Follow-up from OSP's Blog Post from April 28th regarding notice (NOT-OD-23-111) on NIH Policies for NRSA Stipends, Compensation and Other Income. The University has received additional clarification from NIH.

They have confirmed from NIH that this notice is:

• Not an expansion or change in policy, rather a clarification that allows institutions to employ NSRA fellows in supplemental capacities, as allowed by the institution.
• NRSA trainees can be provided benefits but only health insurance can be paid by the NSRA.
• Reinforcing existing policy to say that institutions should not feel that they are not able to provide certain benefits or they’re not able to employ a trainee part-time because they are receiving training support through an NRSA award.

Additionally, our community had follow-up questions on charging benefits to NRSA award for fellows that are also appointed as employees. NIH clarified that institutions are allowed to supplement to support benefits (excluding health insurance), but it must come from other sources (like institutional funding) and not PHS funding. Benefits, aside from health insurance, are unallowable to the award or individual fellowship awards.

Based on this clarification, institutions should continue to classify personnel based on their policies and procedures.