Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 14 010
Apply for RFA MH 14 010
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Clinical Neuroscience and Entertainment Software Pilot Partnership Program to Develop Neuropsychiatric Interventions (R43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 1, 2013 and posted on Jan 16, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 6, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Clinical Neuroscience and Entertainment Software Pilot Partnership Program to Develop Neuropsychiatric Interventions (R43/R44) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding opportunity designed to push forward new, highly engaging cognitive training treatments that can be delivered through computers and gaming platforms. The central idea is to combine the strengths of entertainment software development (things like compelling game design, user engagement, and polished digital product development) with the scientific and clinical expertise of neuroscientists who specialize in cognitive training. The interventions supported under this program are meant to address neuropsychiatric disorders, autism, and HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND), with a clear emphasis on producing improvements that matter in everyday life, meaning better real-world functioning rather than just better scores on a lab test.
This opportunity is a discretionary grant using the SBIR phased mechanism (R43/R44), which typically supports early-stage feasibility work followed by more advanced development steps aimed at moving a product closer to commercialization. In practical terms, the program is aimed at small businesses that can build and refine software-based therapeutic tools and are positioned to bring them to market, but it also strongly encourages (and effectively expects) a true partnership with clinical neuroscience teams who can ensure the intervention is grounded in evidence-based cognitive training principles and can be evaluated appropriately in patient populations. The focus on the entertainment software industry is not incidental; the program is explicitly trying to solve a common problem in digital health interventions, where scientifically sound tools often fail because they are not engaging enough for sustained use. By bringing game development expertise into the same project as clinical neuroscience, the program aims to produce interventions that patients will actually want to use consistently, which is essential for any training-based approach to have meaningful impact.
The FOA is identified as RFA-MH-14-010 and is associated with CFDA number 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants). The agency is NIH, and the activity area is health. Eligible applicants are limited to small businesses, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers the barrier for participation compared to programs that require non-federal funds. The estimated total funding level listed for the opportunity is $3,000,000. Key dates included a posted date of January 16, 2013, an original closing date of April 10, 2013, and a current closing date of June 6, 2013, with an archive date of July 6, 2013. While those dates reflect the historical window for that specific announcement, they help show that this was a time-limited pilot-style initiative intended to stimulate a specific kind of cross-sector collaboration.
In terms of what the government was trying to buy with this funding, the emphasis is on development of cognitive training interventions that are both scientifically credible and product-ready enough to be plausibly commercialized. That includes the types of design and development work typical of software products (iterative prototyping, user experience design, testing for usability and engagement, platform development, and potentially integration with common computing or gaming environments) combined with clinical neuroscience input on which cognitive functions to target and how to measure meaningful benefit. The disorders named in the announcement signal the intent to support interventions for conditions where cognitive deficits can be a major driver of disability and reduced independence, and where better cognition could translate into better functioning at school, work, or in daily activities.
Anyone needing the full original announcement was directed to the NIH grants page for RFA-MH-14-010, with technical help available through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts provided in the notice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is called the "Clinical Neuroscience and Entertainment Software Pilot Partnership Program to Develop Neuropsychiatric Interventions (R43/R44)."
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
The funding opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of program is this (grant mechanism)?
This is a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) opportunity using the phased R43/R44 mechanism, which generally supports early feasibility work (Phase I, R43) followed by more advanced development work (Phase II, R44) aimed at moving a product toward commercialization.
Is this considered a discretionary grant?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant using the SBIR phased mechanism (R43/R44).
What is the FOA number for this opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is identified as RFA-MH-14-010.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants).
What is the main goal of this program?
The program is designed to accelerate development of new, highly engaging cognitive training treatments that can be delivered through computers and gaming platforms, with an emphasis on improvements that matter in everyday life (real-world functioning), not just performance on laboratory tests.
What kinds of interventions is this program trying to support?
It supports software-based cognitive training interventions that combine strong clinical neuroscience foundations (evidence-based cognitive training principles and appropriate evaluation in patient populations) with entertainment software strengths (compelling game design, user engagement, and polished digital product development).
Why does the program emphasize entertainment software and game development?
The program explicitly aims to address a common problem in digital health: scientifically sound tools often fail because they are not engaging enough for sustained use. By integrating game development expertise with clinical neuroscience, the goal is to produce interventions that people will actually use consistently.
What delivery platforms are mentioned for the interventions?
The interventions are intended to be delivered through computers and gaming platforms.
Which health conditions or populations are specifically named as targets?
The announcement highlights neuropsychiatric disorders, autism, and HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND).
What kind of outcomes does the program prioritize?
There is a clear emphasis on outcomes that translate into real-world benefits, such as improved everyday functioning (for example, functioning at school, work, or in daily activities), rather than only improving scores on lab-based measures.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses.
Is a partnership required or expected?
The program strongly encourages and effectively expects a true partnership between small businesses (with the capability to build and refine software-based tools) and clinical neuroscience teams (to ensure scientific grounding and appropriate evaluation in patient populations).
What does the government appear to be looking for in funded projects?
Based on the description, the government is aiming to fund development of cognitive training interventions that are both scientifically credible and sufficiently product-ready to be plausibly commercialized, combining software product development practices with clinical neuroscience expertise.
What kinds of development activities are mentioned as relevant?
Examples mentioned include iterative prototyping, user experience design, usability and engagement testing, platform development, and potential integration with common computing or gaming environments, alongside neuroscience-guided targeting of cognitive functions and measurement of meaningful benefit.
Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the estimated total funding level for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding level listed is $3,000,000.
What is the activity area for this opportunity?
The activity area is health.
When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
Key dates included a posted date of January 16, 2013, an original closing date of April 10, 2013, a current closing date of June 6, 2013, and an archive date of July 6, 2013.
Is this opportunity still open?
Based on the dates provided (closing date June 6, 2013; archive date July 6, 2013), this specific announcement was time-limited and is historical.
What does the term "pilot partnership program" imply here?
The description frames it as a time-limited, pilot-style initiative intended to stimulate a specific kind of cross-sector collaboration between entertainment software developers and clinical neuroscience researchers.
Where were applicants directed to find the full original announcement?
Applicants were directed to the NIH grants page for RFA-MH-14-010.
Where could someone get technical help related to the announcement?
Technical help was available through NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contacts referenced in the notice.
What commercialization expectations are implied by this program?
The program is aimed at small businesses positioned to bring software-based therapeutic tools to market, and it emphasizes development steps that move a product closer to commercialization.
Does the description indicate why real-world functioning is emphasized?
Yes. The description links cognitive deficits to disability and reduced independence in the named conditions, and suggests that meaningful cognitive improvements should translate into practical benefits in everyday life.
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