Forecast for Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is forecasting a new opportunity titled Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional), under announcement number PA-26-001. This program provides administrative supplements to existing NIH-funded research grants and cooperative agreements. The supplements are intended to address unforeseen circumstances that require additional funding within the scope of the peer-reviewed and approved parent project. They are not designed to support new projects or activities outside the scope of the original award. Administrative supplements are considered prior approval requests and are routed directly to the Grants Management Officer associated with the parent award. Applicants must communicate with the awarding Institute or Center (IC) grants and program officials prior to submitting a request, as there is no guarantee that supplemental funds will be available. The purpose of this opportunity is to provide flexibility to NIH-supported investigators when unexpected needs arise that could not have been anticipated at the time of the original award or competing renewal. Examples may include unforeseen costs due to equipment failure, the need to hire additional personnel for a short duration, or other unplanned expenditures that are necessary for the successful continuation of the project. All requested supplemental costs must be directly related to the original project’s peer-reviewed scope and must be feasible to complete within the remaining project period. Applications outside of the approved scope will not be considered. Foreign institutions may apply, provided all activities remain within the scope of the parent award and comply with NIH policies. This funding opportunity applies to a wide range of NIH research areas, as demonstrated by its linkage to multiple Assistance Listings (CFDA numbers) covering environmental health, cancer biology, cardiovascular and lung diseases, minority health and disparities research, aging, infectious diseases, mental health, neuroscience, biomedical training, and more. By structuring supplements across a broad spectrum of health research areas, NIH aims to support continuity and strengthen scientific outcomes when projects face unexpected but justified additional costs. Eligibility for this program is broad, encompassing a wide range of U.S. entities including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, public housing authorities, Native American tribal governments, Native American tribal organizations, independent school districts, small businesses, for-profit organizations, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, public and private higher education institutions, and regional or community-based organizations. Foreign institutions and U.S. territories are also eligible, but all supplement requests must adhere to the parent award’s original scope. The key eligibility requirement is that the parent award must be active and not in a no-cost extension period at the time of the supplement request. The anticipated timeline begins with a forecast posting date of October 1, 2025, with applications due by November 1, 2025. While this NOFO supports rolling application submission, applicants are encouraged to engage with their awarding IC early to discuss supplemental needs and feasibility. The estimated award date is January 2, 2026, with the same date serving as the earliest project start date for funded supplements. Applications are routed as prior approval requests, and evaluations will focus on whether the costs are justified, unforeseen, and within the project’s existing peer-reviewed scope. There are no published details on the total program funding, award ceilings, or floors, as these depend on available Institute or Center budgets and the justification provided in each supplement request. Similarly, no fixed number of awards is specified. Cost sharing or matching is not required. Applicants should be aware that while the NOFO provides a mechanism for requesting supplements, funding is subject to NIH budgetary constraints and the priorities of the awarding IC. Applicants should carefully prepare to justify the need for additional support and provide clear documentation. For questions, applicants may contact the NIH Division of Grants Policy, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration, via GrantsPolicy@od.nih.gov. Applicants should reference their parent award and work directly with their IC’s grants and program officials for guidance on supplement eligibility and submission.