SRS Updates

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2026

NOT-OD-26-044 – March 18, 2026

This Notice establishes stipend levels for fiscal year (FY) 2026 Kirschstein-NRSA awards for undergraduate, predoctoral, and postdoctoral trainees and fellows. See NOT-OD-26-044: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipends, Tuition/Fees and Other Budgetary Levels Effective for Fiscal Year 2026 for the limits for each category.

Prior Approval Requirement for Changes to Domestic Subawards

NOT-OD-26-062 – March 25, 2026

This guide notice updates the NIH requirements for obtaining prior approval for changes to domestic subawards on all NIH grants and cooperative agreements. NIH has a longstanding policy of not requiring prior approval for the addition of domestic subawards to ongoing projects. This makes tracking and oversight of subawards challenging, and NIH needs to be aware of all subawards in order to effectively track compliance with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act.

Effective June 1, 2026, all prime recipients are required to obtain NIH prior approval when adding a new domestic subaward to a project post-award, when the arrangement was not originally a part of the peer-reviewed and approved application.

The new prior approval requirement is intended to ensure that NIH is aware of all subaward activities for each NIH project, so that NIH can monitor the prime recipient and ensure compliance with subaward monitoring and reporting requirements.

Requests must be submitted in the eRA Commons Prior Approval Module using the “Other Request” type.

As a reminder, effective May 1, 2025, NIH no longer recognizes foreign subawards. Recipients seeking to initiate a new international collaboration must utilize the new application structure for NIH-funded international collaborations (PF5/UF5).

Publication of the Revised NIH Grants Policy Statement (Rev. March 2026)

NOT-OD-26-057 – March 25, 2026

NIH announces publication of the updated NIH Grants Policy Statement (NIHGPS, rev. March 2026). The NIHGPS provides both up-to-date policy guidance that serves as NIH standard terms and conditions of award for all NIH grants and cooperative agreements, and extensive guidance to those who are interested in pursuing NIH grants.

This version of the NIHGPS includes policies and requirements that have been published via Guide Notices in effect as of March 17, 2026. The updates published in this version of the NIHGPS consolidate all such Guide Notices and supersede the April 2024 version of the NIHGPS.

NIH leniency to be in place through May 2026 for use of SciENcv for Biosketch and Current & Pending Support forms

NIH leniency to be in place through May 2026 for use of SciENcv for Biosketch and Current & Pending Support forms. NIH will provide a warning but will not withdraw applications that do not comply with the use of the Common Forms.

Use of the Common Forms for Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement are required for application due dates and all JIT, RPPR, and Prior Approval submissions on or after January 25, 2026.

After evaluating the number and types of recent technical inquiries NIH received to both the SciENcv and eRA Service Desks, NIH recognize the difficulties these issues have had on the community’s ability to comply with the original timeline of January 25, 2026.

To allow for a period of leniency, NIH will provide a warning when the Common Forms are not used but will not withdraw applications that don’t comply with the use of the Common Forms. We expect the leniency to be in place through May 2026.

Updated Elements of an NIH Data Management and Sharing Plan

NOT-OD-26-046

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Data Management and Sharing Policy requires applicants to submit a Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMS Plan) for any NIH-funded or conducted research that will generate scientific data. As part of its ongoing efforts to increase efficiency and minimize applicant burden, NIH is updating the required elements of a DMS Plan.

An updated DMS Plan Format page will be made available upon receipt of OMB clearance. A draft can be viewed here: Data Management and Sharing Plan Format Page. Effective for applications with due dates on or after May 25, 2026, applicants are required to utilize the new, simpler format. NIH is implementing this updated format page as a pilot and will evaluate the need for additional updates over the next year.

GUIDANCE ON SALARY LIMITATION FOR GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FY 2026

NIH NOT-OD-26-034 – January 28, 2026

Effective January 11, 2026, the NIH salary limitation for individuals under NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards is $228,000.

NIH DROPPED REQUIREMENTS FOR PREAPPROVAL FOR UNSOLICITED APPLICATIONS REQUESTING $500,000 OR MORE IN DIRECT COSTS IN ANY ONE BUDGET PERIOD

NOT-OD-26-019 – December 3, 2025

Effective immediately, NIH will no longer require applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs (excluding consortium F&A costs) in any one budget period to contact the funding Institute or Center (IC) before application submission. In line with this change, applicants are no longer required to include a cover letter identifying the Program Official contact which notes that the IC has agreed to accept assignment of the application.

Major New National Science Foundation (NSF) Compliance Requirement

Major new National Science Foundation (NSF) compliance requirement affecting all NSF-funded projects. Please read this message carefully, as it directly impacts the administration of your NSF awards and other federal grants.

