National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-
FY2025
June 25, 2024
Kavya Sekar
FY2026 Request
Updated December 22, 2025
(R43341)
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Summary
This report details the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget and appropriations process with This report details the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget and appropriations process with
Analyst in Health Policy
a focus on FY2024 and FY2025a focus on FY2025 and FY2026 request. NIH is the primary federal agency charged with conducting and . NIH is the primary federal agency charged with conducting and
supporting medical, health, and behavioral research. It consists of 27 Institutes and Centers (ICs) supporting medical, health, and behavioral research. It consists of 27 Institutes and Centers (ICs)
andplus the Office of the Director (OD). In addition, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for the Office of the Director (OD). In addition, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for
Health (ARPA-H), first funded in FY2022, is established as an independent agency housed Health (ARPA-H), first funded in FY2022, is established as an independent agency housed
within NIH to advance within NIH to advance
“"high-potential, high-impacthigh-potential, high-impact
”" biomedical and health research. Nearly biomedical and health research. Nearly
8382% of the NIH budget funds % of the NIH budget funds
extramural research through grants, contracts, and other awards to universities and other research institutions. About 11% of extramural research through grants, contracts, and other awards to universities and other research institutions. About 11% of
NIH funding goes to intramural researchers at NIH-operated facilities. Almost all of NIHNIH funding goes to intramural researchers at NIH-operated facilities. Almost all of NIH
’'s funding is provided in the annual s funding is provided in the annual
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Act. NIH Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Act. NIH
also receives smaller amounts of funding from the Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (INT) also receives smaller amounts of funding from the Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (INT)
Appropriations Act and a mandatory budget authority for type 1 diabetes research.Appropriations Act and a mandatory budget authority for type 1 diabetes research.
FY2024
FY2025 Enacted and FY2025FY2026 Request
In FY2024, NIH received a total program level of $47.311 billion, a decrease in its overall program level (-$368 million, or -0.8%) for the first time since FY2013. Accounting for ARPA-H, which saw level funding for FY2024 and FY2023, the overall NIH and ARPA-H program level decreased by 0.7%. The overall program level decrease owes primarily to a reduction in funding authorized for the 21st Century Cures Act NIH Innovation Account in FY2024: $407 million in FY2024 compared with $1,085 million in FY2023. The NIH Innovation Account is effectively exempt from discretionary spending limits. Even with the overall decrease in funding, Congress directed FY2024 increases to certain research areas within NIH accounts through accompanying report language, for example, for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and for mental health.
The FY2025 budget request proposes an NIH and ARPA-H program level of $50.174 billion, an increase of $1.363 billion (+2.8%) over the FY2024-enacted level. As proposed, most NIH ICs would see an increase, though in many cases a small increase (less than 1%). The request also proposes two new mandatory funds for NIH: $1.448 billion for the Cancer Moonshot initiative in FY2025, and $2.690 billion for pandemic preparedness to be made available for five years. Accounting for this proposed mandatory funding, NIH and ARPA-H would receive a total FY2025 program level of $54.312 billion, a $5.5 billion (+11.3%) increase from FY2024-enacted levels.
Trends
NIH has seen periods of high and low funding growth during the period
In FY2025, NIH was primarily funded by the FY2025 full-year continuing resolution (CR; Division A of P.L. 119-4). The CR, for the most part, provided NIH with full-year FY2025 funding at the same levels and subject to the same conditions as provided in FY2024 appropriations (P.L. 118-47). The main exception was for the NIH Innovation Account; a provision in the FY2025 CR reduced the FY2025 NIH Innovation Account appropriation to the level authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act for FY2025 (a $280 million decrease to precision medicine and brain research). Accounting for transfers, NIH received a total program funding level of $46.995 billion in FY2025, $357 million (-0.8%) less than the FY2024 final level. Accounting for an ARPA-H appropriation of $1.5 billion, the final NIH and ARPA-H FY2025 funding level is $48.495 billion, or 0.7% less than the FY2024 NIH and ARPA-H funding level.
The FY2026 budget request proposes an NIH program level of $27.915 billion, a decrease of $19.1 billion (-40.6%) from the FY2025 enacted level. The FY2026 budget request also proposes to restructure NIH. Four ICs would be eliminated, while 19 would be consolidated into eight restructured ICs. Two NIH components would be moved out of NIH to other parts of HHS: the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and ARPA-H. In FY2026, all eight proposed ICs would see funding decreases (ranging from -21% to -44%) from comparable FY2025 levels.
Trends
NIH has seen periods of high and low funding growth during the years covered by this report, as illustrated in covered by this report, as illustrated in
Figure 1. Between FY1996 and FY1998, funding for NIH grew from $11.928 billion to $13.675 billion (nominal dollars). Over the next five years2. From 1998 through 2003, Congress and the President doubled the NIH budget to $27.167 billion in FY2003. In each of FY1999 , Congress and the President doubled the NIH budget to $27.167 billion in FY2003. In each of FY1999
through FY2003, NIH received annual funding increases of 14% to through FY2003, NIH received annual funding increases of 14% to
1617%. From FY2003 to FY2015, NIH funding increased %. From FY2003 to FY2015, NIH funding increased
more gradually in nominal dollars. In some years (FY2006, FY2011, and FY2013), agency funding decreased in nominal more gradually in nominal dollars. In some years (FY2006, FY2011, and FY2013), agency funding decreased in nominal
dollars. From FY2016 through FY2023, NIH saw funding increases each year dollars. From FY2016 through FY2023, NIH saw funding increases each year
until FY2024.
ranging from 3% to 9%. NIH saw slight decreases in both FY2024 (-0.7%) and FY2025 (-0.8%) from the prior year's enacted funding level.
When looking at NIH funding adjusted for inflation (in When looking at NIH funding adjusted for inflation (in
projectedpreliminary constant constant
FY2023FY2024 dollars using the Biomedical Research dollars using the Biomedical Research
and Development Price Index; BRDPI), the purchasing power of NIH funding initially peaked in FY2003—the last year of and Development Price Index; BRDPI), the purchasing power of NIH funding initially peaked in FY2003—the last year of
the five-year doubling period—and then declined fairly steadily for more than a decade until funding increases were provided the five-year doubling period—and then declined fairly steadily for more than a decade until funding increases were provided
in each of FY2016 through FY2023. In inflation-adjusted dollars, the FY2023 program level was 1.3% greater than the FY2003 program level at the end of the doubling period. However(at a rate higher than inflation, as measured by the BRDPI) in each of FY2016 through FY2023. In FY2025, the inflation-adjusted , the inflation-adjusted
FY2023NIH program level based on BRDPI projections, is estimated to be 8.8% less than the FY2003 peak level. The FY2026 request would provide an inflation-adjusted NIH program that is 47.3% below the FY2003 peak level.
NIH Funding: FY1996-FY2026 Request
program level includes funding for the new ARPA-H and therefore is not directly comparable to the FY2003 level. Excluding ARPA-H, the inflation-adjusted FY2023 program level is -1.8% less than the FY2003 level. With the decrease in FY2024 funding, the adjusted NIH program level (including ARPA-H) is now less than the FY2003 peak level (-2.7%).
Congressional Research Service
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Contents
NIH Funding: FY1996-FY2025 Request ........................................................................................ 1
Funding Sources ........................................................................................................................ 2
NIH Funding: FY2023-FY2025 Request .................................................................................. 3
FY2024 Enacted ................................................................................................................. 4
FY2025 Request ................................................................................................................. 5
Trends ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Figures
Figure 1. NIH Funding, FY1996-FY2025 Request ....................................................................... 10
Tables
Table 1. Authorizations of Appropriations for NIH Innovation Projects Under the Cures
Act ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Table 2. National Institutes of Health Funding, FY2023-FY2025 .................................................. 6
Table 3. NIH Funding, FY1996-FY2025 Request ......................................................................... 11
Table A-1. Specified NIH Funding Levels in FY2024 Explanatory Statement............................. 14
Table A-2. Specified NIH Funding Levels in the FY2025 HHS Budget in Brief ......................... 16
Appendixes
Appendix A. NIH Funding Details ................................................................................................ 13
Appendix B. Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................... 18
Contacts
Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 19
Congressional Research Service
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
NIH Funding: FY1996-FY2025 Request
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary federal agency for medical, health, and The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary federal agency for medical, health, and
behavioral research. It is the largest of the agencies that make up the Public Health Service (PHS) behavioral research. It is the largest of the agencies that make up the Public Health Service (PHS)
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
.1, a group of federal agencies engaged in public health activities.1 NIH consists of the Office of the NIH consists of the Office of the
Director (OD) and 27 Institutes and Centers (ICs) that focus on aspects of health, human Director (OD) and 27 Institutes and Centers (ICs) that focus on aspects of health, human
development, and biomedical science. Of these, 24 ICs and OD support research programsdevelopment, and biomedical science. Of these, 24 ICs and OD support research programs
and three provide support services. The . The
OD sets overall policy for NIH and coordinates the programs and activities of all NIH OD sets overall policy for NIH and coordinates the programs and activities of all NIH
components, particularly in areas of research that involve multiple institutes. In addition, the components, particularly in areas of research that involve multiple institutes. In addition, the
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), first funded in FY2022, is established Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), first funded in FY2022, is established
as an independent agency housed within NIH to advance as an independent agency housed within NIH to advance
“"high-potential, high-impacthigh-potential, high-impact
” " biomedical and health research.biomedical and health research.
2
2 This report details the NIH budget with a focus on This report details the NIH budget with a focus on
FY2024 and the FY2025 request. Almost all of NIH’s funding is provided in the annual Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Act. NIH also receives smaller amounts of funding from the Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (INT) Appropriations Act and a mandatory budget authority for type 1 diabetes research.3 Through the annual appropriations process, Congress provides funding to the 24 research ICs, OD, ARPA-H, and a Buildings and Facilities account. Three support centers are funded through transfers from other accounts.
NIH activities cover a wide range of basic,
Supplemental Funding for NIH
clinical, and translational research, focused on
In some years, NIH has received supplemental
particular diseases, areas of human health and
appropriations provided as an emergency requirement.
development, or more fundamental aspects of
In some years, supplemental funding to NIH was
biology and behavior. Its mission also includes
substantial, such as the over $10 bil ion in FY2025 enacted funding and the FY2026 request. As of the date of publication, the FY2026 continuing resolution (P.L. 119-37) has funded NIH until January 30, 2026 at FY2025 enacted levels. This report does not summarize this temporary FY2026 funding.
Supplemental Funding for NIH
In some years, NIH has received supplemental appropriations provided as an emergency requirement. In some years, supplemental funding to NIH was substantial, such as the over $10 billion in appropriations provided in the American Recovery and appropriations provided in the American Recovery and
research training and health information
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA; P.L. 111-5Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA; P.L. 111-5
), which was a 33% increase to the regular FY2009 appropriations NIH received. NIH has also received supplemental appropriations during several infectious ), which
collection and dissemination.4 As of fall 2023,
was a 33% increase to the regular FY2009
nearly 83% of the NIH budget funded
appropriations NIH received. NIH has also received
extramural research (i.e., external) through
supplemental appropriations during several infectious
grants, contracts, and other awards.5 In
disease emergencies, such as for the Ebola and Zika disease emergencies, such as for the Ebola and Zika
outbreaks and for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 outbreaks and for the Coronavirus Disease 2019
FY2025, NIH expects to support research
pandemic. Given that this report examines trends in
performed by more than 300,000 individuals
regular annual appropriations to NIH for the normal
who work at over 2,800 hospitals, medical
pandemic. Given that this report examines trends in regular annual appropriations to NIH for the normal operations of the agency, amounts provided to NIH operations of the agency, amounts provided to NIH
schools, universities, and other research
pursuant to an emergency requirement are generally pursuant to an emergency requirement are generally
institutions around the country.
excluded from this report.excluded from this report.
6 In addition, as
1 The Public Health Service (PHS) also includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the Food and Drug Administration, the Indian Health Service, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and the Office of Global Affairs.
