The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) policy and funding approaches are designed to maintain strong support for investigator-initiated fundamental research. NIH’s Gold Standard Science plan explains that its priority-setting processes provide strong support for hypothesis-driven research while balancing opportunities to support other forms of research. Advancing foundational knowledge of human health and disease is a stated goal for the next NIH-wide strategic plan. This NIH-wide commitment is reflected across NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), each of which supports fundamental research in ways that align with its specific mission and scientific priorities. For more information about each IC’s continued commitment, including the National Institute of Mental Health, visit the NIH announcement.