What’s New?

While many researchers are already familiar with the federal requirements for research security training at the proposal stage (pre-award), NSF has implemented an additional requirement: NSF now requires PIs, Co-PIs,Co-Is, and all key personnel to complete approved Research Security Training BEFORE any post-award action can be submitted on the project.

This includes, but is not limited to:

No-Cost Extensions
Budget Revisions
Key Personnel Changes
Subaward Requests

If this training is not completed, Sponsored Research Services (SRS) CANNOT process or submit your post-award action in Research.gov. NSF now requires that the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) officially certify, at the time of post-award submission, that all senior personnel have completed the required research security training. If the training is not complete, SRS cannot provide this certification and therefore cannot submit your request. This new requirement is the result of NSF’s expanded efforts to comply with federal research security mandates.

Why Is This Important?

These requirements now apply not only at proposal submission but throughout the entire project lifecycle, including post-award modifications.
If the training is not complete for all relevant project personnel, SRS cannot submit your request, which could cause significant delays in project management, critical award changes, and potential loss of funding if the window for a no cost extension is missed.

Existing Requirements (NIH and Other Agencies)

NIH: NIH mandates full compliance with disclosure of foreign affiliations and support both at proposal (JIT) and in annual progress reporting (RPPRs); training mandates are anticipated but not yet formalized for all NIH awards.
Other Agencies (DOE, DOD, USDA, etc.): Disclosure requirements and research security policies are expanding. Formal training mandates are expected in the coming months, and SRS will keep you informed.

What Do You Need to Do?

NSF-funded faculty and all key personnel must have completed Research Security Training both for proposal submissions AND now before requesting any post-award action.
Continue to comply with NIH and other agency disclosure requirements.
Maintain documentation of completed training for submission to SRS
SRS will monitor compliance and cannot process or submit actions unless training certificates are documented.

Next Steps

Immediately confirm the training status of yourself and all key personnel on your NSF projects.
Complete Research Security Training if not already done so. Found here via TrainTraq: Research Security Training Course #2114875: https://traintraq.tamus.edu/CourseDetails.aspx?cnum=2114875
Save your training certificate/documentation for SRS. SRS does not have ability to see completed training in TrainTraq.

We strongly encourage all individuals on federal awards, regardless of sponsor, to complete Research Security Training as soon as possible to avoid disruptions and stay ahead of federal requirements. Training can be accessed via TrainTraq, Course 2114875 “Research Security Training.”

NIH Limits Number of Applications per Principal Investigator Per Calendar Year.

NIH has issued NOT-OD-25-132, Supporting Fairness and Originality in NIH Research Applications.

This policy is effective for applications submitted to the September 25, 2025, receipt date and beyond.

NIH is providing guidance to researchers on the appropriate usage of artificial intelligence (AI) to maintain the fairness and originality of NIH’s research application process. NIH is also instituting a new policy limiting the number of applications that NIH will consider per Principal Investigator per calendar year.

Policy: NIH will not consider applications that are either substantially developed by AI, or contain sections substantially developed by AI, to be original ideas of applicants. If the detection of AI is identified post award, NIH may refer the matter to the Office of Research Integrity to determine whether there is research misconduct while simultaneously taking enforcement actions including but not limited to disallowing costs, withholding future awards, wholly or in part suspending the grant, and possible termination.

NIH will only accept six new, renewal, resubmission, or revision applications from an individual Principal Investigator/Program Director or Multiple Principal Investigator for all council rounds in a calendar year.

This policy applies to all activity codes except T activity codes and R13 Conference Grant Applications. Based on recent data, this limit will affect a relatively small number of Principal Investigators while enabling the NIH to maintain consistently high-quality grant application review and appropriately steward taxpayer dollars.

NIH Will Stop Posting Notices of Funding Opportunities in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts in FY 2026

NOT-OD-25-143 Notice informs the extramural community that, beginning in fiscal year 2026, NIH will no longer post NOFOs in the NIH Guide. Grants.gov will serve as NIH’s single official source for grant and cooperative agreement funding opportunities. The NIH Guide will continue to be used for policy and informational notices.

What to Expect in FY2026

NIH NOFOs will no longer be accessible from the NIH Guide.
All NIH NOFOs (expired and active) will remain searchable on Grants.gov using their Classic search or their new Simpler search.
NOFOs will no longer be included in the weekly NIH Guide Table of Contents subscription emails. You can use Grants.gov subscription services to receive notifications of new NIH funding opportunities.
NIH will continue to provide tools in the Funding section of NIH Grants & Funding to identify potential funding categories, topics, and opportunities you may be interested in. Any funding opportunity identified through our site will link to Grants.gov for the official opportunity posting.