2 CRS Report R47568, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H): Overview and Selected Issues. 3 “Mandatory spending” is controlled by authorization acts; “discretionary spending” is controlled by appropriations acts. For further information, see CRS Report R44582, Overview of Funding Mechanisms in the Federal Budget
Process, and Selected Examples.
4 For further information on the National Institutes of Health (NIH), see CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of
Health (NIH): Background and Congressional Issues.
5 NIH, “What We Do - Budget,” October 2023, at https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/budget. 6 HHS, “FY2025 Budget in Brief,” March, 2024, at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2025-budget-in-brief.pdf.
Congressional Research Service
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
of 2023, about 11% of the agency’
NIH activities cover a wide range of basic, clinical, and translational research, focused on particular diseases, areas of human health and development, or more fundamental aspects of biology and behavior. Its mission also includes research training and health information collection and dissemination.3 As of FY2023, nearly 82% of the NIH budget funded extramural research (i.e., external) through grants, contracts, and other awards. which supported research performed by more than 300,000 individuals who work at over 2,500 hospitals, medical schools, universities, and other research institutions around the country.4 In addition, as of FY2023, about 11% of the agency's budget supported intramural research (i.e., internal) s budget supported intramural research (i.e., internal)
conducted by nearly 6,000 NIH physicians and scientists, most of whom are located on the NIH conducted by nearly 6,000 NIH physicians and scientists, most of whom are located on the NIH
campus in Bethesda, MD.campus in Bethesda, MD.
5 The remaining 6% of the budget supported administration, The remaining 6% of the budget supported administration,
construction, maintenance, and operations.construction, maintenance, and operations.
7 6
Funding Sources
The vast majority of NIH funding comes from annual discretionary appropriations. NIH The vast majority of NIH funding comes from annual discretionary appropriations. NIH
additionally receives some mandatory funding and other funding due to unique transfer or additionally receives some mandatory funding and other funding due to unique transfer or
budgetary rules, as explained below. The total funding available for NIH activities, taking account budgetary rules, as explained below. The total funding available for NIH activities, taking account
of add-ons and transfers, is referred to as the NIH of add-ons and transfers, is referred to as the NIH
“"program level.program level.
”8 "7
Discretionary budget authority. NIH’. The majority of NIH's discretionary budget authority s discretionary budget authority
comeshas come primarily from the annual Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (LHHS), with an additional smaller amount from the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (INT). The LHHS Act has typically provided NIH funding under headers that align with its 24 research ICs, OD, ARPA-H, and a Buildings and Facilities account. Three support centers are funded through transfers from other accounts. The INT Act has provided funding specifically for the National Institute of Environmental Health Science's Hazardous Substance Basic Research and Training Program (Superfund Research Program), which supports research and training related to the health effects of hazardous substances.8 primarily from annual LHHS Appropriations Acts, with an additional smaller amount for the Superfund Research Program and related activities from the INT Appropriations Act.9
PHS Evaluation Set-Aside. The PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, also known as the PHS Evaluation The PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, also known as the PHS Evaluation
Tap, has the effect of redistributing a certain percentage of eligible appropriations among HHS Tap, has the effect of redistributing a certain percentage of eligible appropriations among HHS
accounts funded by the LHHS Act (up to 2.5% of eligible appropriations in accounts funded by the LHHS Act (up to 2.5% of eligible appropriations in
FY2024).10FY2025).9 Eligible Eligible
appropriations potentially subject to the transfer include anyappropriations potentially subject to the transfer include any
provided for programs authorized in programs authorized in
the Public Health Service Act, with some exemptions.the Public Health Service Act, with some exemptions.
1110 In recent years, appropriations laws have In recent years, appropriations laws have
directed specific amounts of PHS tap funds to specific agencies. NIH has received a large share directed specific amounts of PHS tap funds to specific agencies. NIH has received a large share
of PHS Evaluation Tap transfers in recent years, specifically to the National Institute of General of PHS Evaluation Tap transfers in recent years, specifically to the National Institute of General
Medical Sciences (NIGMS). By convention, appropriations acts Medical Sciences (NIGMS). By convention, appropriations acts
directhave directed where specified PHS where specified PHS
Evaluation Tap transfers are to be allocated but do not specify the accounts that are to be the Evaluation Tap transfers are to be allocated but do not specify the accounts that are to be the
sources of those transfers. Thus, tables in this report show only the amount of PHS Evaluation sources of those transfers. Thus, tables in this report show only the amount of PHS Evaluation
Tap funds received in any NIH account.Tap funds received in any NIH account.
Mandatory Type I Diabetes Funding.. In addition, NIH has received mandatory funding In addition, NIH has received mandatory funding
of $150 million annually that is provided in Public Health Service Act (PHSA) Section 330B for a special provided in Public Health Service Act (PHSA) Section 330B for a special
program on type 1 diabetes research, most recently extended to December 31, 2024, by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42).
7 NIH, “What We Do - Budget,” October 2023, at https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/budget. 8 NIH program levels in this report reflect total funding for all Institutes and Centers (ICs), the Office of the Director (OD), the PHS Evaluation Set-Aside (“PHS Evaluation Tap”), the Superfund Research Program, mandatory type I diabetes research (provided in Public Health Service Act [PHSA] Section 330B), and the nonrecurring expenses fund (NEF) when applicable.
9 The Hazardous Substance Basic Research and Training Program (Superfund Research Program) funds research on the health effects of exposures to hazardous substances and related solutions at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. It is authorized by 311(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. §9660(a)) and Section 126(g) of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986.
10 Authorized by Section 241 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), 42 U.S.C. §238j. The authorizing law allows the HHS Secretary to redistribute a portion of eligible PHS agency appropriations across HHS for program evaluation purposes. The PHSA limits the set-aside to not less than 0.2% and not more than 1.0% of eligible program appropriations. In recent years, annual appropriations laws have established requirements in addition to those in statute. These include a higher maximum percentage for the set-aside and directing specific amounts of tap funding to selected HHS programs. Since FY2010, and including in FY2024, this higher maximum set-aside level has been 2.5% of eligible appropriations.
11 Annual appropriations laws have exempted certain appropriations from transfer that would be otherwise eligible. For example, see Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) appropriation for mental health, “none of the funds provided for section 1911 of the PHS Act shall be subject to section 241 of such Act” in P.L. 118-47.
Congressional Research Service
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21stprogram on type 1 diabetes research. For FY2025, funding was primarily extended to September 30, 2025, by Division B of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P.L. 119-4).11
21st Century Cures Act Innovation Account.. NIH also receives funding through LHHS NIH also receives funding through LHHS
appropriations subject to different budget enforcement rules than the rest of the NIH funding in appropriations subject to different budget enforcement rules than the rest of the NIH funding in
the act: appropriations to the NIH Innovation Accountthe act: appropriations to the NIH Innovation Account
, which was created by the created by the
21st21st Century Cures Act ( Century Cures Act (
“"the the
Cures Act,Cures Act,
” " P.L. 114-255P.L. 114-255
) to fund). The NIH Innovation Account funds programs authorized by the programs authorized by the
Cures act for FY2017 through FY2026, as act for FY2017 through FY2026, as
shown in Table 1.1212
For Amounts appropriated appropriated
amounts to the account—up the limit authorized for each to the account—up the limit authorized for each
fiscal year—fiscal year—
the amounts are subtracted from any cost estimate for enforcing discretionary are subtracted from any cost estimate for enforcing discretionary
spending limits (i.e., the budget caps). In effect, appropriations to the NIH Innovation Account as spending limits (i.e., the budget caps). In effect, appropriations to the NIH Innovation Account as
authorized by the Cures Act are not subject to discretionary spending limits.authorized by the Cures Act are not subject to discretionary spending limits.
1313 The NIH Director The NIH Director
may transfer these amounts from the NIH Innovation Account to other NIH accounts, but only for may transfer these amounts from the NIH Innovation Account to other NIH accounts, but only for
the purposes specified in the Cures Act. the purposes specified in the Cures Act.
Innovation Account appropriations are available until expended, unlike most discretionary funding NIH receives, which has typically been made available for one year. All amounts authorized by the Cures Act have been fully All amounts authorized by the Cures Act have been fully
appropriated to the Innovation Account from FY2017 to appropriated to the Innovation Account from FY2017 to
FY2024FY2025, including $, including $
407127 million for FY2025.14
million for FY2024. For FY2025, $127 million is authorized to be appropriated.
Table 1. Authorizations of Appropriations for NIH Innovation Projects
Under the Cures Act
Millions of dollarsMillions of dollars
Total
Cancer
Regenerative
Innovation
Fiscal Year
PMI
BRAIN
Moonshot
Medicine
Account
2017
40
10
300
2
352
2018
100
86
300
10
496
2019
186
115
400
10
711
2020
149
140
195
8
492
2021
109
100
195
404
2022
150
152
194
496
2023
419
450
216
1,085
2024
235
172
407
2025
36
91
127
2026
31
195
226
TOTAL
1,455
1,511
1,800
30
4,766
Source:
|
Fiscal Year
|
PMI
|
BRAIN
|
Cancer Moonshot
|
Regenerative Medicine
|
Total Innovation Account
|
|
2017
|
40
|
10
|
300
|
2
|
352
|
|
2018
|
100
|
86
|
300
|
10
|
496
|
|
2019
|
186
|
115
|
400
|
10
|
711
|
|
2020
|
149
|
140
|
195
|
8
|
492
|
2021
|
109
|
100
|
195
|
404
|
2022
|
150
|
152
|
194
|
496
|
2023
|
419
|
450
|
216
|
1,085
|
2024
|
235
|
172
|
407
|
2025
|
36
|
91
|
127
|
2026
|
31
|
195
|
226
|
|
TOTAL
|
1,455
|
1,511
|
1,800
|
30
|
4,796
|
Source: P.L. 114-255, Section 1001(b)(4).P.L. 114-255, Section 1001(b)(4).
Notes: PMI= Precision Medicine Initiative, BRAIN= Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative PMI= Precision Medicine Initiative, BRAIN= Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative
Neurotechnologies.Neurotechnologies.
NIH Funding: FY2023-FY2025 Request
FY2025-FY2026 Request
Table 2 Table 2 provides an overview of recentprovides an overview of recent
- year NIH funding from year NIH funding from
FY2023FY2024 final appropriations to final appropriations to
proposed amounts in the proposed amounts in the
FY2025FY2026 budget request. The first section of the table summarizes budget request. The first section of the table summarizes
discretionary funding to each of NIHdiscretionary funding to each of NIH
’'s accounts in annual LHHS appropriations, ending with the s accounts in annual LHHS appropriations, ending with the
total discretionary amount enacted or proposed in LHHS each year. Next, the table summarizes total discretionary amount enacted or proposed in LHHS each year. Next, the table summarizes
funding by other sources (see previous section) and then summarizes the total NIH program level funding by other sources (see previous section) and then summarizes the total NIH program level
for each year accounting for all sources of funds. In this table, ARPA-H funding is presented for each year accounting for all sources of funds. In this table, ARPA-H funding is presented
12 See section on 21st Century Cures Act in CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background
and Congressional Issues.
13 CRS Report R45778, Exceptions to the Budget Control Act’s Discretionary Spending Limits.
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separately from the rest of NIH, and thus a separate “NIH and ARPA-H” program level is shown. The table ends with proposed mandatory funding in the President’s budget requests.
The following discussion provides a summary of enacted and proposed NIH funding in FY2024 and FY2025, respectively, with a discussion of highlighted changes in each year.
FY2024 Enacted
As shown inseparately from the rest of NIH, and thus a separate "NIH and ARPA-H" program level is shown.
The following discussion provides a summary of enacted and proposed NIH funding in FY2025 and FY2026, respectively, with a discussion of highlighted changes in each year.
