Childcare support for NRSA Fellows
Announcement of Childcare costs for ruth L. Kirschstein National Service Award (NRSA) Supported Individual Fellows
NIH announced a new policy to allow for childcare support costs to recipients of NRSA individual fellowships )i.e., F31, F32, etc.) These costs must be specifically requested in new, continuation applications, or through administrative supplements beginning on or after April 8, 2021.
Some key takeaways:
- The policy applies to full-time NIH-NRSA supported individual fellowship applicants and awardees. However, additional information is forthcoming later this year regarding expanding the policy to trainees on institutional training grants, anticipated for FY2022.
- Each fellow is eligible to receive $2,500 per budget period for childcare costs. The childcare cost amount is not determined by number of children.
- Childcare costs are permitted for dependent children living in the eligible fellow’s home from birth under the age of 13, or children who are disabled and under age 18.
- Eligible childcare is care that is licensed and/or regulated by state and/or local authorities. See FAQs for more details.
- At a minimum, recipients must obtain and retain documentation verifying that a childcare provider is licensed and/or regulated by state and/or local authorities, and must document that the fellow is eligible to receive the childcare costs and has eligible dependents.
- The childcare cost is restricted for that purpose and cannot be rebudgeted without prior written approval from the NIH awarding IC.
The corrected instructions NOT-OD-21-074 and the FAQs, provide instructions on how to make the childcare support request.