If you were happy with the level of NIH funding in 2006, you’re in luck! According to the 2008 budget proposed by US President George Bush on Monday, NIH funding will remain flat. Oh sure, the numbers sound good. On paper, the proposal includes a $232 million increase relative to 2006 (Congress has yet to pass 2007’s doozy of a budget). However, $200 million of that is already promised to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The remaining $32 million increases NIH’s budget by 0.1% relative to 2006, far less than the 3.7% yearly inflation rate estimated by NIH. Although the budget includes allotments for new grants, no inflationary increases are planned to increase grant size. That means you, students and post docs with NRSAs: the proposal freezes student and post doc stipends at fiscal year 2007 levels.