FY2025 Final
In FY2025, NIH was primarily funded by the FY2025 full-year CR (Division A of P.L. P.L. 119-4).15 The CR, for the most part, provided NIH with full-year FY2025 funding at the same levels and subject to the same conditions as funding provided in FY2024 appropriations (P.L. 118-47). The one exception was for the NIH Innovation Account; as previously mentioned, a provision in the FY2025 CR reduced the FY2025 NIH Innovation Account appropriation to the level authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act for FY2025 (a $280 million scheduled decrease to the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) and the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative).
As shown in Table 2, accounting for transfers and funding from other sources (e.g., mandatory appropriations), NIH received a total program funding level of $46.995 billion in FY2025. Accounting for an ARPA-H appropriation of $1.5 billion, the final NIH and ARPA-H FY2025 funding level is $48.495 billion. This final FY2025 total funding level is $357 million less than the comparable FY2024 final level. This year-to-year decrease is primarily because of the decrease in authorized (and appropriated) funding for the NIH Innovation Account (a $280 million decrease) and because of differences in total funding provided for the mandatory type 1 diabetes research program in FY2025 compared to FY2024 (a $76.7 million decrease). Otherwise, all other NIH accounts saw the same funding level in FY2025 as in FY2024.16
In FY2024, through an accompanying explanatory statement, Congress specified funding for certain programs and activities within NIH accounts, such as funding for Alzheimer's disease research and mental health research (see Appendix A).17 Besides these limited specific directives, Congress has not typically directed NIH funding for specific diseases or projects. Instead, Congress has allocated funding among NIH's ICs accounts, giving the ICs flexibility to determine overall funding levels for specific programs and research areas. The FY2025 CR was not accompanied by an explanatory statement or report. As of the cover date of this report, the post-enactment allocations for particular programs, projects, and activities are not consistently available through public executive branch sources.
This report focuses on annual appropriations levels, or the annual level of regular budget authority available to NIH for obligation and spending. This report does not focus on NIH's obligations and expenditures from these appropriations. While not a focus of this report, in August 2025, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined that publicly available data showed a decline in FY2025 obligations and expenditures relative to prior fiscal years. Between February and June 2025, NIH obligated $8 billion less than it had in the same time period for FY2024, and roughly 62%-64% of what the agency had obligated in the same time period in FY2023 and FY2024.18 Since GAO published this report, in November 2025, CRS analyzed available NIH budget data and found that the agency obligated almost all of its FY2025 discretionary budget authority by the end of FY2025. The agency's total obligations in FY2025 were similar to FY2024. All NIH accounts funded by one-year discretionary appropriations had obligated close to 100% of available FY2025 appropriations.19
FY2026 Request
For FY2026, President Trump requests a total NIH program level of $27.915 billion from all funding sources. This represents a 40.6% reduction from the comparable FY2025 NIH program level of $46.995 billion (excluding ARPA-H).
NIH Restructuring
Significantly, the President's FY2026 budget proposes to reduce NIH's 24 current research ICs to eight research ICs. Four ICs would be eliminated, while 19 would be consolidated into eight restructured ICs as shown in Figure 1. Two NIH components would be moved out of NIH to other parts of HHS: the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and ARPA-H (see next section). According to the budget request, the "restructuring will create efficiencies within NIH that will allow the agency to focus on true science, and coordinate research to make the best use of federal funds."20 Table 2 provides a comparison of the FY2026 total proposed NIH funding with FY2024 final and FY2025 enacted funding. It displays funding organized by the proposed new ICs for FY2024, FY2025, and FY2026, along with FY2024 and FY2025 funding as enacted based on the prior IC structure (shown as non-adds in the table). The table also shows NIH funding data for certain transfers or other budget authorities as summarized earlier. In FY2026, all eight proposed ICs would see decreases from prior comparable FY2024 and FY2025 levels (ranging from -21% to -44%).
Figure 1. Proposed NIH Reorganization for FY2026
Source: HHS, Budget in Brief FY2026, p. 22, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2026-budget-in-brief.pdf
Notes: The President's FY2026 request proposes to eliminate the National Institutes for Nursing Research, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Fogarty International Center, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
ARPA-H
In FY2022 Congress established ARPA-H within NIH to support milestone-based research aimed at driving health innovation. ARPA-H is an independent agency and is not considered an NIH IC.21 However, ARPA-H is placed within NIH by statute and has received appropriations in an NIH account for both FY2024 and FY2025 as shown in Table 2.22 The FY2026 budget proposes moving ARPA-H out of NIH under a new Assistant Secretary for a Healthy Future (ASHF) with a FY2026 funding level of $945 million (compared to $1.5 billion in FY2025).23 Therefore, the FY2026 requested funding level for ARPA-H is not reflected in Table 2.
Potential Impact on Funded Research
NIH estimates that the FY2026 funding level would support 4,312 new competing research grants, a decrease of 29.3% from the number of competing grants supported by the FY2025 funding level (6,095 grants) and an even greater decrease from the FY2024 level of 10,086 competing grants.24 This decrease is explained by both an overall proposed funding level decrease and NIH's new multiyear grants funding policy which results in fewer, but larger, grant awards (see next section for further explanation). All other categories of research would also see decreases compared to FY2025 funding levels ranging from 27% to 43%, including NIH's support of research centers, training, and intramural research.25
Policy Proposals
The FY2026 request also includes several policy proposals for NIH, specifically:
Indirect costs rate cap: The FY2026 request proposes to continue an NIH policy announced in February 2025 to cap the amount of NIH grant funds that can pay for facilities and administrative (F&A, or indirect) costs at 15% of the applicable direct cost base for each award. The request also proposes to eliminate an annual provision in LHHS appropriations acts that limits NIH's ability to modify its indirect costs rate policy. As of the date of publication, NIH's implementation of the February 2025 indirect costs policy was permanently enjoined (i.e., paused) by a Massachusetts federal court in April 2025.26 Currently, most NIH-funded research institutions have a separate indirect cost rate that is applied to a portion of the direct research costs supported by any research grant the institution receives. According to a 2025 economics study based on data from 354 NIH-funded institutions, most institutions' negotiated rates were between 50% and 70%, averaging 58%. However, effective indirect costs rates, meaning the amount of the grant that has effectively covered indirect costs, ranged between 25% and 45% and averaged 42%.27 According the budget request, the policy change will "maximize the impact of NIH research investments" by increasing the share of each grant that is directly spent on research.28 For further background on NIH indirect costs policy, see CRS Insight IN12516, NIH Indirect Costs Policy for Research Grants: Recent Developments.
Multiyear grants: The FY2026 NIH budget request also proposes to continue a FY2025 policy to reserve half of NIH's budget allocation for competing research project grants for awards that fully fund the grant across multiple years. Under recent practice, most NIH research project grants are committed for multiple years, but funding for the grant is obligated each year of the grant period as a noncompeting grant continuation.29 To illustrate, under this policy, FY2026 appropriations might be used to fully fund a three-year project spanning FY2026-FY2028, instead of funding such a project with a combination of funds appropriated in each of those three years. According to the request, the new policy will "increase NIH budget flexibility by no longer encumbering large portions of each year's appropriation for the continuation of research projects that were initiated in previous years."30 For more information, see CRS In Focus IF13131, NIH Grants Policy Under the Second Trump Administration
Table 2. National Institutes of Health Funding, FY2024-FY2026 Request
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2025-FY2026 Request
|
|
Account or Program
|
FY2024 Final
|
FY2025 Enacted
|
FY2026 Request
|
Dollar Change
|
Percentage Change
|
|
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
|
7,221.2
|
7,221.2
|
4,530.8
|
-2,690.4
|
-37.3%
|
National Institute on Body Systems (NIBS)a (proposed institute)
6,985.9*
|
6,985.9*
|
4,152.1
|
-2,833.8
|
-40.6%
|
|
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
|
3,985.2
|
3,985.2
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
|
687.6
|
687.6
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)b
2,313.1
|
2,313.1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
National Institute on Neuroscience and Brain Research (NINBR)c (proposed institute)
4,015.7*
|
4,015.7*
|
2,445.0
|
-1,570.7
|
-39.1%
|
|
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
|
520.1
|
520.1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)c
2,599.4
|
2,599.4
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Eye Institute (NEI)
|
896.1
|
896.1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)d (proposed institute)
4,356.1*
|
4,356.1*
|
3,427.3
|
-928.8
|
-21.3%
|
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)e
1,832.2
|
1,832.2
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
|
659.7
|
659.7
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
|
495.3
|
495.3
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
|
440.6
|
440.6
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
|
928.3
|
928.3
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute for Child and Women's Health, Sensory Disorders and Communications (NICWHSDC) (proposed institute)
|
2,292.1*
|
2,292.1*
|
1,413.6
|
-878.5
|
-38.3%
|
|
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
|
1,757.8
|
1,757.8
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
|
534.3
|
534.3
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute of Behavioral Health (NIBH) (proposed institute)
|
4,452.1*
|
4,452.1*
|
2,784.7
|
-1,667.4
|
-37.5%
|
|
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
|
597.1
|
597.1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
|
1,663.4
|
1,663.4
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH)
|
2,191.7
|
2,191.7
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
|
4,512.1
|
4,512.1
|
2,686.5
|
-1,825.6
|
-40.5%
|
|
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
|
6,561.7
|
6,561.7
|
4,175.0
|
-2,386.7
|
-36.4%
|
Office of the Director (OD)f
2,597.4
|
2,597.4
|
1,455.1
|
-1,142.3
|
-44.0%
|
Innovation Accountg
407.0
|
127.0
|
226.0
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
Buildings and Facilities (B&F)
|
350.0
|
350.0
|
210.0
|
-140.0
|
-40.0%
|
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
|
913.8
|
913.8
|
N/Ah
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
|
197.7
|
197.7
|
0.0
|
-197.7
|
-100.0%
|
|
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
|
170.4
|
170.4
|
0.0
|
-170.4
|
-100.0%
|
|
National Institute on Minority and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
|
535.1
|
535.1
|
0.0
|
-535.1
|
-100.0%
|
|
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
|
95.1
|
95.1
|
0.0
|
-95.1
|
-100.0%
|
|
Subtotal, NIH (LHHS Discretionary Budget Authority)
|
45,663.5
|
45,383.5
|
27,506.1
|
-17.877.4
|
-39.4%
|
|
PHS Program Evaluation (provided to NIGMS)
|
1,412.5
|
1,412.5
|
250.0
|
-1,162.5
|
-82.3%
|
Superfund (Interior appropriation to NIEHS)i
79.7
|
79.7
|
N/Aj
N/A
|
N/A
|
Mandatory Type 1 diabetes funds (to NIDDK)k
195.8
|
119.1
|
159.0l
39.9
|
33.5%
|
|
Total, NIH Program Level
|
47,351.5
|
46,994.8
|
27,915.1
|
-19,079.7
|
-40.6%
|
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
|
1,500.0
|
1,500.0
|
N/Am
N/A
|
N/A
|
|
Grand total, NIH and ARPA-H Program Level
|
48,851.5
|
48,494.8
|
27,915.1
|
-20,579.7
|
-42.4%
|
Source: NIH, Overview of FY2026 President's Budget, pp. 65-67, https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY26/br/ NIH%20FY%202026%20CJ%20Overview.pdf. Innovation Account numbers are from Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Technical Supplement to the 2026 Budget, p. 353, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/ 2025/05/appendix_fy2026.pdf.
