Account Type

Once an NIH researcher or institution has enrolled with STRIDES, an investigator can request to have an account provisioned for their research program/projects. Provisioning of an account requires that the STRIDES Team (and our CSP partners) collect some basic information about the research program/project.

Who will receive and pay invoices for costs incurred against your STRIDES account?

This information ensures that the STRIDES Team is able to perform the following key functions:

  • Provide NIH with information about use cases for which STRIDES and associated cloud resources are being used.
  • Provide account holders with periodic information on:
    • cloud resource usage and costs associated with their account.
    • best practices for cost and security risk management within the cloud.
    • available cloud learning opportunities.
    • changes or additions to STRIDES benefits.

NIH-invoiced Account

For NIH-invoiced accounts, the CSP will invoice an NIH ICO to receive payment for costs incurred. Enrollment for this type of account requires that the funding ICO execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the NIH CIT and STRIDES. This MOU establishes a common understanding of the respective responsibilities of the ICO and CIT/STRIDES. Once an MOU is executed, any researcher at the funding ICO can request an account.

The initial steps in creating a STRIDES-linked, NIH-invoiced billing account is to execute a MOU with CIT/STRIDES (one fully-executed MOU per NIH ICO is sufficient for any/all account requests), establish funding on the STRIDES Other Transactions Award for the STRIDES CSPs of your choice, and engaging with the STRIDES Technology Team to learn about how we support you in establishing your account and meeting your security responsibilities as stewards of NIH data and resources in the cloud.

To enroll your ICO, or determine whether your ICO already has a STRIDES MOU in place, email STRIDES@nih.gov.

Cloud Stewardship

Intramural Accounts: For NIH-invoiced accounts, the majority of account holders elect to establish NIH-badged staff as administrators of the account/resources, The STRIDES Team refers to accounts like these as Intramural Accounts (i.e., the account is NIH-invoiced and NIH-managed). Intramural Accounts are most often used to support scientists conducting research within an NIH ICO’s Intramural Research Program.

Hybrid Accounts: In some cases, an NIH ICO elects to directly pay for cloud services in support of a research project or program but prefers that an NIH Awardee (e.g., a grant-holder or a contractor) be responsible for the day-to-day management of the account and associated cloud resources. The STRIDES Team refers to accounts like these as Hybrid Accounts (i.e., the account is NIH-invoiced and Awardee-managed). Most often, a Hybrid Account is used to support a large NIH-funded program, or to support the creation/distribution of small-dollar credit/pilot accounts to support testing or cloud learning. Hybrid Accounts, in some cases, can eliminate the application of Financial and Administrative (indirect costs) applied by an awardee to NIH funding.

Awardee-invoiced Account

For Awardee-invoiced accounts, the CSP will invoice an NIH-funded institution (e.g., a university, academic medical center, commercial entity) to receive payment for costs incurred.

Enrollment for Awardee-invoiced accounts requires that the NIH-funded institution establish a vendor relationship with any/all CSP partners through the administrative partner. Once a vendor relationship is established with the CSP, any researcher covered by that vendor relationship can request an account for their NIH-funded research program/projects.

Cloud Stewardship

Extramural Accounts: For any account for which an NIH awardee will be invoiced for cloud costs, the NIH assumes that the Awardee will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the account and associated resources. The STRIDES Team refers to these accounts as Extramural Accounts (i.e., the account is Awardee-invoiced and Awardee-managed). Extramural Accounts are most often used to support an ICO’s extramural research program.

The first step in creating an NIH-Invoiced, STRIDES-linked billing account is to establish an agreement with one (or more) of the STRIDES CSPs by reaching out to their billing and administrative partner. If you would like to enroll your institution, or determine if your institution (or lab) is covered under an existing enrollment, email:

If you have additional questions, or feel that you do not meet the criteria for either account option, email STRIDES@nih.gov.