The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (N C C A M): Part of the National Institutes of Health

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Funding Strategy: Fiscal Year 2012

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In general, grants will be funded in priority score or percentile order. Additional considerations will include program relevance and need, NCCAM’s strategic priorities, duplication of ongoing research, availability of funds, and recommendations by the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative medicine (NACCAM). NCCAM will also give additional consideration to applications from first-time R01 investigators (“new” and “early stage” investigators as defined by NIH).

Budget Data

Future Year Commitments of FY 2012 New and Competing Renewal Awards

NCCAM’s funding policy is to award competing research project grants (RPGs) in accordance with the NIH Fiscal Policy for FY 2012.

Duration of Grants

Competing awards are adjusted to achieve a 4‑year average duration for research project grants. Grants to early stage investigators, program project grants, and clinical trial grants are usually funded for the full length of their Council-recommended project period.

New and Early Stage Investigators

NCCAM will continue to help new and early stage investigators by seeking to equalize the success rates of new/early stage investigators and established investigators for new competing (Type 1) R01 and first renewal (Type 2) applications, in accordance with NIH guidelines.

Research Funding Guidelines

NCCAM will use the following guidelines for funding research project grants:

  • New Research Project Grants
    NCCAM policy for new grants is to award them at the NACCAM-recommended level except for specific programmatic and administrative adjustments. All applications that do not exceed $250,000 in direct costs in any given year of support in the recommended competitive segment will be awarded under the modular concept. Applications requesting direct costs that exceed $250,000 in any year of support in the recommended competitive segment will be awarded with categorical budgets.
  • Program Project Grants (Type 1 and Type 2)
    Type 1: The direct cost award will not exceed $1,515,000. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs associated with first tier subcontracts are not included in the direct cost ceiling. Annual increases for recurring costs in noncompeting years are not allowed. Type 2: Direct costs will be awarded at the same amount shown on the Notice of Award for the last noncompetitive segment. As with new awards, annual increases for recurring costs are not allowed.
  • Modular to Modular
    For competing renewal and MERIT extension grants that were modular awards in the preceding competitive segment and will be no more than $250,000 direct costs in any given year of the recommended competitive segment, NCCAM will award at the NACCAM-recommended direct cost amount except for specific programmatic and administrative adjustments. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs for first-tier consortia are not considered in the direct cost base when calculating the maximum that can be requested.
  • Modular to Categorical
    If the previous award is 9 or 10 modules, a requested increase will likely cause the competing renewal to be awarded as categorical. In all such cases, NCCAM will award at the NACCAM-recommended direct cost up to a maximum of 3 percent (10 percent for MERIT extensions) above the level of the last noncompeting award of the preceding competitive segment except for specific programmatic and administrative adjustments. The maximum may only be exceeded to accommodate specific programmatic and administrative adjustments that may be warranted or for nonrecurring equipment costs. Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs for first-tier consortia are not considered in the direct cost base when calculating the maximum that can be requested.

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Continuation Awards (Type 5 Noncompeting Renewal)

NCCAM will award Type 5 modular and nonmodular research project grants (RPGs) in accordance with the NIH Fiscal Policy for 2012. Awards previously issued will be revised in accordance with this policy. Non-competing awards will be issued without cost of living/inflationary adjustments in FY 2012; however adjustments for special needs (such as equipment and added personnel) will continue to be accommodated. This policy applies to all grants (research and non-research) when applicable.

Inflationary increases for future year commitments will be discontinued for all competing and non-competing research grant awards issued in FY 2012, however adjustments for special needs (such as equipment and added personnel) will continue to be accommodated. FY 2012 awards that have already been issued will be revised to adjust the award level and future year commitments in accordance with these principles.

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA): The NIH will implement a two percent increase at all stipend levels. Further information about NRSA stipends in FY 2012 will be published in the NIH Guide in the near future.

Previous Funding Strategies

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