Notes: LHHS = Labor, HHS, and Education; N/A = not applicable, particularly for entities that are proposed to be moved outside of NIH in the FY2026 budget. Table displays funding organized by the proposed new ICs for FY2024, FY2025, and FY2026, along with FY2024 and FY2025 funding as enacted based on the prior IC structure (shown in the table as non-adds, i.e., components included for illustrative purposes and not counted as separate line items when generating totals). Thus, FY2024 funding levels and FY2025 totals used to calculate the dollar and percentage change displayed in this table do not reflect enacted law and are denoted as such with an asterisk (*). Program- or account-level totals, shown in italics, are considered non-adds. An em dash (—) indicates an FY2026 funding amount for a preexisting NIH IC that is shown as a non-add. Amounts are shown as 0.0 when the request has proposed to reduce a certain line item to 0 in FY2026. Components may not sum to totals due to rounding. Amounts shown may differ from actual values. Final and estimated FY2025 and FY2026 funding levels reflect most transfers and other adjustments. By convention, funding transfers to the Public Health Service (PHS) Evaluation set-aside are not subtracted from the agencies' appropriations in budget tables. In general, amounts provided to NIH for emergency requirements are excluded from these totals and, therefore, differ from amounts reported by OMB. This table does not include funding that NIH receives from gifts or other collections, as these amounts are not available in source materials.
a. Amounts for the proposed NIBS do not include mandatory Type 1 diabetes funding, shown later in the table.
b. Amounts for the NIDDK do not include mandatory Type 1 diabetes funding, shown later in the table.
c. FY2024 and FY2025 amounts do not reflect transfers from the Cures Act Innovation Account to NINDS for NIH's Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.
d. Amounts for NIGMS do not include funds from the PHS Evaluation set-aside (PHS Act [PHSA], §241).
e. Amounts reflect NIGMS funding as enacted (excluding the PHS Evaluation tap transfer into this IC) for FY2024 and FY2025, not as proposed for FY2026, which would consolidate NHGRI, NLM, NIBIB, and NCATS into NIGMS.
f. Amounts for OD include transfer from the Pediatric Research Initiative Fund (PRIF) as authorized by the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act. FY2024 and FY2025 amounts account for a transfer of $5 million to the Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General.
g. Innovation Account amounts are to be transferred to other accounts. For FY2024, of the total $172 million for the BRAIN Initiative, $86 million was transferred to each of NINDS and NIMH, respectively. The total $235 million for the Precision Medicine Initiative was transferred to OD. For FY2025, of the total $91 million for the BRAIN Initiative, $45.5 million was transferred to each of NINDS and NIMH, respectively. The total $36 million for the Precision Medicine Initiative was transferred to OD. For the FY2026 request, NINBR and NIBH are expected to each receive a transfer of $97.5 million of the total $195 million for the BRAIN Initiative, based on past practice. The total $31 million for PMI would go to OD.
h. The FY2026 budget request proposes moving NIEHS to the new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) with a requested funding level of $594 million within AHA.
i. This is a separate account in the Interior/Environmental appropriations for NIEHS research activities related to Superfund research.
j. The FY2026 budget request proposes moving the NIEHS Superfund program to the new AHA with a requested funding level of $52 million within AHA.
k. Mandatory funds are available to NIDDK for Type 1 diabetes research under PHSA Section 330B, which was most recently extended through September 30, 2025.
l. The budget request proposes $159 million in new mandatory funding for FY2026 under PHSA Section 330B (42 U.S.C. §254c-2). See NIH, Overview of FY2026 President's Budget Proposal, p. 65.
m. The FY2026 budget request proposes moving ARPA-H under a new Assistant Secretary for a Healthy Future (ASHF) with an FY2026 funding level of $945 million.
Trends
Table 3 outlines NIH program level funding from FY1996 to the FY2026 request. Figure 2 illustrates funding trends in both current (also called nominal dollars) and preliminary constant (i.e., inflation-adjusted) FY2024 dollars (funding shown is total budget authority). These figures reflect NIH's program level without ARPA-H funding.
Table 2, in FY2024-enacted appropriations, NIH received a total program level of $47.311 billion, a decrease in its overall program level from the prior year (-$368 million, or -0.8%) for the first time since FY2013 (see Table 3). Accounting for ARPA-H, which saw level funding for FY2024 and FY2023, the overall NIH and ARPA-H program level decreased by 0.7%. The overall program level decrease owes primarily to a reduction in funding authorized for the 21st Century Cures Act NIH Innovation Account, which is effectively exempt from discretionary spending limits: $407 million in FY2024 compared with $1,085 million in FY2023 (see previous section and Table 1). In terms of LHHS discretionary budget authority effectively subject to the spending limits, NIH actually received an increase in FY2024 funding relative to FY2023 enacted (+305 million; +0.7%). However, this increase in discretionary funding did not fully compensate for the effect of the decreased Cures Act Innovation Account authorization level in FY2024.
The NIH account that saw the largest increase relative to FY2023 was the National Institute on Aging (NIA), an increase of $96 million (+2.2%), which included an increase of $90 million for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research (see below and Table A-1). Several NIH accounts, all of which have received Cures Act transfers, saw notable decreases in FY2024 funding when accounting for such transfers: (1) the National Cancer Institute (-$93 million, or -1.3%); (2) the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS; -$119 million, or -4.3%); and (3) the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; -$68 million, or -3.2%). These decreases reflect reductions in authorized funding for the Cancer Moonshot and BRAIN initiative programs under the Cures Act, as shown in Table 1. When not accounting for Cures Act transfers, all three accounts saw increases in LHHS discretionary budget authority, as shown in Table 2.
In addition, through accompanying report language, Congress directed increases for program funding within NIH accounts, even when those accounts did not see increases in their overall FY2024 funding level relative to FY2023. For the most part, Congress has not specified NIH funding for particular diseases or research topics through appropriations and instead allows the ICs to award funding within their mission areas based on their own strategic planning and priority-setting processes. However, there are some exceptions, as summarized in Table A-1.
Some selected directed increases include the following:
• Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: An increase of $100 million across
NIH, including $10 million for NINDS and $90 million for NIA.
• Mental health research: An increase of $75 million for the NIMH to fund
mental health diagnosis, treatment, and prevention research, including the impact of social media on mental health.
• Lyme and tick-borne disease: $100 million for the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In FY2023, NIH spent a total of $99 million on
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tickborne disease research across all ICs, including $93 million funded by NIAID.14
FY2025 Request
Under the Biden Administration’s FY2025 request, NIH would receive a program level of $48.674 billion, an increase of $1.363 billion relative to FY2024 enacted (+2.9%,) as shown in Table 2. (Note that the FY2025 request was formulated before FY2024-enacted appropriations were finalized.)15
As proposed, most IC accounts would receive an increase in funding compared with FY2024-enacted levels, though in many cases a small increase (less than 1%). The accounts that would see decreases are (1) the National Institute on Aging ($82 million decrease, or -1.8%), (2) the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities ($7.7 million decrease, or -1.4%), and (3) the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences ($2.2 million decrease, or -0.2%).16 ARPA-H would see level funding with FY2024-enacted appropriations: $1.500 billion. The Innovation Account would receive the full amount authorized to be appropriated: $127 million.17
The budget request also proposes two new sources of mandatory funding for NIH: $1.448 billion in new mandatory funding for the Cancer Moonshot for FY2025 and $2.69 billion in new mandatory funding for pandemic preparedness, to be made available for five years. Accounting for this proposed mandatory funding, NIH and ARPA-H would receive a total FY2025 program level of $54.312 billion, a $5.5 billion (11.3%) increase from FY2024 enacted.
The mandatory Cancer Moonshot proposed funding would go to the National Cancer Institute, which, in addition to $742 million in proposed discretionary funding, would provide for an overall FY2025 Cancer Moonshot funding level of $2.164 billion. The Cancer Moonshot is President Biden’s initiative to cut the U.S. death rate from cancer by 50% over the next 25 years and to improve the experience of patients and their families living with cancer.18 The new mandatory Cancer Moonshot funding would extend the expired Cures Act authorization for the Cancer Moonshot initiative (see Table 1 ). The total program funding would support related research, training, and health education activities.19 The $2.960 billion pandemic preparedness funding is NIH’s portion of $20 billion in total mandatory funding proposed across HHS, to be appropriated to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, according to the request.20 The proposal generally does not designate specific amounts for NIH ICs but describes a
14 CRS analysis of NIH’s Estimates of Funding for Various Research, Condition, and Disease Categories (RCDC) data, last updated May 14, 2024, available at https://report.nih.gov/funding/categorical-spending#/.
15 The Biden Administration published its FY2025 budget request, including NIH-specific documents, on March 11, 2024. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-47), which included final LHHS appropriations, became law on March 23, 2024.
16 Accounting for proposed transfers and other funding sources. Excluding the PHS evaluation tap transfer, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) would see a decrease of $601.3 million compared with FY2024 enacted (-18.5%). Excluding the mandatory type 1 diabetes funding, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) would also see a slight decrease compared with FY2024 enacted.
17 NIH, Overview of FY 2025 President’s Budget Proposal, p. 47, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY25/br/Overview%20of%20FY%202025%20Presidents%20Budget.pdf.
18 CRS In Focus IF12504, The Cancer Moonshot: Overview and Issues. 19 NIH, Overview of FY 2025 President’s Budget Proposal, p. 8, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY25/br/Overview%20of%20FY%202025%20Presidents%20Budget.pdf.
20 Called “biodefense” in the HHS Budget in Brief. HHS, Budget in Brief: FY2025, p. 171, at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2025-budget-in-brief.pdf.
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number of activities the new funding would support, including vaccine and therapeutic development, expanding laboratory capacity, and developing next-generation diagnostics.21 This is the third year in which the Administration has proposed mandatory pandemic preparedness funding; Congress has not adopted the proposal to date.
The Administration estimates that the proposed FY2025 funding level would support 43,636 research project grants, an increase of 460 from FY2023 enacted, with a total of 10,273 new and competing grants.22 With respect to specific research areas and initiatives, some highlights and increases from the request include the following:23
• Women’s health research: The FY2025 request includes $154 million for the Office of
Women’s Health research within the Office of the Director, an increase of $76 million from both FY2023 and FY2024 enacted, each of which provided $76.5 million.24 The new funds are intended to support research on topics such as research in menopause and diabetes, opioid use disorder in pregnant women, and alcohol use during pregnancy. NIH also intends to create a new nationwide network of centers of excellence and innovation in women’s health.
• Mental and behavioral health: The FY2025 request includes an increase of $200
million relative to FY2023 for the National Institute of Mental Health to support better diagnostics, improved treatments, and enhanced precision of care for mental health. Compared with FY2024 enacted, NIMH would see a $274.8 million (12.1%) increase under the FY2025 request (accounting for Cures Act transfers), per the table below.
See Table A-2 for a summary of specific program funding requested in the FY2025 budget request.
Table 2. National Institutes of Health Funding, FY2023-FY2025
(budget authority, in millions of dollars)
FY2023
FY2024
FY2024
FY2025
Institutes/Centers
Final
Request
Enacted
Request
Cancer Institute (NCI)
$7,101
$7,820
$7,224
$7,839
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
$3,985
$3,985
$3,982
$3,997
Dental/Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
$520
$520
$520
$522
Diabetes/Digestive/Kidney (NIDDK)a
$2,303
$2,303
$2,311
$2,310
Neurological Disorders/Stroke (NINDS)
$2,584
$2,739
$2,604
$2,788
Allergy/Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
$6,562
$6,562
$6,562
$6,581
General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)b
$1,827
$1,292
$1,832
$1,231
Child Health/Human Development (NICHD)
$1,748
$1,748
$1,759
$1,766
National Eye Institute (NEI)
$896
$896
$897
$899
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)c
$914
$939
$914
$917
21 NIH, Overview of FY 2025 President’s Budget Proposal, pp. 19-20, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY25/br/Overview%20of%20FY%202025%20Presidents%20Budget.pdf.
22 HHS, Budget in Brief: FY2025, p. 54, at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2025-budget-in-brief.pdf. 23 HHS, Budget in Brief: FY2025, pp. 47-51, at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2025-budget-in-brief.pdf. 24 Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 198, Book II, December 20, 2022, pp. S8881-S8887, S8853 and Congressional
Record, vol. 170, no. 51, Book II, March 22, 2024, p. H1891.
