NIH updated its Policy on Foreign Subawards

NIH issued a Guide Notice to update its policies and practices utilizing foreign subawards. 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’s policy change applies prospectively to all NIH grants and cooperative agreements to domestic and foreign entities (new, renewal and non-competing continuation). NIH will not retroactively revise ongoing awards to remove foreign subawards at this time. NIH continues to support direct foreign awards.

Please visit the original notice for more details.