In 2023, the National Institutes of Health failed to track unused funds and delayed reports for nearly 1,000 of the 65,000 research projects it monitors, according to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report.
NIH had oversight of about $35 billion in external biomedical research in fiscal 2023, $46.4 billion in 2024 and about $46 billion in 2025. In 2026, the organization could undergo an $18 billion funding cut if President Donald Trump’s proposed budget is approved.
The GAO, which was asked to review NIH’s oversight of extramural research funding, spotlighted issues in “delinquent” research reports and unused funds.
As of fall 2024, GAO found 1,283 awards with delinquent final financial reports and 959 awards with delinquent final progress reports. Some of these research projects were not closed out after a year of no final report, which is NIH policy.
In addition, at least 12,000 award recipients anticipated having an unused balance of more than 25% — one-fifth of ongoing NIH awards that year. NIH requires award recipients to submit an explanation and spending plan if they expect more than 25% will be unused, which grants management staff then review and possibly offer a revised budget.
Institutes under NIH oversee these unused budgets, but the GAO recommended NIH take over the responsibility.
As the federal government combs through health agencies and lays off thousands of employees, shutters departments and reduces funding, the GAO recommended that NIH identify and address factors leading to delinquent reports and analyze how NIH manages unused project balances.
