Evidence shows that health research is making progress toward both these goals. In 1974, Congress granted authority to form the National Institute on Aging to provide leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people. NIA Funding and Collaborations. The NIA has fostered progress in aging research for over 25 years. In fiscal year 2000, the NIA funded basic and clinical scientists through an estimated 1,400 research grants and 55 research contracts to universities and other research centers, supporting investigators throughout the U.S. and in selected international locations.
Investigators also apply for training grants and individual fellowships.
Distribution of funds for these activities is shown in the figure below. The NIA collaborates with every major NIH component and leads research efforts that span several federal agencies. The NIA is the lead federal agency for research on Alzheimer's disease and aging demography. In this capacity, the NIA chairs the NIH Inter-Institute Alzheimer's Disease Working Group to promote research development, coordination of funding, information dissemination, and other matters of common interest. The NIA also chairs the Interagency Ad Hoc Committee on Research on Aging and the Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics.