NIH Closes the Doors to Decide Who Gets Research Funding
Published Date: 11/10/2026
Notice
Summary
The Center for Scientific Review is holding several closed virtual meetings in early December 2026 to review and evaluate grant applications. These meetings affect researchers and small businesses seeking funding for eye disease, neuronal injury, infectious diseases, and related projects. No public access is allowed to protect private info and trade secrets, but these reviews help decide who gets research money.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
NIH grant reviews held in closed virtual meetings
If you are a researcher applying for NIH grants in areas such as eye disease, neuronal injury, infectious diseases, renal/urology, substance use disorders, HIV comorbidities, behavioral epidemiology, collaborative multidisciplinary teams, or BRAIN Initiative projects, your applications will be reviewed in closed virtual meetings on December 1 and December 3–4, 2026. The agenda for these meetings is to review and evaluate grant applications, and public access is not allowed.
Dedicated small-business review panel Dec 3–4
If you run a small business working on anti-infective therapeutics, diagnostic immunology, or decontamination, your grant applications will be reviewed by a Small Business Special Emphasis Panel in a virtual meeting on December 3–4, 2026. This panel’s agenda is to review and evaluate grant applications in those topic areas.
Applicant confidentiality protected; meetings closed
The meetings are closed to the public under 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6) to protect confidential trade secrets, commercial property (such as patentable material), and personal information linked to grant applications. That means applicants’ proprietary information and personal data will not be publicly disclosed during these reviews.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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