October 30, 2026

NIH continues to expand its use of challenges and prize competitions as part of its strategy to foster innovation and solve complex biomedical and public health problems. Through this approach, NIH engages a wider range of innovators, encourages creative approaches, rewards novel ideas and proven solutions, and accelerates progress toward improving human health.

Every day, tens of millions of Americans navigate the world with a communication disorder—such as an isolating hearing loss, a faltering voice, a fading sense of taste or smell. Our mission at NIDCD is to change that reality through partnerships with the research community.

We know the grants process takes time, effort, and resources for you, your organization, and for NIH. We have been undertaking many efforts to identify and minimize associated burdens, while not inadvertently harming the integrity of the supported research.

Researchers can notify NIH with concerns about a recipient’s compliance with the 2023 NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy at [email protected]. This may include concerns that a principal investigator is not maximizing the appropriate sharing of scientific data generated from NIH-funded or conducted research or otherwise required under the terms of the award.