NIH Extends Applicant Guidance During the COVID-19 Pandemic

NIH remains firmly committed to supporting the biomedical research enterprise as the nation implements the Biden-Harris Plan To Beat COVID-19.

To help you continue your research and to alleviate application hardships during the pandemic, NIH published two new Guide notices on December 27, 2021:

NOT-OD-22-047, Extending the Special Exception to the NIH, AHRQ, and NIOSH Post-Submission Material Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic for August and October 2022 Council Rounds

Extends the special exception from earlier notices (NOT-OD-20-123, NOT-OD-20-163, NOT-OD-20-179, NOT-OD-21-095 , and NOT-OD-21-179) to applications submitted for the August and October 2022 Council rounds. Beginning with applications submitted for the January 25, 2022 due date for summer 2022 review meetings, NIH as well as AHRQ and NIOSH will accept a one-page update with preliminary data as post-submission materials for applications submitted under all activity codes, only if the funding opportunity announcement used for submission allowed preliminary data in the application. One page of preliminary data will be accepted for single component applications or for each component of a multi-component application.

NOT-OD-22-046, Clarification and Guidance for Applicants Preparing Applications for the Spring 2022 Due Dates During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Extends the guidance provided in earlier notices (NOT-OD-21-180, NOT-OD-21-026, and NOT-OD-20-122) to applications for the August and October 2022 Council rounds, beginning with the January 25, 2022 due date. These grant applications should not include contingency or recovery plans for problems resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, applicants may address pandemic effects on productivity or other scoreable issues in the Personal Statement section of the Biosketch. If necessary before funding, NIH staff will request and assess plans to resolve specific problems arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additional Notices and Information

Beyond the notices we summarized above, the following older NIAID-related notices are still in effect:

• December 8, 2021: NOT-GM-22-020, Notice To Extend Eligibility for Submission of "Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers (MOSAIC) Postdoctoral Career Transition Award To Promote Diversity (K99/R00)" Applications Due to COVID-Related Disruptions
• June 28, 2021: NOT-AI-21-061, Notice To Extend Eligibility for Submission of K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award Applications (and Physician-Scientist K99/R00) Due to COVID-Related Disruptions
• June 25, 2021: NOT-AI-21-062, Notice To Extend Eligibility for Submission to NIAID Career Transition Award (K22, Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Due to COVID-Related Disruptions
• April 15, 2021: NOT-OD-21-106, Continuation of Temporary Extension of Eligibility for the NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Learn more about NIH policies to support researchers during the pandemic at Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Information for NIH Applicants and Recipients of NIH Funding and in the Frequently Asked Questions on COVID-19 Flexibilities.