FY2004 Extramural Funding Plan

Underlying NIDCR's financial management plan is the Institute's goal to provide stable levels of support for high quality scientific research. Inherent in this plan is payment of non-competing continuation awards at committed levels, and payment of new and competing awards for research project grants (RPGs) as close to peer review recommended levels as possible, given overall budgetary constraints. Regarding new and competing awards, a goal has been set to reach a success rate of at least 25 percent. In other words, by the end of the fiscal year, NIDCR will have funded 25 percent of the research project grant applications assigned to the Institute and completing peer review. A number of factors affect this statistic including the number of grant applications received, the rated scientific merit of submitted applications, and the funding available to support new and competing RPGs.

As each year progresses, the Institute adjusts its funding plans to accommodate changes in the overall budget, projected number of applications, scientific merit of applications as reflected in the scores assigned during peer review, projected award costs, new scientific opportunities, and other similar factors. For FY2004, it is estimated that NIDCR will fund approximately 25 percent of reviewed applications assigned to the Institute. Under the current funding plan for research grants –

Institute-negotiated cost reductions applied to new and competing RPG awards, beyond those recommended by peer review, will be handled on a case-by-case basis
Awards to new investigators will not be subjected to institute-negotiated cost reductions.
Small Research Grants (R03), Exploratory/Developmental Research Grants (R21), Research Career Grants (K) or the SBIR/STTR Grants (R41, R42, R43, R44) will not be subject to cost reductions.
The moratorium on funding new Program Project grants will continue.

Research Initiatives

Broadly-based input is sought by the Institute for development of its research initiatives which are then thoroughly vetted before being brought before the National Advisory Dental and Craniofacial Research Council (NADCRC) for review and approval. An initiative is announced to the research community via the issuance of a Request for Applications (RFA) or a Program Announcement (PA).

NIDCR is committed to the overarching goals of the NIH Scientific Roadmap initiative and strongly encourages all scientists within the extramural community to become aware of the various activities included under this umbrella. Information about the NIH Roadmap is available at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov .