Grants Research grants are the largest category of NIH research funding. Research grants provide funds for salaries, equipment, supplies, travel, other allowable direct costs, and indirect costs. Through the research grant mechanism, the NIH ICs support research projects, centers, career development, and other research and research-related programs. In addition, grants are awarded to create and sustain certain special resources or facilities for biomedical research. Grant applications may request, in most instances, an estimated amount of financial support and the duration of time, usually no more than 5 years, needed to complete the project.
Funding is provided in annual increments.
Cooperative Agreements Cooperative agreements are grants that are awarded by NIH to assist and support research and related activities. Policies and procedures for application, review, and administration of cooperative agreements are similar to those for grants. An important difference, however, is that the NIH awarding IC issues a specific RFA describing the program, functions, or activities that it proposes to support by cooperative agreement and the nature of the proposed IC staff involvement. There is no specific restriction on the number or dollar amount of most awards that may be made to any one institution or on behalf of any one investigator. In the latter case, however, the ability of a scientist to devote adequate time to the project, whether or not any part of his or her salary comes from the award, is a factor in review of the application.