Linked International Research Project (RF2)

Linked International Research Project (RF2) is sponsored by NIH. Supports discrete, independent foreign awards administratively linked to a domestic prime award, replacing traditional foreign subawards.

Linked International Research Project (RF2) | Grants & Funding U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Linked International Research Project (RF2) To support a discrete, independent foreign award that is administratively linked to a domestic prime award. An RF2 may only be disaggregated from a [PF5, Collaborative International Research Project] application, and organizations may not apply for an RF2.

NIH no longer supports traditional foreign subaward structures. Therefore, the RF2 subprojects are issued in lieu of foreign subawards. In order to manage compliance and track international funding, the RF2 will be awarded directly to the foreign organization.

The RF2 will not be used for foreign consultants, purchasing unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors, international collaborations that do not involve NIH funding, or any foreign component that would not result in a foreign subaward. NIH no longer accepts applications that request funds for foreign components using the traditional grant subaward/consortium structure.

Disaggregating the International Projects submitted in a PF5 application into separate RF2 linked awards facilitates an application and award structure that allows NIH to track the expenditure of federal funds at foreign components and meet federal reporting and oversight needs.

Project Director/ Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Eligibility Within the PF5 application, the leadership structure must include at least one PD/PI from the primary applicant organization, and at least one individual from each of the International Projects, who will serve as the PD/PI of the disaggregated RF2 Linked International Research Project award.

Following merit review, PF5 applications identified by an NIH Institute or Center for funding consideration will be disaggregated. The International Project components will be pulled from the PF5, and each will be provided a distinct grant number with an RF2 activity code. The foreign organization will be considered the applicant/recipient of the Linked International Research Project Grant (RF2).

Just-in-Time Information (e.g., IRB Approvals, IACUC Approvals, Current and Pending (Other) Support for key personnel), will be requested from both the PF5 and RF2 organizations independently. At this point in the process, if not already completed, the RF2 applicant must verify registration in SAM. gov, Grants.

gov, and eRA Commons, to ensure accurate awarding information moving forward. Should a project be selected for funding, NIH will issue a PF5 award to the domestic organization and an RF2 award to the foreign organizations. Each organization will be responsible for ensuring the terms and conditions of their Notices of Award are met.

Note that the system disaggregation of a PF5 application should not be considered a commitment to funding. NIH has the ability to fund all, none, or some of the components of the PF5 application, based on the assessment of the technical merit, materials submitted through the JIT process, and agency priorities.

Application and Submission Information An RF2 may only be disaggregated from a PF5 application, and organizations may not apply for an RF2.

PF5 uses a multi-component application structure that includes, at a minimum, an Overall Component that addresses the project's overall objectives as a collaboration, a Research Project component that addresses the scientific and technical directions of the project, and an International Project component that addresses the foreign collaborator's role on the project.

Each funded foreign component should have a unique International Project component; therefore, an application with multiple foreign collaborators at different institutions would submit an application with multiple International Project components. Applications must include a letter from the foreign organization AOR acknowledging that they will fill the role of recipient organization for disaggregated award.

NOT-OD-25-155 : New Application Structure for NIH-Funded International Collaborations (September 12, 2025) NOT-OD-25-104 : Updated NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards (May 1, 2025) For technical issues E-mail OER Webmaster