Overview of NIH Strategy for
Distributing
American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA) Funding
Dr. Raynard Kington, NIH Acting
Director
February 18, 2009
At a briefing before members of the
health advocacy community, Dr.
Raynard Kington presented a broad
overview of NIH’s evolving strategy
for use of ARRA supplemental
funding. He emphasized that these
are two-year funds; none of these
resources will be added to the base.
Because of the unique purpose of
this funding to impact the economy,
“this will not be business as
usual.”
As Dr. Kington explained, ARRA
provides NIH $10.4 billion to be
obligated before September 2010,
including:
-
$8.2 billion
for “research priorities,”
provided to the Office of the
Director. Of this amount, $7.4
billion will be distributed
across the various institutes
and centers (including the
“Common Fund”) in an amount
proportional to their individual
budgets. The Office of the
Director will retain $800
million to support scientific
endeavors;
-
$1 billion
for extramural construction,
renovations, and improvements,
provided to the National Center
for Research Resources (NCRR);
-
$300 million
for investments in capital
equipment;
-
$500 million
for NIH campus buildings and
facilities improvements;
-
$400 million
for comparative effectiveness
research, transferred to NIH
from the Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality (AHRQ).
NIH hopes to
distribute as much of this funding
as possible during 2009, though
spending targets have not yet been
determined.
Dr. Kington stressed that the ARRA
funds will not be used to restore
cuts in existing programs or
projects; “this is not about
recouping past cuts. We are looking
to the future.” NIH will likely
distribute funding according to
three “buckets:”
-
Funding new,
but already peer-reviewed and
approved, R01s to support highly
meritorious research. As of the
end of 2008, 14,000 approved
research applications remain
unfunded. NIH will be looking
closely at these applications to
determine if some of these
four-year projects could be
completed in two years. NIH will
take advantage of the pool of
approved applications to
expedite the process, rather
than issue a new RFA.
-
Supplementing
existing grants to expand
research related to original
goals. For example, supplemental
funding could be provided to
existing grants to add training
slots for new researchers.
-
Supporting
the “Challenge Grant Program” by
providing two-year funding
(e.g., $500,000 per year for two
years) for cross-cutting
research collaboration across
institutes. Funds would be
distributed through a new,
agency-wide, general
solicitation with an expedited
peer-review process. Dr. Kington
suspects that at least $100-$200
million will be provided for
this “bucket” and suspects the
new RFA will be published before
May 2009.
Dr. Kington
emphasized that it would be “the
height of embarrassment if grantees
can’t spend the money in two years.”
He urged the community, “if you
don’t think you can do it, please
don’t do it!”
NIH has yet to determine how much
funding will be allocated to each
bucket, or how many awards will be
made. In making awards, NIH will
take into consideration scientific
merit and public health need, as
well as the impact on the nation and
geographic distribution. More
information will be available
“soon.”
Responses to
Questions from the Community
• Construction:
Extramural construction funding is
available for new construction as
well as improvements to existing
facilities.
• Comparative
Effectiveness Research: NIH is
and will be collaborating with the
Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality as well as the Office of the
Secretary to determine how to
distribute the $400 million in
comparative effectiveness research
funding; no determination has yet
been made.
• Selection
Criteria: The use of geographic
variation as a selection criteria is
not unprecedented, e.g., CTSAs.
While geographic variation will be
considered in awarding ARRA funding,
a proposal’s scientific merit will
always be the prevailing criterion.
• Restoring
Cuts: ARRA funding will not be
provided to recoup previous cuts to
CTSAs or any other programs or
projects.
• Renewals:
Renewals are eligible for ARRA
funds.
