NLM FY2024 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 FY2024

Current Appropriation: NIH is currently operating the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 which provides appropriations to federal agencies through September 30, 2024. See the following NIH Guide Notice for information about NIH Fiscal Operations for Fiscal Year 2024: NOT-OD-24-109.

Guidance on Salary Limitation for Grants and Cooperative Agreements for FY2024 is available at NOT-OD-24-057, and information on Legislative Mandates in Effect for FY 2024 is available at NOT-OD-24-110. 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. 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: For the FY2024 budget period, NLM expects to issue type 5/8 non-competing research project grants, career awards, and resource grant awards at 100% of the committed level. NLM will make upward adjustments to noncompeting RPG awards that were paid at less than 100% earlier in the fiscal year.

Non-competing Fellowship and Training awards will be issued at 100% of the previously committed level, with stipend levels and training-related expenses adjusted to FY2024 per NOT-OD-24-104.