Maternity Leave and Sponsored Projects

Frequently Asked Questions

Can NIH grant funds be used to pay for maternity leave?

NIH has a "Family Friendly" policy that addresses the use of grant funds to cover the salary not covered by disability insurance (aka "supplemental" funds).
This policy allows grant funds to be used for this purpose provided it follows our institutional policy.
Note: if the leave will be greater than 3 months, prior approval may be required.

NIH has a specific policy just for NRSA trainees.
For NRSA trainees and fellows, stipend support may be provided for up to 8 weeks.

Can non-NIH grant funds be used to pay for maternity leave?
Many other federal agencies have their own policies regarding parental leaves.
Please check with your institutional official to determine if sponsor funds allows us to follow our institutional policies for this purpose.

Stanford Resources