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FY2023
FY2024
FY2024
FY2025
Institutes/Centers
Final
Request
Enacted
Request
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
$4,412
$4,412
$4,508
$4,425
Arthritis/Musculoskeletal/Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
$688
$688
$685
$690
Deafness/Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
$534
$534
$534
$536
Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism (NIAAA)
$597
$597
$198
$198
Nursing Research (NINR)
$198
$198
$595
$599
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
$1,663
$1,663
$1,663
$1,668
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
$2,117
$2,456
$2,188
$2,503
Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
$661
$661
$663
$664
Biomedical Imaging/Bioengineering (NIBIB)
$441
$441
$441
$442
Complementary/Integrative Health (NCCIH)
$170
$170
$170
$171
Minority Health/Health Disparities (NIMHD)
$525
$525
$534
$527
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
$95
$95
$95
$95
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
$495
$495
$498
$527
Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
$923
$923
$928
$926
Office of Director (OD)d
$2,647
$2,903
$2,606
$3,013
(Common Fund)
($722.4)
($722.4)
($672.4)
($722.4)
(Office for Research on Women’s Health)
($76.5)
($76.6)
($76.5)
($153.9)
Buildings and Facilities (B&F)
$350
$350
$350
$350
Subtotal, NIH (LHHS Discretionary BA)
$44,957
$45,915
$45,262
$46,185
Cures Act Innovation Accounte
$1,085
$407
$407
$127
PHS Program Evaluation (provided to NIGMS)
$1,412
$1,948
$1,412
$2,018
Superfund (Interior approp. to NIEHS)f
$83
$83
$80
$83
Mandatory type 1 diabetes funds (to NIDDK)g
$141
$250h
$150
$260h
NIH Program Level
$47,678
$48,603
$47,311
$48,674
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
$1,500
$2,500
$1,500
$1,500
(ARPA-H)i
NIH and ARPA-H Program Level
$49,178
$51,103
$48,811
$50,174
Pandemic Preparedness (proposed mandatory)j
—
$2,690
—
$2,690
Cancer Moonshot (proposed mandatory)
—
—
—
$1,448
Total w/ Proposed mandatory
$49,178
$53,793
$48,811
$54,312
Source: FY2024 request and FY2024 enacted numbers from Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 170, no. 51, Book 11, March 22, 2024, pp. H2022-H2025, accessed at https://www.congress.gov/118/crec/2024/03/22/170/51/CREC-2024-03-22-bk2.pdf, and P.L. 118-47. FY2023 final and FY2025 request numbers from NIH, Overview of
FY2025 President’s Budget, pp. 100, 101, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY25/br/ Overview%20of%20FY%202025%20Presidents%20Budget.pdf, and ARPA-H, Congressional Justification: FY2025, p. 9, accessed at https://arpa-h.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/ARPA-H%20FY%202025.pdf, except where noted below. Notes: Table shows selected non-add amounts found in the explanatory statement. Totals may differ from the sum of the components due to rounding. Amounts in table may differ from actuals in some cases. By convention,
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budget tables such as Table 2 do not subtract the amount of transfers to the evaluation tap from the agencies’ appropriation. In general, amounts provided to NIH for emergency requirements are excluded from these totals. a. Amounts for the NIDDK do not include mandatory funding for type 1 diabetes research (see note h). b. Amounts for NIGMS do not include funds from PHS Evaluation Set-Aside (§241 of the PHS Act). c. Amounts for NIEHS do not include Interior/Environment Appropriations amount for Superfund research
(see note g).
d. Includes $12.6 mil ion transfer from the Pediatric Research Initiative Fund (PRIF) as initially authorized by
the Gabriella Mil er Kids First Research Act (P.L. 113-94).
e. Innovation account amounts are transferred to specific Institutes and Centers in accordance with the 21st
Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). In FY2023, NCI received $216 mil ion, and each of NINDS and NIMH received $225 mil ion, with $419 mil ion remaining in the Innovation Account. For FY2024, expected allocations include $86 mil ion allocated to each of NINDS and NIMH and $235 mil ion remaining in the Innovation Account. For FY2025, expected allocations include $45.5 mil ion allocated to each of NINDS and NIMH and $36 mil ion remaining in the Innovation Account. See footnote 77 in HHS, Budget in Brief:
FY2025, p. 52, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2025-budget-in-brief.pdf.
f.
This is a separate account in the Interior/Environment appropriations for NIEHS research activities related to Superfund research.
g. Mandatory funds are available to NIDDK for type 1 diabetes research under PHSA Section 330B (42 U.S.C.
§254c-2), which was most recently extended through December 31, 2024. The FY2023 amount for the type I diabetes research program ($141 mil ion) is lower than funding level in law for FY2023 ($150 mil ion), reflecting sequestration of $8.55 mil ion. See “Budget Mechanism Table,” p. 50, in https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY25/br/Overview%20of%20FY%202025%20Presidents%20Budget.pdf
h. Proposed amount. i.
ARPA-H was funded under a separate account under the Office of the Secretary in FY2023. For FY2023, ARPA-H authorizing legislation in Division FF (P.L. 117-328) established it as a component of NIH. In FY2024, ARPA-H was funded under an account within NIH.
j.
The FY2024 and FY2025 requests propose new mandatory funding for pandemic preparedness to be available for five years. The requests propose an HHS-wide total of $20 bil ion for pandemic preparedness, with $2.69 bil ion of the total designated for NIH. This amount is shown as a non-add in the requests. See NIH, Overview of FY2024 President’s Budget, March 9, 2023, p. 7, and NIH, Overview of FY2025 President’s
Budget, March 11, 2024, p. 19-20.
Trends
Table 3 outlines NIH program level funding from FY1996 to the FY2025 request. Figure 1
illustrates funding trends in both current (also called nominal dollars) and projected constant (i.e., inflation-adjusted) FY2023 dollars (funding shown is total budget authority).
NIH has seen periods of high and low funding growth. Between FY1996 and FY1998, funding NIH has seen periods of high and low funding growth. Between FY1996 and FY1998, funding
for NIH grew from $11.928 billion to $13.675 billion (nominal dollars). Over the next five years, for NIH grew from $11.928 billion to $13.675 billion (nominal dollars). Over the next five years,
Congress and the President doubled the NIH budget to $27.167 billion in FY2003 (often referred Congress and the President doubled the NIH budget to $27.167 billion in FY2003 (often referred
to as the NIH budget doubling period). In each of FY1999 through FY2003, NIH received annual to as the NIH budget doubling period). In each of FY1999 through FY2003, NIH received annual
funding increases of 14funding increases of 14
.0% to 16% to 16
.5%. From FY2003 to FY2015, NIH funding increased more %. From FY2003 to FY2015, NIH funding increased more
gradually in nominal dollars.gradually in nominal dollars.
2531 In some years, (FY2006, FY2011, and FY2013) funding for the In some years, (FY2006, FY2011, and FY2013) funding for the
agency decreased in nominal dollars.agency decreased in nominal dollars.
2632 From FY2016 through FY2023, NIH received funding increases each year. The largest annual From FY2016 through FY2023, NIH received funding
25 Amounts shown in Table 3 include appropriations for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (FY2002-FY2011) that were subject to transfer-out. As of FY2012, NIH no longer receives appropriations for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) identifying resources for the Global Fund; this responsibility was transferred to another federal agency. For further details on the amounts transferred out by fiscal year, see the “Supplemental Appropriation Data Table” for “History of Congressional Appropriations, Fiscal Years 2000-2012” at http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/approp_hist.html.
26 For instance, the FY2006 total was 0.1% lower than the previous year, the first time that NIH appropriations had decreased since FY1970; the FY2011 total, provided in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-(continued...)
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increases each year. The largest percentage increase was from FY2017 to FY2018, where the percentage increase was from FY2017 to FY2018, where the
program level increased by $3.010 billion (+8.8%), making this the largest program level increased by $3.010 billion (+8.8%), making this the largest
single-year percentage increase percentage increase
since FY2003. As noted earlier, the FY2024 program level marks the first decrease since FY2013, representing a 0.7% decrease from the FY2023 level (including ARPA-H funding). The FY2025 since FY2003. Both the FY2024 and FY2025 program levels saw slight decreases from the prior years (-0.7% and -0.8%). The FY2026 budget request would provide a budget request would provide a
2.8% increase to the FY2024-40.6% decrease from the FY2025 enacted level.enacted level.
The lower half ofThe lower half of
Figure 1 2 shows NIH funding adjusted for inflation (in shows NIH funding adjusted for inflation (in
projectedpreliminary constant constant
FY2023FY2024 dollars) using the Biomedical Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI). dollars) using the Biomedical Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI).
2733 It It
shows that the purchasing power of NIH funding initially peaked in FY2003 (the last year of the shows that the purchasing power of NIH funding initially peaked in FY2003 (the last year of the
five-year doubling period) and then declined fairly steadily for more than a decade until consecutive funding increases were provided in each of FY2016 through FY2023. The FY2023 program level was 1.2% greater than the peak FY2003 program level, although the FY2023 program level included funding for a new agency, ARPA-H, and therefore was not exactly comparable to the FY2003 level. Once again in FY2024, the NIH program level (including ARPA-H) is less than the FY2003 peak level (-2.7%). When excluding funding for ARPA-H, the FY2024 level is 5.2% less than the FY2003 level. The FY2025 proposed inflation-adjusted NIH and ARPA-H program level is 2.6% less than the FY2003 program level and 3.3% less than the FY2003 level when excluding ARPA-H funding.
10), was 1.0% less than the previous fiscal year; the FY2013 total, provided in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6), was reduced by the March 2013 sequestration and a transfer of funding under the authority of the HHS Secretary ($1.553 billion and $173 million, respectively), resulting in a budget that was 5.0% lower than the prior year.
27 The index is developed for NIH by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce. It reflects the increase in prices of the resources needed to conduct biomedical research, including personnel services, supplies, and equipment. It indicates how much the NIH budget must change to maintain purchasing power. See “NIH Price Indexes,” at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/gbiPriceIndexes.html.
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
Figure 1. NIH Funding, FY1996-FY2025 Request
Program Level Funding in Current and Projected Constant (FY2023) Dollars.
Source: Sources used for the FY2025 request and for FY2024 and FY2023five-year doubling period) and then has not reached the same inflation-adjusted program level as in FY2003 even with the year-to-year increases provided (in nominal terms) from FY2016 through FY2024. Although inflation adjusted funding levels in recent years have come close to those peak levels. The FY2026 request would provide an inflation-adjusted (based on BRDPI projections) NIH program funding level that is estimated to be 47.3% below the FY2003 peak level.
Figure 2. NIH Funding, FY1996-FY2026 Request
Program Level Funding in Current and Preliminary Constant (FY2024) Dollars.
Sources: Sources used for the FY2024, FY2025, and proposed FY2026 program levels are in program levels are in
Table 2. The FY2022The FY2023 (and earlier) program levels are from NIH Budget Office, Appropriations History by Institute/Center (and earlier) program levels are from NIH Budget Office, Appropriations History by Institute/Center
(1938 to Present), at http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/approp_hist.html. Inflation adjustment reflects the (1938 to Present), at http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/approp_hist.html. Inflation adjustment reflects the
Biomedical Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI), updated Biomedical Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI), updated
January 2024June 2025, at , at
https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/gbiPriceIndexes.htmlhttps://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/gbiPriceIndexes.html
. Notes: .
Notes: Funding levels do not include ARPA-H funding. By convention, program level totals include amounts By convention, program level totals include amounts
“"transferred intransferred in
”" pursuant to PHS tap but do not pursuant to PHS tap but do not
include any amounts include any amounts
“"transferred outtransferred out
”" under this same authority. Program level includes all budget authority, under this same authority. Program level includes all budget authority,
including appropriations for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (FY2002-FY2011) that were subject including appropriations for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (FY2002-FY2011) that were subject
to transfer-out. As of FY2012, NIH no longer receives appropriations for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) identifying resources for the Global Fund; this responsibility was transferred to another federal agency.to transfer-out In general, amounts provided to NIH designated for emergency requirements are In general, amounts provided to NIH designated for emergency requirements are
excluded from these totals (e.g., the FY2020 and FY2021 amounts do not include the amounts provided in the excluded from these totals (e.g., the FY2020 and FY2021 amounts do not include the amounts provided in the
coronavirus supplemental appropriations acts). PB = Presidentcoronavirus supplemental appropriations acts). PB = President
’'s budget.s budget.
