversary approaches, we are providing an update on the consolidation and its initial effects on the peer-review process. 

NIH is seeking public input on a framework for the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2027–2031 through a newly issued request for information (RFI) . This RFI provides an opportunity for the extramural research community to help inform NIH’s highest-level priorities and goals for the next five years. 

NIH is streamlining the landscape for Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs, or funding opportunities) and the application process. We are placing greater emphasis on investigator-initiated science rather than asking researchers to align their work with highly specific funding opportunities.