Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 15 185

  • The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development of Novel Tools and Devices to Support the Care of Animal Models and Animal Care Research Facilities (R41/R42)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.351 Research Infrastructure Programs.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Apr 16, 2015 and posted on Apr 16, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 5, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
  • Other Eligible Applicants include the following Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity titled "Development of Novel Tools and Devices to Support the Care of Animal Models and Animal Care Research Facilities (R41/R42)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 15-185) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program aimed specifically at Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects. Its central purpose was to encourage small business concerns to partner with research institutions to create and move forward practical, technology-based solutions that improve day-to-day laboratory animal care, strengthen animal facility operations, and support higher-quality research that relies on animal models. In plain terms, NIH was looking for innovations that make animal handling safer and less stressful, simplify or modernize facility management, and enhance the tools or conditions that underpin experiments using animal models in biomedical and biobehavioral research.

A key theme of the FOA is animal welfare and the operational reality of running animal care programs. The announcement emphasizes development and implementation of tools and devices that directly benefit the well-being of research animals, which can include reducing stress during handling, improving monitoring of health and behavior, and enabling better environmental control. At the same time, it highlights improvements to the infrastructure and environmental conditions of animal facilities, reflecting NIH's interest in technologies that help facilities run more efficiently and consistently, maintain appropriate housing conditions, and support research quality through better standardization and control. The overall framing makes it clear NIH was not just funding scientific discovery, but rather the creation of tangible equipment, devices, and operational tools that could be adopted in animal facilities to improve both welfare outcomes and research support capabilities.

This opportunity used the STTR mechanism under the R41/R42 activity codes, which generally correspond to phased small business development. While the solicitation text provided does not spell out the phase structure, R41 and R42 are commonly used for Phase I and Phase II STTR awards, with Phase I focused on feasibility and prototype development and Phase II aimed at further development, refinement, and steps toward commercialization or broader deployment. Consistent with STTR goals, the program focus strongly implies that proposed projects should have a clear pathway from concept to usable product, rather than being purely exploratory or academic. The activity category listed for the FOA is Health, and it is associated with CFDA number 93.351 (Research Infrastructure Programs), underscoring that the work is tied to research capacity and the infrastructure that enables high-quality science.

Eligibility was limited to small businesses, and the FOA explicitly excluded non-U.S. (foreign) entities from applying, as well as non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations. However, foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, could be allowed, meaning that certain project elements could potentially involve foreign collaboration if compliant with NIH policy, even though the applicant organization itself had to be U.S.-based and eligible as a small business concern. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching, lowering the barrier to entry for small businesses that might not have substantial capital to contribute alongside federal funds.

Administratively, the program was posted and created on April 16, 2015, with an original and current closing date of September 5, 2018, and it was archived on October 6, 2018. That means it was an active solicitation for several years but is no longer open for new applications under that specific announcement. The agency listed is the National Institutes of Health, and the full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide (link provided in the source). For access or technical issues with the announcement, the contact route described is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster email addresses provided in the source text.

Overall, PAR 15-185 was designed to push forward practical, adoptable technologies for laboratory animal care and animal research facilities by leveraging the small business innovation ecosystem and the STTR collaboration model. The outcome NIH was steering applicants toward was not only better tools and devices, but also improvements that translate into real-world gains in animal welfare, facility performance, and the reliability and quality of animal-model-based research.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the official title and funding opportunity number for this grant?

The opportunity is titled "Development of Novel Tools and Devices to Support the Care of Animal Models and Animal Care Research Facilities (R41/R42)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is PAR 15-185.

Which agency offered this funding opportunity?

This was a discretionary grant program offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

What type of funding mechanism does this opportunity use?

The opportunity used the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) mechanism under the R41/R42 activity codes.

What do the R41 and R42 activity codes generally indicate?

R41 and R42 are commonly used for phased STTR awards, with R41 generally aligning with Phase I (feasibility and early prototype work) and R42 generally aligning with Phase II (further development, refinement, and steps toward commercialization or broader deployment). The provided description notes this common interpretation even though the solicitation text referenced here does not spell out the phase structure.

What was the main purpose of PAR 15-185?

The central purpose was to encourage small business concerns to partner with research institutions to develop and advance practical, technology-based solutions that improve daily laboratory animal care, strengthen animal facility operations, and support higher-quality research that relies on animal models.

What kinds of projects was NIH looking to support?

NIH was looking for tangible tools, devices, and operational technologies that can be adopted in animal facilities, including innovations that make animal handling safer and less stressful, modernize or simplify facility management, and improve the tools or conditions that support experiments using animal models in biomedical and biobehavioral research.

Was this opportunity focused on scientific discovery or on practical products?

The framing emphasizes the creation of practical, adoptable equipment, devices, and operational tools, rather than purely exploratory or academic work. The STTR focus also implies a product-oriented pathway from concept to usable technology.

How does animal welfare fit into the goals of this funding opportunity?

Animal welfare is a key theme. The opportunity emphasized tools and devices that directly benefit the well-being of research animals, such as reducing stress during handling, improving monitoring of health and behavior, and enabling better environmental control.

How does this opportunity address animal facility operations and infrastructure?

It highlights improvements to infrastructure and environmental conditions of animal facilities, including technologies that help facilities run efficiently and consistently, maintain appropriate housing conditions, and improve research quality through better standardization and control.

What research areas or category is this opportunity associated with?

The activity category listed for the FOA is Health, and it is associated with CFDA number 93.351 (Research Infrastructure Programs).

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to small businesses.

Could non-U.S. (foreign) organizations apply?

No. The FOA explicitly excluded non-U.S. (foreign) entities from applying, as well as non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations.

Are foreign components allowed in any way?

Foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, could be allowed. This means certain project elements could potentially involve foreign collaboration if compliant with NIH policy, even though the applicant organization itself had to be U.S.-based and eligible as a small business concern.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching.

When was this funding opportunity posted?

It was posted (and created) on April 16, 2015.

What was the application closing date?

The original and current closing date listed was September 5, 2018.

Is this funding opportunity still open?

No. It was archived on October 6, 2018, and is no longer open for new applications under that specific announcement.

Where was the full announcement hosted?

The full announcement was hosted through the NIH grants guide (link referenced in the source description).

Who should be contacted for access or technical issues with the announcement?

For access or technical issues, the contact route described is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster email addresses provided in the source text.

What overall outcomes was NIH aiming for through PAR 15-185?

The stated direction was to produce real-world, adoptable technologies that lead to improvements in animal welfare, facility performance, and the reliability and quality of animal-model-based research.

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