NIH Modular Budget Calculator: Modules per Year
| Year | Direct costs, excluding consortium F&A | Consortium F&A |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||
| Year 2 | ||
| Year 3 | ||
| Year 4 | ||
| Year 5 |
| Year | Modules | Requested | Rounding | Total direct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | $225,000 | +$13,000 | $255,000 |
| Year 2 | 9 | $225,000 | +$7,000 | $255,000 |
| Year 3 | 9 | $225,000 | +$1,000 | $255,000 |
| Year 4 | 9 | $225,000 | +$6,000 | $255,000 |
| Year 5 | 9 | $225,000 | +$20,000 | $255,000 |
Estimates for planning. Your institution's rates, policies, and the sponsor's terms govern.
How the calculation works
- Estimate each year's direct costs the same way you would for a detailed budget, but leave out consortium F&A.
- Modules = direct costs ÷ $25,000, rounded up to a whole number.
- If any year is above $250,000, the application needs the R&R detailed budget instead.
- Total direct costs for the year = modules × $25,000 + consortium F&A.
Who can use a modular budget
Modular budgets apply to certain NIH research grant activity codes, including R01, R03, R15, R21, and R34 applications, when the applicant is a domestic organization and direct costs are $250,000 or less in every year. Foreign applicants and applications above the limit use the detailed budget. Always confirm the budget format in the funding opportunity.
Example
| Year | Direct costs (excl. consortium F&A) | Modules | Requested | Consortium F&A | Total direct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $212,000 | 9 | $225,000 | $30,000 | $255,000 |
| 2 | $218,000 | 9 | $225,000 | $30,000 | $255,000 |
| 3 | $224,000 | 9 | $225,000 | $30,000 | $255,000 |
| 4 | $219,000 | 9 | $225,000 | $30,000 | $255,000 |
| 5 | $205,000 | 9 | $225,000 | $30,000 | $255,000 |
45 modules over five years: $1,125,000 in modular direct costs plus $150,000 consortium F&A, $1,275,000 total direct costs.
What still needs justification
- Personnel Justification: names, roles, and person months for everyone on the project, without salary amounts.
- Consortium Justification: each subaward's total costs, rounded to the nearest $1,000, and the organization's role.
- Additional Narrative Justification: any change in the number of modules between years, and any unusual costs.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an NIH module?
$25,000 in direct costs. A modular budget requests whole modules each year, up to 10 modules ($250,000).
Does consortium F&A count toward the $250,000 limit?
No. The $250,000 limit and the module count use direct costs excluding consortium F&A, which is listed separately and added to the total.
Can the number of modules change from year to year?
Yes, but NIH expects a steady request. Explain any variation in the Additional Narrative Justification. Modular budgets have no future-year escalation.
Do I still need a detailed budget internally?
Yes. Build a detailed budget for your institution and keep it on file. Only the modules go to NIH, but post-award spending is tracked in detail.
Track budgets and effort in GrantsManager
Keep salary, effort, spending, and deadlines for every award in one place, shared by PIs and research administrators.
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