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Table 3. NIH Funding, FY1996-FY2025FY2026 Request
Program Level Funding in Current and Program Level Funding in Current and
Preliminary Constant (Constant (
FY2023FY2024) Dollars (Billions)) Dollars (Billions)
Program Level
Fiscal Year
|
Program Level Current $
|
% Change
|
Program Level Preliminary Constant FY2024 $
|
% Relative to FY2003a
1996
|
$11.928
|
5.6%
|
$27.717
|
1997
|
$12.741
|
6.8%
|
$28.806
|
1998
|
$13.675
|
7.3%
|
$29.904
|
1999
|
$15.629
|
14.3%
|
$33.128
|
2000
|
$17.841
|
14.1%
|
$36.457
|
2001
|
$20.459
|
14.7%
|
$40.462
|
2002
|
$23.321
|
14.0%
|
$44.645
|
2003
|
$27.167
|
16.5%
|
$50.240
|
|
2004
|
$28.037
|
3.2%
|
$49.987
|
-0.5%
|
|
2005
|
$28.594
|
2.0%
|
$49.072
|
-2.3%
|
|
2006
|
$28.560
|
-0.1%
|
$46.845
|
-6.8%
|
|
2007
|
$29.179
|
2.2%
|
$46.109
|
-8.2%
|
|
2008
|
$29.607
|
1.5%
|
$44.695
|
-11.0%
|
|
2009
|
$30.545
|
3.2%
|
$44.799
|
-10.8%
|
|
2010
|
$31.238
|
2.3%
|
$44.463
|
-11.5%
|
|
2011
|
$30.916
|
-1.0%
|
$42.781
|
-14.8%
|
|
2012
|
$30.861
|
-0.2%
|
$42.165
|
-16.1%
|
|
2013
|
$29.316
|
-5.0%
|
$39.317
|
-21.7%
|
|
2014
|
$30.143
|
2.8%
|
$39.576
|
-21.2%
|
|
2015
|
$30.311
|
0.6%
|
$39.004
|
-22.4%
|
|
2016
|
$32.311
|
6.6%
|
$40.693
|
-19.0%
|
|
2017
|
$34.301
|
6.2%
|
$42.104
|
-16.2%
|
|
2018
|
$37.311
|
8.8%
|
$44.684
|
-11.1%
|
|
2019
|
$39.313
|
5.4%
|
$46.106
|
-8.2%
|
|
2020
|
$41.690
|
6.0%
|
$48.055
|
-4.4%
|
|
2021
|
$42.941
|
3.0%
|
$48.290
|
-3.9%
|
|
2022
|
$45.183
|
5.2%
|
$48.582
|
-3.3%
|
|
2023
|
$47.683
|
5.5%
|
$49.376
|
-1.7%
|
|
2024
|
$47.351
|
-0.7%
|
$47.351
|
-5.7%
|
|
2025
|
$46.995
|
-3.8%
|
$45.800
|
-8.8%
|
|
2026
Proposed
|
$27.915
|
-40.6%
|
$26.486
|
-47.3%
|
Sources: Sources used for FY2024, FY2025, and FY2026 proposedProgram Level
Projected Constant
% Relative to
Fiscal Year
Current $
% Change
FY2023 $
FY2003a
1996
11.928
5.6%
26.780
1997
12.741
6.8%
27.832
1998
13.675
7.3%
28.893
1999
15.629
14.3%
32.009
2000
17.841
14.1%
35.225
2001
20.459
14.7%
39.094
2002
23.321
14.0%
43.136
2003
27.167
16.5%
48.542
2004
28.037
3.2%
48.297
-0.5%
2005
28.594
2.0%
47.413
-2.3%
2006
28.560
-0.1%
45.262
-6.8%
2007
29.179
2.2%
44.551
-8.2%
2008
29.607
1.5%
43.184
-11.0%
2009
30.545
3.2%
43.285
-10.8%
2010
31.238
2.3%
42.960
-11.5%
2011
30.916
-1.0%
41.335
-14.8%
2012
30.861
-0.2%
40.739
-16.1%
2013
29.316
-5.0%
37.989
-21.7%
2014
30.143
2.8%
38.238
-21.2%
2015
30.311
0.6%
37.685
-22.4%
2016
32.311
6.6%
39.317
-19.0%
2017
34.301
6.2%
40.681
-16.2%
2018
37.311
8.8%
43.173
-11.1%
2019
39.313
5.4%
44.548
-8.2%
2020
41.690
6.0%
46.431
-4.4%
2021
42.941
3.0%
46.659
-3.9%
2022
46.183
7.5%
47.979
-1.2%
2023
49.178
6.5%
49.178
1.3%
2024
48.811
-0.7%
47.253
-2.7%
2025
Proposed
50.174
2.8%
47.282
-2.6%
Sources: Sources used for FY2025 proposed, FY2024, and FY2023 program levels are in program levels are in
Table 2. The FY2022 The FY2023 (and earlier) program levels are from NIH Budget Office, Appropriations History by Institute/Center (1938 to (and earlier) program levels are from NIH Budget Office, Appropriations History by Institute/Center (1938 to
Present), at http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/approp_hist.html. Inflation adjustment reflects the Biomedical Present), at http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/approp_hist.html. Inflation adjustment reflects the Biomedical
Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI), updated Research and Development Price Index (BRDPI), updated
January 2024June 2025, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/, at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/
gbiPriceIndexes.htmlgbiPriceIndexes.html
.
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Notes: .
Notes: All program levels do not include funding for ARPA-H. By convention, budget tables, such By convention, budget tables, such
asas Table 3, includeinclude amounts amounts
“"transferred intransferred in
”" pursuant to PHS tap pursuant to PHS tap
but do not include any amounts but do not include any amounts
“"transferred outtransferred out
”" under this same authority. Program level includes all budget under this same authority. Program level includes all budget
authority, including appropriations for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (FY2002-FY2011) that authority, including appropriations for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (FY2002-FY2011) that
were subject to transfer-out. As of FY2012, NIH no longer receives appropriations for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) identifying resources for the Global Fund; this responsibility was transferred to another federal agencywere subject to transfer-out. In general, amounts provided to NIH for emergency requirements are . In general, amounts provided to NIH for emergency requirements are
excluded from these totals (e.g., the FY2020 and FY2021 amounts do not include the amounts provided in the excluded from these totals (e.g., the FY2020 and FY2021 amounts do not include the amounts provided in the
coronavirus supplemental appropriations actscoronavirus supplemental appropriations acts
). FY2022-FY2025 amounts include funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). PB denotes “President’s budget.” a. ). PB denotes "President's budget."
a. FY2003 was the year that NIH received the most program level funding FY2003 was the year that NIH received the most program level funding
(prior to FY2023) in 2023in FY2024 constant dollars.
Appendix A.
NIH Funding Details
Program-Specific Funding
For the most part, Congress has not specified constant
dol ars.
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Appendix A. NIH Funding Details
Program-Specific Funding
For the most part, Congress does not specify NIH funding for particular diseases or research NIH funding for particular diseases or research
topics through appropriations and instead topics through appropriations and instead
allowshas allowed the ICs to award funding within their mission the ICs to award funding within their mission
areas based on their own strategic planning and priority-setting processes. areas based on their own strategic planning and priority-setting processes.
Research funding is generally awardedNIH has generally awarded research funding on a flexible and competitive basis through various funding allocation on a flexible and competitive basis through various funding allocation
mechanisms intended to balance scientific and health priorities.mechanisms intended to balance scientific and health priorities.
28
34
However, in some cases, Congress and the President However, in some cases, Congress and the President
specifyhave specified funding levels for programs or funding levels for programs or
research areas within NIH accounts throughout the budget and appropriations process. Congress research areas within NIH accounts throughout the budget and appropriations process. Congress
useshas used appropriations report language to designate funding for specified purposes appropriations report language to designate funding for specified purposes
, whereas the President proposes amounts in the annual budget request.29. This practice has expanded since This practice has expanded since
FY2015.FY2015.
30
35
In FY2024, Congress used appropriations report language to specify a certain amount of IC In FY2024, Congress used appropriations report language to specify a certain amount of IC
funding for designated purposes, as summarized infunding for designated purposes, as summarized in
Table A-1. Most of these amounts Most of these amounts
are were specified in the explanatory statement accompanying enacted appropriations.specified in the explanatory statement accompanying enacted appropriations.
3136 In a few cases, In a few cases,
amounts specified in the Senate appropriations report (S.Rept. 118-84amounts specified in the Senate appropriations report (S.Rept. 118-84
) were) are incorporated by incorporated by
reference.reference.
3237 Sometimes the language Sometimes the language
specifiesspecified a certain amount for a certain purpose; in other a certain amount for a certain purpose; in other
cases, the language cases, the language
providesprovided increased or additional funding.
As mentioned, the FY2025 CR provided NIH, for the most part, with full-year FY2025 funding at the same levels and subject to the same conditions as funding provided in FY2024 appropriations (P.L. 118-47). The FY2025 CR was not accompanied by a similar explanatory statement or congressional report as in FY2024 appropriations. As of the cover date of this report, the post-enactment allocations for NIH programs, projects, and activities are not consistently available through public executive branch sources. CRS has included Table A-1 showing amounts in the FY2024 explanatory statement for reference purposes.
Table A-1. Specified NIH Funding Levels in FY2024 Explanatory Statement
|
Institute/Center
|
Program/Activity
|
Amount
|
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
|
Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI)
|
No less than $50 million, increased or additional funding. The appropriations reports also include many general statements recommending the agency to fund certain programs or areas of research, as well as statements expressing the opinion or concerns of Congress regarding NIH. These broad statements are not summarized here.
28 CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background and Congressional Issues. 29 For a general overview, see CRS Report R44124, Appropriations Report Language: Overview of Development and
Components, and CRS Report R47019, The Executive Budget Process: An Overview.
30 For example, in December 2014, the explanatory statement on the FY2015 omnibus stipulated, “In keeping with longstanding practice, the agreement does not recommend a specific amount of NIH funding for this purpose [Alzheimer’s disease] or for any other individual disease. Doing so would establish a dangerous precedent that could politicize the NIH peer review system. Nevertheless, in recognition that Alzheimer’s disease poses a serious threat to the Nation’s long-term health and economic stability, the agreement expects that a significant portion of the recommended increase for NIA should be directed to research on Alzheimer’s. The exact amount should be determined by scientific opportunity of additional research on this disease and the quality of grant applications that are submitted for Alzheimer’s relative to those submitted for other diseases.” See Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 160, no. 151, Book II (December 11, 2014), p. H9832.
31 Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 198, Book II, March 22, 2024, pp. H1890-H1891. 32 Senate report amounts cited where not superseded by the explanatory statement per direction in the explanatory statement, “Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in Senate Report 118-84 carries the same weight as language included in this explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this explanatory statement.” (Congressional Record, vol. 170, no. 51, Book II, March 22, 2024, p. H1886). CRS is unable to determine precisely which directives in S.Rept. 118-84 are to be complied with.
