It wasn't supposed to work this way. Funding was supposed to increase instead of decline but with ME/CFS researchers applying for fewer and fewer grants and the NIH refusing to do anything to increase individual grant opportunities for ME/CFS researchers that's where we are. Check out Jennie Spotila's blog.
http://occupyme.net/2018/07/30/how-much-will-nih-spend-in-2018/
http://occupyme.net/2018/07/30/how-much-will-nih-spend-in-2018/