Stacy L ChinFounder, KeepYourEquity · I get the government to write you checks

Legal Review Recommended Before Certification

14 Aug 2025 · 1 min

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In this brief advisory, Stacy Chin emphasizes that any material slated for certification must first be reviewed by an organization’s general counsel or HR department, warning that certifying without full understanding is inappropriate and can reflect poorly on the certifier. She then outlines a recent NIH policy change effective May 2025: the automatic no‑cost extension (NCE) for Phase I grant work has been disabled. Researchers can no longer obtain a free 12‑month extension with a click; instead, they must submit a formal request, provide justification, and await NIH approval before receiving additional time.

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So have your general counsel or HR team review this before certification. It's not optional, and it's not a good look to certify something that you don't fully understand. 4. No more auto extensions. Time for new money. Previously, if you were running behind on your Phase I work, you could just click a button and get a free 12-month extension. Not anymore. As of May 2025, the automatic no-cost extension, or NCE, feature is disabled. So if you want more time, you have to request it, justify it, and wait for NIH approval.