Congressional Research Service
13
link to page 19 link to page 19 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
Table A-1. Specified NIH Funding Levels in FY2024 Explanatory Statement
Institute/Center
Program/Activity
Amount
National Cancer Institute
Childhood Cancer Data Initiative (CCDI)
No less than $50 mil ion,
(NCI)
including no less than $750,000 including no less than $750,000
to continue to support to continue to support
enhancement of the CCDI enhancement of the CCDI
Molecular Characterization Molecular Characterization
InitiativeInitiative
Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment Childhood Cancer Survivorship, Treatment
No less than $30 mil ion
Access, and Research (STAR) Act
(including $2 mil ionAccess, and Research (STAR) Act
No less than $30 million (including $2 million for cancer for cancer
registry case capture efforts for registry case capture efforts for
childhood and adolescent childhood and adolescent
cancers)cancers)
NCI PaylinesNCI Paylines
An increase of $120 million
|
|
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
|
Community Engagement Alliance Against COVID–19 Disparities (CEAL) Initiative
|
$30 million
|
Valvular Heart Disease Research
|
$20 million
|
National Institute of An increase of $120 mil ion
National Heart, Lung, and
Community Engagement Alliance Against
$30 mil ion
Blood Institute (NHLBI)
COVID–19 Disparities (CEAL) Initiative
Valvular Heart Disease Research
$20 mil ion
National Institute of
Diabetes researcha
Additional $10 mil ion
Diabetes and Digestive Diabetes and Digestive
and Kidney Diseases and Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK)
National Institute of
Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease
An increase in $10 mil ion for
Neurological Disorders
Related Dementias (AD/ADRD)
NINDS out of the $100 mil ion
and Stroke (NINDS)
increase for AD/ADRD across NIH
(NIDDK)
Diabetes researcha
Additional $10 million
|
|
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
|
Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD)
|
An increase in $10 million for NINDS out of the $100 million increase for AD/ADRD across NIH
|
Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL)
An increase of $5 mil ion
Initiative (opioids, stimulants, and pain Initiative (opioids, stimulants, and pain
management)management)
An increase of $5 million
|
Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN)Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN)
$18 mil ion
National Institute of
$18 million
|
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
|
Consortium of Food Allergy Research (CoFAR)Consortium of Food Allergy Research (CoFAR)
$12.1 mil ion
Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
$12.1 million
|
Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease ResearchLyme and Tick-Borne Disease Research
No less than $100 No less than $100
mil ion
million
Regional biocontainment laboratories (RBL)Regional biocontainment laboratories (RBL)
$52 mil ion
$52 million, of which not less , of which not less
than $3 than $3
mil ionmillion shall be shall be
provided to each of the 12 provided to each of the 12
RBLs to support the RBLs to support the
maintenance of a capable maintenance of a capable
research workforce, facilities, research workforce, facilities,
and equipmentand equipment
Research on antimicrobial Research on antimicrobial
resistancea
No less than $565 mil ion
resistancea
No less than $565 million
|
Universal flu vaccineUniversal flu vaccine
No less than $270 No less than $270
mil ionmillion, the , the
same as FY2023same as FY2023
National Institute of
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
|
Institutional Development Award (IDeA) ProgramInstitutional Development Award (IDeA) Program
$430.956 $430.956
mil ionmillion, an increase of $5 million
|
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
|
Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative
|
No less than $53.4 million, an increase of $10 million
|
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
|
Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
|
An increase in $90 million for NIA out of the $100 million an , an increase of
General Medical Sciences
$5 mil ion
(NIGMS)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy
No less than $53.4 mil ion, an
National Institute of Child Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE)
increase of $10 mil ion
Initiative
Congressional Research Service
14
link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 19 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
Institute/Center
Program/Activity
Amount
Health and Human Development (NICHD)
National Institute on
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
An increase in $90 mil ion for
Aging (NIA)
NIA out of the $100 mil ion an increase for AD/ADRD across increase for AD/ADRD across
NIH
NIH
Palliative Care ResearchPalliative Care Research
$12.5 mil ion
$12.5 million
|
National Institute on DrugNational Institute on Drug
Abuse (NIDA)
HEAL Initiative (opioids, stimulants, and pain HEAL Initiative (opioids, stimulants, and pain
No less than $365.295 mil ion,
Abuse (NIDA)
management)a
an increase of $10 mil ion
National Institute of
Mental Health Research
An increase of $75 mil ion
Mental Health (NIMH)
National Institute of
Health Disparities Researcha
$10 mil ion
Nursing Research (NINR)
National Institute on
Improving Native American Cancer Outcomes
$6 mil ion
Minority Health and Health Disparities
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Health Research
$4 mil ion
Officer
Research Endowment Programa
$12 mil ion
National Center for
Pain and pain management researcha
$5 mil ion
Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
National Center for
Clinical and Translational Science Awards
$629.56 mil ion
Advancing Translational
(CTSAs)a
Sciences (NCATS)
Cures Acceleration Network (CAN)
$75 mil ion
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)a
$75 mil ionmanagement)a
No less than $365.295 million, an increase of $10 million
|
|
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
|
Mental Health Research
|
An increase of $75 million
|
National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
|
Health Disparities Researcha
$10 million
|
|
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
|
Improving Native American Cancer Outcomes
|
$6 million
|
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Health Research Office
|
$4 million
|
Research Endowment Programa
$12 million
|
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
|
Pain and pain management researcha
$5 million
|
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
|
Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs)a
$629.56 million
|
Cures Acceleration Network (CAN)
|
$75 million
|
Office of the Director (OD)
|
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)a
$75 million for implementation for implementation
of the Accelerating Access to of the Accelerating Access to
Critical Therapies for ALS ActCritical Therapies for ALS Act
Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/MLArtificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML
)a
$135 mil ion
)a
$135 million
|
Biomedical Research Facilities- grants to renovate Biomedical Research Facilities- grants to renovate
$80 mil ion
and construct nonfederal research facilities
Brain Research through Advancing Innovative
$680 mil ionb
Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiativea
Cybersecurity
$265 mil ion
Developmental Delaysa
$10 mil ion
Environmental Influences on Child Health
$180 mil ion
Outcomes (ECHO)a
Firearm injury and mortality prevention research
$12.5 mil ionand construct nonfederal research facilities
$80 million
|
Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiativea
$680 millionb
Cybersecurity
|
$265 million
|
Developmental Delaysa
$10 million
|
Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)a
$180 million
|
Firearm injury and mortality prevention research
|
$12.5 million, the same level as , the same level as
FY2023FY2023
Foreign influence: HHS Office of Extramural Foreign influence: HHS Office of Extramural
$2.5 mil ion
Research allocationa
Research allocationa
$2.5 million
|
Funding Replication Experiments and/or Fraud Detectiona
$10 million
|
Funding Replication Experiments and/or Fraud
$10 mil ion
Detectiona
Congressional Research Service
15
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Institute/Center
Program/Activity
Amount
Investigation of Co-Occurring Conditions Across
No less than $90 mil ion
Investigation of Co-Occurring Conditions Across the Lifespan to Understand Down Syndrome the Lifespan to Understand Down Syndrome
(INCLUDE)
National Primate Research Centersa
$30 mil ion
(INCLUDE)
No less than $90 million
|
National Primate Research Centersa
$30 million
|
NIH Support for Pediatric Research- National NIH Support for Pediatric Research- National
$1.5 mil ion
Academies assessment of NIHAcademies assessment of NIH
’'s current pediatric s current pediatric
research portfolioa
research portfolioa
$1.5 million
|
Office of the Chief Officer for Scientific Office of the Chief Officer for Scientific
$22.415 mil ion
Workforce Diversity (COSWD)a
Workforce Diversity (COSWD)a
$22.415 million
|
Office of Nutrition Research (ONR)Office of Nutrition Research (ONR)
The same as FY2023 ($1.313 The same as FY2023 ($1.313
mil ion)c
million)c
Office of Research on WomenOffice of Research on Women
’'s Health (ORWH)s Health (ORWH)
$76.48 $76.48
mil ionmillion, including $7 , including $7
mil ionmillion, an increase of $2 , an increase of $2
mil ionmillion, for the Building , for the Building
Interdisciplinary Research Interdisciplinary Research
Careers in WomenCareers in Women
’'s Health s Health
(BIRCWH) program(BIRCWH) program
Research on Enhanced Potential Pandemic Research on Enhanced Potential Pandemic
$1 mil ion
Pathogens- implementation office for technical assistancea
Pathogens- implementation office for technical assistancea
$1 million
|
Term Limits—Implementing NIH policy to limit Term Limits—Implementing NIH policy to limit
$500,000
IC Directors to serve two IC Directors to serve two
termsa termsa
$500,000
|
Source: Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 198, Book II, March 22, 2024, pp. H1890-H1891. Senate report , vol. 168, no. 198, Book II, March 22, 2024, pp. H1890-H1891. Senate report
amounts cited where not superseded by the explanatory statement per direction in the explanatory statement, amounts cited where not superseded by the explanatory statement per direction in the explanatory statement,
“"Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in S.Rept. 118-84 carries the same weight as language included in Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in S.Rept. 118-84 carries the same weight as language included in
this explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this this explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this
explanatory statementexplanatory statement
”" (p. H1886). CRS is unable to determine precisely which directives in S.Rept. 118-84 are (p. H1886). CRS is unable to determine precisely which directives in S.Rept. 118-84 are
to be complied with.to be complied with.
Notes: Table does not include amounts already shown inTable does not include amounts already shown in
Table A-1. Dol ar Table 2. Dollar amounts are at the level of detail amounts are at the level of detail
used in the appropriations report text.used in the appropriations report text.
a.
a. From S.Rept. 118-84From S.Rept. 118-84
. b. .
b. Amount includes $172 Amount includes $172
mil ionmillion from the Innovation Account for the BRAIN Initiative as authorized by the from the Innovation Account for the BRAIN Initiative as authorized by the
Cures Act (split between NINDS and NIMH in FY2024 appropriations).Cures Act (split between NINDS and NIMH in FY2024 appropriations).
c.
c. See pages OD-18 and OD-26 in the FY2025 Congressional Justification for the NIH Office of the Director, See pages OD-18 and OD-26 in the FY2025 Congressional Justification for the NIH Office of the Director,
at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY25/insti_center_subs/27-OD_FY25_CJ_Chapter.pdfat https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY25/insti_center_subs/27-OD_FY25_CJ_Chapter.pdf
.
Appendix B.
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Acronym/Abbreviation
Organization/Term
|
|
ARPA-H
|
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
|
|
ASHF
|
Assistant Secretary for a Healthy Future
|
|
BRAIN
|
Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies
|
|
BRDPI
|
Biomedical Research and Development Price Index
|
|
CR
|
Continuing resolution
|
|
F&A
|
Facilities and administrative
|
|
GAO
|
Government Accountability Office
|
|
HHS
|
Department of Health and Human Services
|
|
ICs
|
Institutes and Centers
|
|
INT
|
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
|
|
LHHS
|
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act
|
|
NIEHS
|
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
|
|
NIGMS
|
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
|
|
NIH
|
National Institutes of Health
|
|
OD
|
NIH Office of the Director
|
|
PHS
|
Public Health Service
|
|
PHSA
|
Public Health Service Act
|
|
PMI
|
Precision Medicine Initiative
|
Footnotes
| 1.
|
The Public Health Service (PHS) also includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the Food and Drug Administration, the Indian Health Service, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and the Office of Global Affairs.
|
| 2.
|
CRS Report R47568, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H): Overview and Selected Issues.
|
| 3.
|
For further information on the National Institutes of Health (NIH), see CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background and Congressional Issues.
|
| 4.
|
NIH, "Budget," last reviewed September 2025, at https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/organization/budget. Calculations reflect discretionary budget authority and do not include funding for PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, mandatory funding, 21st Century Cures Act, ARPA-H, nor from COVID-19 supplemental appropriations and the HHS Nonrecurring Expenses Fund account.
|
| 5.
|
NIH, "Budget," last reviewed September 2025, at https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/organization/budget. Calculations reflect discretionary budget authority and do not include funding for PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, mandatory funding, 21st Century Cures Act, ARPA-H, nor from COVID-19 supplemental appropriations and the HHS nonrecurring expenses fund account.
|
| 6.
|
NIH, "Budget," last reviewed September 2025, at https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/organization/budget. Calculations reflect discretionary budget authority and do not include funding for PHS Evaluation Set-Aside, mandatory funding, 21st Century Cures Act, ARPA-H, nor from COVID-19 supplemental appropriations and the HHS nonrecurring expenses fund account.
|
| 7.
|
NIH program levels in this report reflect total funding for all Institutes and Centers (ICs), the Office of the Director (OD), the PHS Evaluation Set-Aside ("PHS Evaluation Tap"), the Superfund Research Program, mandatory type I diabetes research (provided in Public Health Service Act [PHSA] Section 330B), and the nonrecurring expenses fund (NEF) when applicable. The program level does not include funding that NIH receives from gifts or other collections.
