NIH Proposes Cap to the Number of Simultaneous Research Project Grants per PI, Comments due August 3

On June 8, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued RFI NOT-OD-26-086: “Proposal to Cap the Number of Simultaneous Research Project Grants per Principal Investigator to Support More Researchers and Maximize Scientific Productivity and Innovation”.   

As stated in the RFI, NIH is considering the measure "to ensure the best use of the taxpayers' dollars in supporting biomedical research" by limiting the number of RPGs on which an individual may simultaneously serve as Principal Investigator (PI) or Multiple Principal Investigator (MPI). 

NIH is soliciting feedback on the following topics: 

• Policy merits: Pros and/or cons of instituting a grant cap 

• Optimal cap threshold: Whether the limit should be set at 2, 3, or 4 simultaneous RPGs per investigator 

• Implementation strategies: Strengths and weaknesses of the proposed approaches for putting the policy into practice 

• Unintended consequences: Potential policy loopholes or unforeseen impacts on the research community 

Responses are due August 3, 2026. Faculty members are encouraged to review the full RFI and submit comments directly through the NIH portal.