NIH NRSA Childcare Costs
For childcare costs to be considered allowable, eligible full-time predoctoral or postdoctoral NRSA trainees must be appointed to the NRSA institutional research training or fellowship award prior to the use of the childcare costs.
Childcare Reimbursement Process
Summary:
The National Institutes of Health allows reimbursement for childcare expenses on NRSA fellowship and institutional training grant awards. In addition, other sponsors may institute similar policies that provide specific funding for childcare expenses. This guidance describes the procedures for individual reimbursements at Dartmouth. At any time, the procedures should be implemented in concert with the current NIH guidance and terms of the grant award.
NIH Process to Request and Utilize Funds in the Grant Award:
NRSA Institutional Research Training Awards
See NOT-OD-21-177 Announcement of Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Awards. Frequently asked questions can be found at this link.
Highlights:
Childcare costs will be provided, unless otherwise specified on the notice of award, based on the number of trainee slots awarded. No additional action is needed on the part of the applicant at the time of application to request these funds.
NIH will provide an annual $2,500 per each full-time predoctoral or postdoctoral NRSA trainee appointment slot at the time the new, renewal, or continuation award is made. NIH will not provide childcare support for short-term predoctoral or postdoctoral NRSA trainees regardless of the activity code.
The NRSA childcare costs are not tied to payback obligations, nor should it be reported as such.
Childcare must be provided by a licensed childcare provider. Recipients must maintain all supporting documentation (e.g., proof provider is licensed) and make it available to NIH officials upon request. NIH does not require recipients to submit this supporting documentation except when specifically requested.
RPPR (submitted to NIH), recipients must upload a PDF named “Childcare_Costs.pdf” (without quotation marks). The attachment must specify the number of trainees who used childcare costs in the reporting period.
When childcare costs are awarded, they are restricted. Only eligible full-time predoctoral or postdoctoral NRSA trainees may use the costs and they must be used for childcare expenses; any unused funds cannot be rebudgeted and must be reported as an unobligated balance on the Federal Financial Report (FFR).
NRSA Individual Fellows
See NOT-OD-21-074 Announcement of Childcare Costs for Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellows. Frequently Asked Questions are available at this link.
Highlights:
Applicants must request childcare costs per NIH instructions found in NOT-OD-21-074.
Each NRSA fellow may request $2,500 per budget period to defray childcare costs.
Childcare must be provided by a licensed childcare provider.
Recipients must maintain all supporting documentation (e.g., proof provider is licensed) and make it available to NIH officials upon request. NIH does not require recipients to submit this supporting documentation with each request.
The NRSA childcare costs are not tied to payback obligations, nor should it be reported as such.
Current fellows may request childcare costs for future years via the Research Performance Progress Report (RPP).
Dartmouth Reimbursement Process:
This allowance is limited to NIH fellows/trainees who have incurred allowable childcare expenses for eligible child(ren) or other individuals where the sponsor award specifically required and budgeted for childcare costs.
An allowable childcare expense is defined as proof of payment from a state licensed childcare provider for childcare costs incurred within the award’s budget year. Receipts from the childcare vendor are required from the fellow/trainee in order for the fellow/trainee to receive the allowance.
The allowance will be disbursed by Dartmouth to the eligible fellow/trainee on an actual cost basis up to a maximum amount of $2,500 per fellow/trainee per budget year.
Eligible child(ren):
Reside with the fellow/trainee; and are
12 years of age or under, or 17 years or under if disabled.
Trainee/Fellow:
Reimbursements should be submitted through an OnBase Payment Request. Please attach the completed NRSA Trainee Childcare Reimbursement form and assign the Dept Grant Manager as the Approver.