NLM FY2025 Grants Funding Plan

Introduction

The National Library of Medicine (NLM), in Bethesda, Maryland, is a part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Since its founding in 1836, NLM has played a pivotal role in translating biomedical research into practice. It is the world's largest biomedical library and the developer of electronic information services that deliver trillions of bytes of data to millions of users every day. For more about the library’s mission and organization, see https://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/index.html.

NLM’s Extramural Programs Division provides grants to support basic and applied research in biomedical informatics and data science, health information sciences, bioinformatics and public health informatics, as well as for research training in these areas. NLM offers two unique resource grant programs: NLM Information Resources to Reduce Health Disparities grants and Grants for Scholarly Works on biomedical topics.

Budget Information for FY2025

Current Appropriation: NIH is currently operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) through December 20, 2024, at the FY 2024 enacted level. See NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-25-010 for more information.

The current salary cap levels remain in effect. Guidance on Salary Limitation for Grants and Cooperative Agreements for FY2024 is available at NOT-OD-24-057. Additional guidance on predoctoral and postdoctoral stipend levels, tuition/fees and training-related expenses for NLM training grants are posted at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/trainingdirectors.html.

Funding Strategy

NLM EP distributes its resources among many diverse programs and mechanisms. The institute is committed to funding the largest number of meritorious projects possible, while allowing the flexibility needed to support selected program priorities and respond to emerging scientific opportunities.

NLM establishes general guidelines for funding based on scientific merit, responsiveness to the institute's priorities, and availability of funds.

Competing Awards: NLM restricts the number of new awards made during a Continuing Resolution. Decisions on competing grants are based on review of individual applications. NLM uses the overall impact score as the starting point for decisions about awards, along with innovation, potential impact of proposed research, and portfolio balance. NLM also considers the experience of the principal investigator as a decision factor, to assure that investigators at all levels of experience have research support.

• For research project grants (RPGs):
  • For experienced investigators, applications with impact scores of 25 or better are the most likely to be considered for funding.
  • For Early-Stage investigators (ESI), applications with impact scores of 30 or better are the most likely to be considered for funding.
• For career transition awards, applications with impact scores of 30 or better are the most likely to be considered for funding.
• For fellowships, applications with impact scores of 30 or better are the most likely to be considered for funding.

All grant awards are subject to the availability of funds.

Budget Guidelines

Competing Awards: Competing grants will be funded at levels and duration based on programmatic and grants management funding recommendations. Generally, competing RPGs (R01, R21, R15) will be supported as follows:

• R01 using modular budget (≤ $250,000 direct costs, exclusive of subaward F&A), R21, and R15: 90% of the recommended level.
• R01 using categorical budget (> $250,000 direct costs, exclusive of subaward F&A): 85% of the recommended level.

Salaries are limited to the levels published on the NIH salary cap website. Total compensation for graduate students (salary, fringe benefits, tuition) will be limited to the NRSA level zero postdoctoral stipend in effect at the time the award is made (see: NOT-OD-02-017). Inflationary increases for future year commitments will not be provided; however, support requested and approved in the competing application for fluctuations in research needs (such as equipment and added personnel) will be accommodated whenever possible.

Noncompeting Awards: Consistent with NIH policy stated in guide notice NOT-OD-25-010, NLM expects to issue type 5/8 non-competing research project grants at a level below that indicated on the most recent Notice of Award, 90% of the committed level. Upward adjustments to awarded levels will be considered after FY 2025 appropriations are enacted.

NLM expects to issue type 5/8 non-competing career awards, resource grant awards, and SBIR/STTR awards at 100% of the committed level. Non-competing Fellowship and Training awards will be issued at

100% of the previously committed level, with stipend levels adjusted as applicable if FY2025 levels are published by NIH. Currently, FY 2024 stipend levels and training-related expenses remain in effect per NOT-OD-24-104.