NLM FY 2012 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 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/nlm.html.
NLM’s Extramural Programs Division provides grants to support basic and applied research in biomedical informatics, health information sciences, bioinformatics and public health informatics, as well as for research training in these areas. Applied Informatics resource grants assist in improving information access and services for health professionals and the public. Support is also available for scholarly works on biomedical topics.
Budget Data FY 2012
Current Appropriation: FY 2012 appropriations were enacted in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-74), signed by President Obama on December 23, 2011. In accordance with NIH fiscal policy for FY 2012, outlined in http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-036.html, NLM will issue non-competing research grant awards without cost of living adjustments. Adjustments will be made to any non-competing awards issued at 90% of the original commitment level, restoring funds in keeping with the guidelines provided under the Act. For new awards made in FY 2012, the average size of awards will stay constant with 2011 levels or lower. Inflationary increases for future year commitments will be discontinued for all competing and non-competing grants issued in FY 2012. Adjustments will be made to future years of noncompeting awards issued in FY 2012 accordingly. NLM will integrate the 2012-NRSA stipend table with one established for the NLM Informatics Training Programs.
Salary limits: Section 203 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act prohibits payments for salaries under grants and other extramural mechanisms to rates in excess of Executive Level II. Guidance related to Section 203 is at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-035.html.
Legislative Mandates: NLM grantees must adhere to the Legislative Mandates in effect for FY2012 outlined at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-034.html. Grantees should make note of guidance concerning issuances describing grant projects, requiring inclusion of financial information, in (1) Acknowledgement of Federal Funding (Section 505).
Funding Strategy: NLM supports as many meritorious competing grant applications as possible, across the array of grant programs it offers. General funding guidelines are established each year based on appropriated funds available. Final award decisions reflect considerations of program relevance, portfolio balance, recommendations of the NLM Board of Regents, and availability of funds. In keeping with NIH policy, budgets for awarded grants may receive programmatic or administrative adjustments. These adjustments take into consideration the overall scientific and technical merit of the grant application as well as the appropriateness of the requested budget. Although NLM’s training authority is not part of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) programs, stipends and other details of NLM’s training programs are modeled upon NRSA.
Fundable Range: NLM uses the overall Impact Score as the primary basis for award decisions on all grant types, along with innovation and potential impact. For experienced investigators, applications with Impact scores 30 or better are the most likely to be funded. For Early Stage Investigators and New Investigators seeking their first R01 research grant, and for K award applicants, applications with Impact scores of 38 or better will be considered for funding. All grant awards are subject to the availability of funds. NLM continues to support new investigators on R01 equivalent grants at rates equal to those of established investigators submitting new applications, per NIH policies outlined at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-09-013.html and at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/index.htm.
