NOT-OD-26-059
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released guidance on fiscal operations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 following the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-75), signed into law on February 3, 2026. Under this legislation, NIH received a 1% funding increase over FY 2025, bringing total program-level funding to $47.5 billion, including $226 million authorized under the 21st Century Cures Act.
Funding Levels for FY 2026
- Non-competing continuation awards will generally be issued at the committed level identified in the Notice of Award
- Future budget periods remain subject to
- Availability of appropriations
- Satisfactory progress
- Compliance with award terms and conditions
- Federal program priorities
Any exceptions to standard funding levels will be communicated by NIH.
New Provision: Multi-Year Funding Authority
The FY 2026 Act includes a new provision allowing NIH to continue certain multi-year funding practices at levels consistent with FY 2025. This provision applies broadly to: Grants, Cooperative agreements, Contracts, and Other funding mechanisms.
NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) will issue institute-specific fiscal policies aligned with available funding and program priorities.
NIH Salary Cap
The FY 2026 appropriations legislation maintains the NIH salary limitation:
- Effective January 1, 2026: $228,000 (Executive Level II).
- UCSF's previous communications on Salary Cap.
NRSA Stipend Increases
NIH will increase stipends under the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program:
- Approximately 2% increase for predoctoral trainees
- Approximately 2% increase for postdoctoral trainees
Related Notice