NASA Research Security Training Requirement
On February 5, 2026, NASA issued GIC 26-02 to announce that effective August 5, 2026, NASA will require Covered Individuals (defined in GIC 26-02) to certify completion of research security training within 12 months prior to proposal submission by signing certifications on NASA biographical sketch and current/pending support forms. This requirement can be met by completing one of the options below.
- University of California Research Security Training available on CITI (Instructions for enrolling, in taking and completing the CITI training)
- NSF Consolidated Research Security Training Module (approx. 1 hour) available on the NSF SECURE Center site
Updates from the National Institutes of Health:
NIH Launches New Hub to Advance Replication and Reproducibility in Research
NIH has introduced a new central resource designed to strengthen replication and reproducibility across all NIH funded research. The Strengthening Replication and Reproducibility of NIH-funded Research webpage brings together the agency’s ongoing initiatives to support rigorous, transparent, and trustworthy science. The agency is reinforcing its commitment to embedding high‑integrity science throughout every stage of the research lifecycle—a key priority for the NIH Director.
Researchers preparing NIH applications or progress reports can also explore the Enhancing Reproducibility through Rigor and Transparency webpage for practical tools such as:
- Authentication plan examples
- Guidance on sample size estimation
- Rigor and transparency training modules
- Additional tips for strengthening application components
NIH Corrects Effective Date of Salary Limitation for Grants and Cooperative Agreements in FY 2026
On February 9, 2026, NIH issued NOT-OD-26-038 to correct the effective date of the salary limitation for grants and cooperative agreements for FY 2026. The effective date for salary limitation for Executive Level II of $228,000 was updated from January 11, 2026 to January 1, 2026.
NIH No Required Advanced Permission for Conference Grants
On February 10, 2026, NIH issued NOT-OD-26-040 to announce they will no longer require advanced permission from the Institute, Center, or Office (ICO) for conference grant applications under the Conference Grants (R13) and Conference Cooperative Agreements (U13) activity. Historically, applicants were required to obtain written prior approval from the relevant NIH ICO before submitting an R13 or U13 application. Effective immediately, this step has been eliminated. Applicants are no longer required to:
- Request written permission from the ICO, or
- Include documentation of that approval in the SF424 (R&R) Cover Letter.
While the submission process is becoming easier, applicants should remember that NIH generally will not issue a conference grant award after the conference has occurred. The only exceptions are rare and tied to extraordinary events—such as natural disasters, federal shutdowns, or other emergencies—when an ICO determines that supporting post‑conference activities remains consistent with the approved application. To help applicants better understand which ICOs support conference awards and under what conditions, NIH is updating its ICO Profiles to more clearly communicate these interests.