The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new Application Policy Update, effective December 3, 2025 implementing the Removal of Requirements for Letters of Intent and Unsolicited Applications Requesting $500,000 or More in Direct Costs
The Update, Notice Number: NOT-OD-26-019, states that Letters of Intent will not be requested and will not be reviewed if submitted as part of the application process.
In addition, the Update states that effective immediately, NIH will no longer require applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs (excluding consortium F&A costs) in any one budget period to contact the funding Institute or Center (IC) before application submission. In line with this change, applicants are no longer required to include a cover letter identifying the Program Official contact which notes that the IC has agreed to accept assignment of the application.
All active NOFOs containing this requirement are superseded by this Notice and will be updated going forward.