|
| 8.
|
This program was first authorized in the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986 (P.L. 99-499) which added a new Section 311 to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 for an HHS research and training program related to hazardous substances (42 U.S.C. §9660), and also included a separate provision for worker training and education grants related to hazardous waste removal (Section 126(g) of P.L. 99-499; 42 U.S.C. §9660a). The FY2026 President's budget proposes to relocate the National Institute of Environmental Health Science out of NIH.
|
| 9.
|
Authorized by Section 241 of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), 42 U.S.C. §238j. The authorizing law allows the HHS Secretary to redistribute a portion of eligible PHS agency appropriations across HHS for program evaluation purposes. The PHSA limits the set-aside to not less than 0.2% and not more than 1.0% of eligible program appropriations. In recent years, annual appropriations laws have established requirements in addition to those in statute. These include a higher maximum percentage for the set-aside and directing specific amounts of tap funding to selected HHS programs. Since FY2010, and including in FY2024 and FY2025, this higher maximum set-aside level has been 2.5% of eligible appropriations, see section 204 of P.L. 118-47, which was incorporated by reference in the FY2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution (P.L. 119-4).
|
| 10.
|
Annual appropriations laws have exempted certain appropriations from transfer that would be otherwise eligible. For example, see Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) appropriation for mental health, "none of the funds provided for section 1911 of the PHS Act shall be subject to section 241 of such Act" in P.L. 118-47.
|
| 11.
|
42 U.S.C. §254c-2. The FY2026 continuing resolution (P.L. 119-37) also temporarily extended the special program for type 1 diabetes until January 30, 2026.
|
| 12.
|
See section on 21st Century Cures Act in CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background and Congressional Issues.
|
| 13.
|
CRS Report R45778, Exceptions to the Budget Control Act's Discretionary Spending Limits.
|
| 14.
|
The FY2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution (P.L. 119-4) included an anomaly in Section 1905 that changed the FY2025 enacted Innovation Account appropriation from the FY2024 funding level to the funding level authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act for FY2025, $127 million.
|
| 15.
|
For a summary of FY2025 Continuing Resolutions that extended LHHS Appropriations see CRS Report R48598, Overview of FY2025 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations.
|
| 16.
|
Accounting for the effects of Cures Act transfers, NIH accounts that see effective decreases in FY2025 include: the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Mental Health.
|
| 17.
|
See Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 198, Book II, March 22, 2024, pp. H1890-H1891. In addition, directives in the Senate report (S.Rept. 118-84) applied where not superseded by the explanatory statement per direction in the explanatory statement, "Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in S.Rept. 118-84 carries the same weight as language included in this explanatory statement and should be compiled with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this explanatory statement" (p. H1886).
|
| 18.
|
U.S. Government Accountability Office, Department of Health and Human Services—National Institutes of Health--Application of Impoundment Control Act to Availability of Funds for Grants, B-337203, August 5, 2025, https://www.gao.gov/assets/890/880607.pdf.
|
19.
|
CRS analysis of NIH account data available in SF 133 Report on Budget Execution and Budgetary Resources for FY2024 and FY2025. CRS compared end-of-year unobligated balances in NIH one-year discretionary accounts in FY2025 compared to FY2024, and calculated the percentage of total funding available in those accounts in FY2025 and FY2024 respectively. CRS found that, with some variation by account, 99.96 to 100% of funds available in the accounts had been obligated by the end of the fiscal year.
| 20.
|
HHS, Budget in Brief: FY2026, pp. 21-22, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2026-budget-in-brief.pdf.
|
| 21.
|
CRS Report R47568, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H): Overview and Selected Issues
|
| 22.
|
PHSA Section 499A(a); 42 U.S.C. §290c.
|
| 23.
|
HHS, Budget in Brief FY2026, p. 49, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2026-budget-in-brief.pdf.
|
| 24.
|
NIH, Overview of FY2025 President's Budget, p. 23, https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY26/br/NIH%20FY%202026%20CJ%20Overview.pdf.
|
| 25.
|
NIH, Overview of FY2025 President's Budget, p. 23, https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY26/br/NIH%20FY%202026%20CJ%20Overview.pdf.
|
| 26.
|
Mass. v. NIH, Nos. 25-10388, 25-10340, 25-10346, 2025 WL 1063760 (D. Mass. Apr. 4, 2025) (vacating indirect cost notice and permanently enjoining NIH from implementing or enforcing the notice). NIH appealed the district court's decision to the U.S Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (First Circuit). Notice of Appeal, Mass. v. NIH, Nos. 25-10388, 25-10340, 25-10346, ECF No. 133 (D. Mass. Apr. 8, 2025). At the time of this writing, the case is pending before the First Circuit, which heard oral argument on November 5, 2025. See Docket Entry, Mass. v. NIH, No. 25-1343 (1st Cir. Nov. 5, 2025).
|
| 27.
|
Pierre Azoulay, Daniel P. Gross, and Bhaven N. Sampat, "Indirect Cost Recovery in U.S. Innovation Policy: History, Evidence, and Avenues for Reform," National Bureau of Economic Research Working Papers, June 2025, https://www.nber.org/papers/w33627.
|
| 28.
|
NIH, Overview of FY2025 President's Budget, p. 4, https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY26/br/NIH%20FY%202026%20CJ%20Overview.pdf.
|
| 29.
|
NIH, Overview of FY2025 President's Budget, p. 5, https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY26/br/NIH%20FY%202026%20CJ%20Overview.pdf.
|
| 30.
|
NIH, Overview of FY2025 President's Budget, p. 5, https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/pdfs/FY26/br/NIH%20FY%202026%20CJ%20Overview.pdf.
|
31.
|
Amounts shown in Table 3 include appropriations for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria (FY2002-FY2011) that were subject to transfer-out. As of FY2012, NIH no longer receives appropriations for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) identifying resources for the Global Fund; this responsibility was transferred to another federal agency. For further details on the amounts transferred out by fiscal year, see the "Supplemental Appropriation Data Table" for "History of Congressional Appropriations, Fiscal Years 2000-2012" at http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/approp_hist.html.
| 32.
|
For instance, the FY2006 total was 0.1% lower than the previous year, the first time that NIH appropriations had decreased since FY1970; the FY2011 total, provided in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10), was 1.0% less than the previous fiscal year; the FY2013 total, provided in the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6), was reduced by the March 2013 sequestration and a transfer of funding under the authority of the HHS Secretary ($1.553 billion and $173 million, respectively), resulting in a budget that was 5.0% lower than the prior year.
|
| 33.
|
The index is developed for NIH by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce. It reflects the increase in prices of the resources needed to conduct biomedical research, including personnel services, supplies, and equipment. It indicates how much the NIH budget must change to maintain purchasing power. Historically, BRDPI has had a higher growth rate than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) price index. See "NIH Price Indexes," at https://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/gbiPriceIndexes.html.
|
| 34.
|
CRS Report R41705, The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Background and Congressional Issues.
|
| 35.
|
For example, in December 2014, the explanatory statement on the FY2015 omnibus stipulated, "In keeping with longstanding practice, the agreement does not recommend a specific amount of NIH funding for this purpose [Alzheimer's disease] or for any other individual disease. Doing so would establish a dangerous precedent that could politicize the NIH peer review system. Nevertheless, in recognition that Alzheimer's disease poses a serious threat to the Nation's long-term health and economic stability, the agreement expects that a significant portion of the recommended increase for NIA should be directed to research on Alzheimer's. The exact amount should be determined by scientific opportunity of additional research on this disease and the quality of grant applications that are submitted for Alzheimer's relative to those submitted for other diseases." See Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 160, no. 151, Book II (December 11, 2014), p. H9832.
|
| 36.
|
Congressional Record, vol. 168, no. 198, Book II, March 22, 2024, pp. H1890-H1891.
|
| 37.
|
Senate report amounts cited where not superseded by the explanatory statement per direction in the explanatory statement, "Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in Senate Report 118-84 carries the same weight as language included in this explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this explanatory statement." (Congressional Record, vol. 170, no. 51, Book II, March 22, 2024, p. H1886). CRS is unable to determine precisely which directives in S.Rept. 118-84 are to be complied with.
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Table A-2. Specified NIH Funding Levels in the FY2025 HHS Budget in Brief
Institute/Center
Program/Activity
Amount
National Cancer Institute
Cancer Moonshot
$716 mil ion total in
(NCI)
discretionary funds, an increase of $500 mil ion over FY2023 (in addition to proposed mandatory
funds discussed in this report)
Office of the Director
Office of Women’s Health Research
$154 mil ion, an increase of
(OD)
$76 mil ion
Firearm research
$25 mil ion, $12 mil ion more than FY2023
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link to page 20 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
Institute/Center
Program/Activity
Amount
Several ICs
All of Us Precision Medicine Initiative and Brain
$1.2 bil ion for both
Research Through Advancing Innovative
initiativesa (same funding
Neurotechnologies (BRAIN)
level as FY2023)
Several ICs
Opioids, stimulant, and pain research
$1.8 bil ion (same as FY2023 enacted), including $636 mil ion for the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative
National Institute on
Health disparities and inequities research
$95 mil ion
Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and other ICs National Institute of
Developing a universal influenza vaccine
$270 mil ion
Allergy and Infectious
Ending the HIV epidemic in the United States
$26 mil ion (same as
Diseases (NIAID) and
FY2023 enacted)
other ICs Eunice Kennedy Shriver
IMPROVE Initiative
$43 mil ion, increase of
National Institute of Child
$13.4 mil ion relative to
Health and Human
FY2023
Development (NICHD)
Impact of COVID-19 on pregnancy and lactation
$3 mil ion
National Institute of
Innovating mental health research and treatment,
An increase of $200
Mental Health (NIMH)
including to support better diagnostics, improved
mil ion; $10 mil ion to
treatments, and enhanced precision of care for mental
support NIH-led effort to
health.
promote effective approaches to prevent or reduce risk for behavioral health disorders
National Library of
Create and maintain col ection, storage, and cutting-
$30 mil ion
Medicine
edge analytics for clinical care data for NIH’s artificial intelligence initiative
Buildings and Facilities
Address NIH’s backlog of maintenance and repair on
$350 mil ion
its intramural campus
Source: HHS, Budget in Brief: FY2025, pp. 54-56, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2025-budget-in-brief.pdf. Notes: Dol ar amounts are at the level of detail used in the budget request and are presented in the order they appear in the budget in brief, except where grouped by IC. Table does not include proposed mandatory spending. a. Total amount includes $127 mil ion from the Innovation Account for the BRAIN Initiative and PMI as
authorized by the Cures Act.
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
Appendix B. Acronyms and Abbreviations
Acronym/
Abbreviation
Organization/Term
ARPA-H
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health
BRAIN
Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies
DARPA
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
DOD
Department of Defense
FIC
Fogarty International Center
FY
Fiscal Year
IC
Institutes and Centers
NCATS
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
NCCIH
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
NCI
National Cancer Institute
NEF
Nonrecurring Expenses Fund
NEI
National Eye Institute
NHGRI
National Human Genome Research Institute
NHLBI
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIA
National Institute on Aging
NIAAA
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
NIAID
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
NIAMS
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
NIBIB
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
NICHD
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
NIDA
National Institute on Drug Abuse
NIDCD
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
NIDCR
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
NIDDK
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
NIEHS
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
NIGMS
National Institute of General Medical Sciences
NIMH
National Institute of Mental Health
NIMHD
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
NINDS
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
NINR
National Institute of Nursing Research
NLM
National Library of Medicine
OD
NIH Office of the Director
PHS
Public Health Service
PMI
Precision Medicine Initiative
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding: FY1996-FY2025
Author Information
Kavya Sekar
Analyst in Health Policy
Acknowledgments
CRS Research Assistants John Gorman and Joe Angert provided assistance for this report.
Disclaimer
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Congressional Research Service
R43341 · VERSION 50 · UPDATED
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