Research Security Training Required Prior to Submitting a Proposal to DOE

Researchers submitting Department of Energy (DOE) proposals on or after May 1, 2025 are required to complete research security training PRIOR to proposal submission. To meet the requirement, course 2114875 : Research Security Training is now available in TrainTraq. If you have already taken all four NSF training modules, this will also meet the requirement.

Updated NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards

NOT-OD-25-104 – May 1, 2025

NIH is establishing a new award structure that will prohibit foreign subawards from being nested under the parent grant. This new award structure will include a prime with independent awards that are linked to the prime that will allow NIH to track the project’s funds individually, while scientific progress will be reported collectively by the primary institution, under the Research Performance Progress Report. NIH anticipates implementing the new award structure by no later than September 30, 2025, prior to Fiscal Year 2026.

NIH will not retroactively revise ongoing awards to remove foreign subawards at this time. NIH continues to support direct foreign awards. NIH plans to expand this policy to domestic subawards in the future, for consistency in implementing the new award structure.

Effective with the date of this notice and until the details of the new foreign collaboration award structure are released, NIH will not issue awards to domestic or foreign entities (new, renewal or non-competing continuation), that include a subaward to a foreign entity. Additionally, NIH will no longer accept prior approval requests to add a new foreign component or subaward to an ongoing project.

Central Location to Learn of NIH New Initiative and Policies

NIH: Implementation of New Initiatives and Policies: This page serves as a central location where you can learn more about the status of changes impacting NIH grants process and plans for implementing new initiatives and policies. https://grants.nih.gov/policy-and-compliance/implementation-of-new-initiatives-and-policies

New Videos Available at AnSRS4U Express

AnSRS4U Express are short 5-to-7-minute videos on various research topics. These videos are designed to give you the necessary information in a brief time frame. Some recent topics that have been added to the TAMU Sponsored Research Services (SRS) webpage are as follows:

Acknowledgement of Federal Funding
Is it a Gift or a Grant
Incoming Principal Investigator / Sponsored Project Transfers
Principal Investigator Departures / Project Transfers
Cost Transfers

These are located on the SRS website under the Resources tab at AnSRS4U Express – Sponsored Research Services (tamu.edu)

NSF Requirement for a Safe and Inclusive Work Environment

Effective January 30, 2023, with the implementation of the NSF 23-1 PAPPG, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has a new requirement which states that there must be a plan for a safe and inclusive work environment created and distributed to each participant, in advance of departure for an off-campus research activity. Off-campus or off-site research is defined by NSF for this requirement as “data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork or research activities on vessels and aircraft.”

At the time of proposal submission for each proposal that proposes to conduct research off-campus or off site, the Authorized Organizational Representative must complete a certification that the organization has a plan in place for that proposal. Thus, prior to the submission of the proposal, Sponsored Research Services (SRS) will require the PI to certify that a plan has been created.

Several solicitations from the Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO) and Geological Sciences (GEO) will soon require the submission of a Safe and Inclusive Work Environments Plan that will be considered as part of the Broader Impacts criteria during the review process.

As a reminder, this 2-page supplementary document must address the following four sections:

a brief description of the field setting and unique challenges for the team; 
the steps the proposing organization will take to nurture an inclusive off-campus or off-site working environment, including processes to establish shared team definitions of roles, responsibilities, and culture, e.g., codes of conduct, trainings, mentor/mentee mechanisms and field support that might include regular check-ins, and/or developmental events;  
communication processes within the off-site team and to the organization(s) that minimize singular points within the communication pathway (e.g., there should not be a single person overseeing access to a single satellite phone); and  
the organizational mechanisms that will be used for reporting, responding to, and resolving issues of harassment if they arise.

SRS has created an optional template that a PI can choose to use as a starting point for the plan. It is available here.

Cayuse Learning Session Announcement

Cayuse Proposals is a tool that is designed for administrators and/or researchers to use for the preparation of proposals. Some researchers have requested training in order to access the system, upload documents, and in some instances, assist with preparation of their proposals. In response to these requests informational sessions for researchers will be offered. As always, SRS Proposal Administrators will continue to provide full proposal preparation services.

Please view the prerecorded session here.

SRS Archive

The information in our archive of SRS updates are provided for reference only and may be outdated. We keep these records available to support transparency and historical reference. If you’re unsure about any information, it’s best to confirm with the sponsor or SRS.

The historical information are available here.