Understanding NIH Multi-Year Funded (MYF) Awards and Carryforward Limitations
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is increasingly utilizing Multi-Year Funded (MYF) awards for Non-Competitive Continuation grants. Under this funding model, the full committed budget is provided at the outset of the award period. As a result, the traditional concept of carryover—or carryforward—of unobligated funds does not typically apply to MYF awards.
When transitioning from a traditional incrementally funded NIH research project grant to a Multi-Year Funded research project grant there are a few key distinctions to keep in mind:
- The original incrementally funded grant and newly issued MYF grant are separate awards: Even if the MYF is a continuation or expansion of the incrementally funded award the NIH treats them as distinct grants with separate funding streams.
- Carryover applies within a grant: NIH allows unobligated funds to be carried forward from one budget period to the next within the same grant, subject to terms and prior approval if required.
- New awards start fresh: When you receive a MYF grant midstream, it begins with its own budget and project period. Any remaining funds from the original incrementally funded grant must be financially closed out and cannot be transferred.
- Document Number change: NIH assigns a new Document Number for the MYF awards.
OCGA highlights impacted awards in the snapshot by noting that the award has two fund numbers and each requires its own financial closeout. Sample snapshot language: Sponsor award dated mm/dd/yyyy revises the project end date to mm/dd/yyyy due to pending issuance of a Type 4 award for the remaining two years. The Type 4 award will receive a new fund number and both fund numbers require a separate financial closeout.
For additional financial related information see slides 15 -17 from EFM’s October 9, 2025 RAF presentation.
Understanding these distinctions is important for effective financial management and compliance when working with NIH-funded projects.
OCGA Website Enhancements: New Guidance and Resources Now Available
The Office of Contract and Grant Administration (OCGA) is committed to continuously improving the accessibility and clarity of our resources. As part of our ongoing website enhancement initiative, we’ve introduced updated guidance to support the UCLA research community in preparing and submitting proposals for extramural funding.
Recent updates include expanded information on basic proposal steps and sponsor-specific guidance, designed to streamline the proposal development process. Additionally, the Foreign Engagement and Influence page now features guidance tailored to a broader range of federal sponsors—including the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation—alongside existing resources for the National Institutes of Health.
We encourage you to explore these updates and stay tuned for further enhancements across other sections of the OCGA website.
2026 Monthly OCGA Training Schedule: New Topics and Expanded Access
The Office of Contract and Grant Administration (OCGA) is excited to announce updates to the calendar year 2026 Monthly Training Schedule, designed to expand learning opportunities for the UCLA research administration community.
Highlights include:
- Completing the EPASS and S2S Grants Basics which will each be offered live once in 2026 and will also be available as eCourses through the UC Learning Center by mid-year .
- Two new sessions launching in Fall 2026:
- Research Administration Basics (September): An overview of the sponsored project lifecycle, commonly used terms and acronyms, and key policies from federal sponsors, funding agencies, and the University.
- Reading and Interpreting Proposal Solicitations (November): Guidance on reviewing proposal solicitations—also known as Notices of Funding Opportunities, Requests for Applications, and similar documents.
We invite you to view the full 2026 training topics and register for upcoming sessions on the OCGA website.