History of the Common Fund

Initiated in 2004 as the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, the Common Fund was enacted into law by Congress through the 2006 NIH Reform Act to support cross-cutting, trans-NIH programs that require participation by at least two NIH ICs or would otherwise benefit from strategic planning and coordination. This Act created the Common Fund as a separate appropriation and the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives within the NIH Office of the Director to provide stable and ongoing support and coordination for programs. This has allowed the NIH to continue to think strategically about the future of biomedical research and provided the opportunity to develop unique programs that could not be supported via traditional mechanisms.

In 2014, the Roadmap/Common Fund commemorated “A Decade of Discovery.” Please visit our Commemoration section for a book celebrating the history and achievements of the Common Fund, a Science article from NIH and Common Fund leadership, and videos submitted by Common Fund awardees showcasing their research.

Learn more about Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC) and stewardship of the Common Fund.

View all NIH Common Fund programs.