Key Dates

Related Announcements

• May 22, 2024 - Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows and Institutional Research Training Awards. See NOT-OD-24-116.

Issued by

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Purpose

NIH began providing childcare support to recipients of full-time NRSA fellowships in April 2021 and to full-time predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees appointed on NRSA institutional research training awards in September 2021 (NOT-OD-24-116). This support is given in recognition that the high cost of childcare impacts graduate student and postdoctoral scholar ability to successfully complete their training and fully participate in the extramural research workforce. (NOT-OD-24-116). Beginning in FY25, NIH will begin providing childcare cost support to individuals supported as full-time recipients of Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award (F99/K00) programs during the F99 phase of the award.

Applicability

Applicants must be planning an F99/K00 application or have an active NIH Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition Award (F99/K00) that is still in the F99 phase to be eligible to apply.

F99/K00 applicants and F99 award recipients are eligible to receive $3,000 per budget period for costs for childcare provided by a licensed childcare provider. For households where both parents are F99 fellows, each parent is eligible to receive $3,000.

Childcare costs are permitted for dependent children living in the eligible fellow’s home from birth under the age of 13, or children who are disabled and under age 18. Childcare costs do not apply to elder nor non-child dependent care costs.

Policy

F99/K00 applicants and F99 award recipients may request $3,000 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.

Receipt of childcare costs is not tied to payback obligations, nor should it be reported as such.

When childcare costs are awarded, they are generally restricted and cannot be re-budgeted without prior written approval from the NIH awarding institute or center. In cases of early termination, recipients may not use any unused portion of the childcare costs. It will remain unobligated and will be adjusted by the agency as part of the closeout process.

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

Application and Submission Information:

To request childcare costs in new applications and non-competing continuations (Type 5s), follow the instructions described in NOT-OD-24-116. Administrative supplement requests should be submitted to the parent administrative supplement funding opportunity.

Resources

Childcare Costs Frequently Asked Questions 

Inquiries

Please direct all grants policy inquiries to:

NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration
Division of Grants Policy
Email: [email protected]

For inquires about childcare cost application submission please contact:

NIH Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration
Division of Grant Systems Integration, Systems Policy Branch
Email: [email protected]

For policy inquiries about fellowships and career development programs please contact:

Division of Biomedical Research Workforce
Office of Extramural Research
Website: https://researchtraining.nih.gov
Email: [email protected]