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Announcement of Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows

Notice Number: NOT-OD-21-074

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-074.html

NIH recognizes that the high cost of childcare impacts graduate students and post-doctorates funded through NRSA fellowships, and their ability to successfully complete their training and fully participate in the extramural research workforce. Therefore, as part of our ongoing efforts to support family-friendly work environments for the NIH-supported workforce, NIH will begin providing childcare support to recipients of NRSA fellowships, on or after April 8, 2021.

Each NRSA fellow may request $2,500 per budget period to defray childcare costs. Childcare must be provided by a licensed childcare provider. Recipients must maintain all supporting documentation (e.g., proof provider is licensed) and make it available to NIH officials upon request. NIH does not require recipients to submit this supporting documentation with each request.

Applicants and recipients may request the NRSA childcare costs as part of new applications, continuation applications (Type 5), or as an administrative supplement request (Type 3).

Please refer to full Notice details linked here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-074.html

Should you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Upcoming Changes to the Biographical Sketch and Other Support Format Page for Due Dates on or after May 25, 2021

Notice Number: NOT-OD-21-073

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-073.html

Purpose

In an effort to support strong collaboration between Federal research agencies, NIH has made every effort to align the Biographical Sketch (Biosketch), Other Support format page and Application Form Instructions with the guidance issued by the Office of Science and Technology Policy Joint Committee on the Research Environment.

As a result, this Guide Notice informs the extramural community that NIH has updated its application forms and instructions to support the need for applicants and recipients to provide full transparency and disclosure of all research activities, foreign and domestic.

The updated forms and instructions will be required for use for applications and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPR) submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2021.

The revisions serve as updates to the Biosketch and Other Support format page templates used as attachments in our current Forms-F application packages and RPPRs. The forms updates do not change the policies for Biosketch or Other Support.

The changes are as follows:

Full details are provided in the Notice linked here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-073.html

Should you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Reminders of NIH Policies Related to Closeout

Notice Number:  NOT-OD-21-102

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-102.html

Purpose

The intent of this Notice is to remind recipients of the deadlines for drawing funds from the Payment Management System (PMS) and the process for reconciling errors. Recipients may request payments from PMS up to 120 days past the period of performance end date, to liquidate obligations incurred during the period of performance.

Liquidation Period

A recipient may draw funds up to the date that its Final Federal Financial Report (FFR) is due to NIH or up to 120 days past the period of performance end date (see NOT-OD-15-135); PMS will automatically reject any request made after 120 days past the period of performance end date.

Additional Time Required for Orderly Closeout

Recipients must submit a final FFR, Final Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR), and Final Invention Statement and Certification within 120 calendar days of the end of the period of performance (see NIHGPS Section 8.6).

Reconciling Errors

In rare cases, a recipient may need to revise or amend previously submitted expenditures more than 120 days past the period of performance end date in order to revise a previously submitted FFR. In these cases, the AOR must notify the IC Grants Management Specialist listed in the NoA for additional guidance (see NIHGPS Section 8.4.1.5.3).

Please refer to the full notice linked here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-21-102.html

Should you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.