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Funding Strategy

NCCIH Funding Strategy Fiscal Year 2024

Introduction

In general, grants will be funded in rank order, based on either priority/impact score or percentile (if available), and for groups of similar types of applications. Additional considerations will include program relevance and need, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’s (NCCIH’s) strategic priorities, duplication of ongoing research, availability of funds, and recommendations by the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Integrative Health (NACCIH). 

Future Year Commitments of FY 2024 New and Competing Renewal Awards

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is operating under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (Public Law 118-015) at the FY 2023-enacted funding level (NOT-OD-24-059—NIH Operates Under a Continuing Resolution). This Act (CR) continues Government operations through March 8, 2024, at the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 enacted level. All legislative mandates that were in effect in FY 2023 (see NOT-OD-23-072) remain in effect under this CR, as well as the salary limitation set at Executive Level II of the Federal Pay Scale (see NOT-OD-24-057) and the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award predoctoral and postdoctoral stipend levels and tuition/fees as described in NOT-OD-23-076. Funding zones are typically conservative under a CR and might be reconsidered once a budget is passed. Updates to the FY 2024 Funding Plan page will be posted as soon as additional information becomes available.

Duration of NCCIH Grants

Most grants are funded for the full length of their Council-recommended project period, including grants to early-stage investigators, clinical trial grants, program project grants, career development grants, and training grants. For R01-equivalent research project grants, competing awards are often adjusted to achieve a 4‑year average duration. 

Funding Zones

For the beginning of FY 2024, as long as we operate under a CR, NCCIH has established preliminary “funding zones” for most budget/grant mechanisms including: research project grants, program project grants, career development awards, training grants, and small business programs. Within each budget/grant mechanism, there are different types of grant activity codes (e.g., R01, R21, K08, K23, etc.) that subdivide a given budget/grant mechanism and that may have different funding zones. A table is provided below of the funding zones for each activity code. 

A funding zone for a given type of application (i.e., its activity code) describes a zone of priority/impact scores (and percentiles, if available) that indicate that an application will be considered for potential funding. This does not guarantee funding or imply a commitment to fund; it simply indicates funding consideration. Funding zones are not applicable to applications submitted in response to requests for applications (RFA) or program announcements with set-asides (PAS). 

Using these funding zones, applicants may compare the impact score/percentile of their application assigned to NCCIH (which is provided in the application’s Summary Statement) to assess the likelihood that their application may be awarded. If a percentile is available, then it determines the funding zone rather than the priority/impact score. Applications scoring within an applicable funding zone are more likely to be awarded than those scoring outside a funding zone. Applicants who have questions about their application should directly contact the program officer assigned to their application (listed in the Summary Statement).

Table of Funding Zones by Budget/Grant Mechanism and Activity Code

Note: These funding zones reflect funding for FY 2023 and are not indicative of funding for FY 2024.

Budget/Grant MechanismActivity CodeImpact Score (ESI*)Percentile
Research Project   
 R0125 (30) 8 (14)
 R0333 
 R1530 
 R2126 
 R3330 
 R3430 
 R6134 
 U0130 (35) 14 (21)
 UG335 
    
Research CenterP5035 
 U1935 
 U4135 
 U2435 
 U5435 
    
CareerK0123 
 K0823 
 K2323 
 K2423 
 K9923 
    
Small BusinessR4140 
 R4240 
 R4340 
 R4440 
    
TrainingF3023 
 F3123 
 F3223 
    
OtherR1323 

*ESI: early-stage investigator
 

Funding Guidelines for Budget/Grant Mechanisms

Research Project Grants:

  • New Competing Research Project Grants
    New competing grants will be awarded at the Council-recommended level, except for specific programmatic, budgetary, and/or administrative adjustments. Typically, investigator-initiated, R01-equivalent awards** will have a 15 percent reduction of the award, including the out-year commitments. All applications that do not exceed $250,000 in direct costs in any given year of support in the recommended competitive segment will be awarded under the modular paradigm. Applications requesting direct costs that exceed $250,000 in any year of support in the recommended competitive segment will be awarded with categorical budgets. 
  • Competing Renewal Grants (Type 2—Modular to Modular)
    For competing renewal grants that were modular awards in the preceding competitive segment and will have no more than $250,000 in direct costs in any given year of the recommended competitive segment, NCCIH will award at the NACCIH-recommended direct cost amount, except for specific programmatic, budgetary, and/or administrative adjustments. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs for first-tier consortia are not considered in the direct cost base when calculating the maximum that can be requested.
  • Continuation Awards (Type 5—Noncompeting Renewal)
    Under the CR, NCCIH is awarding Type 5 research project grants in the current 2024 fiscal year with a 10 percent reduction from the commitment level indicated on the notice of award. Noncompeting awards will be issued without cost-of-living/inflationary adjustments; however, adjustments for special needs (such as equipment and added personnel) may be accommodated. This policy applies to both modular and nonmodular grants.
  • Transition Awards (Type 4—Noncompeting Renewal)
    Transition Awards are those that typically have two distinct phases (i.e., phase 1 and phase 2), where awards of the second phase depend on having met specified milestones and/or other specified pre-conditions during the phase 1 award. Examples of transition grants include the following phased activity codes: R21/R33, R61/R33, UG3/UH3, and K99/R00. Milestones are established pre-award and include not only specific content but also the time in which the milestones must be accomplished. Funding of the second phase is not guaranteed, and meeting milestones (including the specified content and timeline) is a necessary (but not sufficient) condition. For some programs, only a portion of the grantees are anticipated to transition to the second phase. All transition applications are assessed by NCCIH program staff to determine whether they met their specified milestones. The award of a second phase is also contingent on availability of funds and programmatic relevance and priorities. Under the CR, awards for noncompeting transition applications selected in the current 2024 fiscal year will be issued with a 10 percent reduction from the commitment level indicated on the notice of award. 
  • Career Development Grants
    Competing career grants will be awarded at the Council-recommended level, except for specific programmatic, budgetary, and/or administrative adjustments. Noncompeting (i.e., Type 5, continuation) grants will be awarded at 100 percent of the commitment level. Noncompeting awards will be issued without cost-of-living/inflationary adjustments.
  • Training Grants—Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards
    Fellowship and institutional training awards will be made consistent with annual Federal appropriations. The full range of current stipend levels is described in Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2023 (NOT-OD-23-076).
  • Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs
    SBIR and STTR grants will be awarded at the Council-recommended levels, except for specific programmatic, budgetary, and/or administrative adjustments. Noncompeting (i.e., Type 5, continuation) grants will be awarded at 100 percent of the commitment level. Noncompeting awards will be issued without cost-of-living/inflationary adjustments.

**R01-equivalent award activity codes: DP1, DP2, DP5, R01, R37, R56, RF1, RL1, U01, and R35.

Updated December 2023

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