Key Dates

Related Announcements

• July 12, 2023 -  PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed). See NOFO PA-23-230.
• July 12, 2023 -  PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH and CDC for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required). See NOFO PA-23-231.
• July 12, 2023 - PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Not Allowed.) See NOFO  PA-23-232.
• July 12, 2023 - PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required). See NOFO PA-23-233.
• October 25, 2021 - Reminder: Notice of NIH's Encouragement of Applications Supporting Individuals from Underrepresented Ethnic and Racial Groups as well as Individuals with Disabilities. See Notice NOT-OD-22-019.
• November 22, 2019 - Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity. See Notice NOT-OD-20-031.

Issued by

Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health (OD)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) is to encourage small businesses to partner with institutions of special interest, as defined below,  on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program applications.  For purposes of this NOSI, these institutions of special interest will be referred to as Resource-Limited Institutions (RLIs). 

Background

The SBIR and STTR programs, also known as America's Seed Fund, are one of the largest sources of early-stage capital for technology commercialization in the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports small businesses through the SBIR and STTR programs to develop promising technologies and products that align with its mission to improve health and save lives. While SBIR and STTR grants are awarded to small business concerns, non-profit research institution partners can play a critical role in the success of these awards and projects.

NIH is interested in expanding the cadre of research institutions engaging in translation of their basic science discoveries to patient and economic benefit. NIH is also interested in enabling greater contribution to technology transfer and commercialization activities by scientists and trainees from populations underrepresented in the U.S. biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences research enterprise (e.g., Notice of NIH's Interest in Diversity, NOT-OD-20-031, and NOT-OD-22-019).  Fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses in technological innovation is one of the goals of the SBIR and STTR programs ( https://www.sbir.gov/sites/default/files/SBA%20SBIR_STTR_POLICY_DIRECTIVE_May2023.pdf ). Increasing the participation of  RLIs in the SBIR and STTR programs will contribute to NIH's efforts to build a robust and diverse scientific workforce, which fosters innovation, enhances global competitiveness, and improves the quality of research and research outcomes.

This opportunity is open to all RLIs meeting the criteria set forth below under “Institutions of Special Interest.”  Eligible Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education.  As noted in several executive orders (EOs), including   EO 14041, EO 14045, EO 14049, and EO 14050, MSIs, HBCUs, and TCCUs  have a legacy of achievement and continue to provide critical pathways to opportunity for students from a diverse range of communities across the country. These higher education institutions  are often integral and essential to their communities, and are advancing intergenerational mobility, success, and opportunity for many students who face systemic inequitable barriers in accessing a high-quality education. However,  they often face     barriers to federal funding and programs, particularly in areas of research and development and innovation. For example, small businesses partner with HBCUs less frequently when competing for SBIR or STTR awards; HBCUs produce nearly 25% of Black undergraduates who earn degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math, yet HBCUs composed only 1% of NIH STTR non-profit research partners in FY22. Seeking to address these inequities, federal policy in the above EOs and EO 13985 expresses a commitment  to “allocating Federal resources to advance fairness and opportunity” and “in a manner that increases investment in underserved communities .”

Institutions of Special Interest

This NOSI is applicable to Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education that  meet the criteria below and have not been recent recipients of substantial NIH funding.  A “partnering” research institution of special interest is  a domestic institution located in the United States and its territories which:

1. has received less than $25 million dollars per year (total costs) from NIH Research Project Grants (RPGs) in each of the preceding two fiscal years, calculated using NIH RePORTER; and
2. has a documented historical and current mission to educate students from any of the populations that have been identified as underrepresented in biomedical research as defined by the National Science Foundation (NSF), see http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/ (i.e., African Americans or Blacks, Hispanic or Latino Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, U.S. Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities) or (1) has a documented historical record of  recruiting, training and/or educating, and graduating underrepresented students as defined by NSF (see above), which has resulted in increasing the institution's contribution to the national pool of graduates from underrepresented backgrounds who pursue biomedical research careers, and (2) for institutions that deliver health care services, has a document record of providing clinical services to medically underserved communities.

Institutions meeting these criteria may include, but are not limited to, certain Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education of the following types:

• Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Application and Submission Information

This notice applies to due dates on or after January 5, 2024 and subsequent receipt dates through April 6, 2024. 

Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) or any reissues of these announcements through the expiration date of this notice.

• PA-23-230 - PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• PA-23-231 - PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH and CDC for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required)
• PA-23-232 - PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• PA-23-233 - PHS 2023-2 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the notice of funding opportunity used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:

• For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-OD-23-179” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
• To be considered for this initiative, applications must include a letter from the partnering  RLI(s) to the small business indicating support for the application and certifying that the research institution has agreed to perform work for the project. The small business will include this letter as an attachment upload in G.400 - PHS 398 Research Plan Form, Consortium/Contractual Arrangements. The  RLI(s) must also be included in the Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form of the application, and it is expected that at least one senior/key individual is employed by or affiliated with the  RLI(s).
•  Applicants are encouraged  to provide specific details addressing the  criteria  above (see “Institutions of Special Interest”) as a part of a single attachment entitled “ Institutional Information.” 

Responsive applications will be reviewed and awardees selected consistent with applicable law. 

Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will not be considered for the NOSI initiative.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to the Scientific/Research, Peer Review, and Financial/Grants Management contacts in Section VII of the listed notice of funding opportunity.

NIH SEED (Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development)
Email: SEEDinfo@nih.gov