Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DC 12 004
Apply for RFA DC 12 004
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improving Access to Hearing Health Care (SBIR) R43/R44" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 21, 2013 and posted on Oct 26, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 1, 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 $2,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity "Improving Access to Hearing Health Care (SBIR) R43/R44" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DC-12-004) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding announcement aimed at small business concerns that want to develop, test, and move toward real-world use of technologies that improve hearing health care outcomes. The core theme is not just inventing something new in hearing technology, but translating that innovation into practical tools, devices, services, or delivery approaches that people will actually use in everyday clinical or community settings.
A key requirement of this opportunity is that proposed projects must directly address gaps in access and utilization for underserved patient populations, with the explicit goal of reducing health disparities. In other words, applications are expected to focus on why many people who could benefit from hearing health care do not receive it (or do not continue using it), and to propose technology-driven solutions that make care easier to obtain, more affordable, more acceptable culturally and linguistically, or more feasible in low-resource environments. The NIH is signaling that an application is only responsive if it is designed to increase the use of hearing health care technology by underserved groups, rather than simply improving performance for people who already have good access to audiology services.
This is a discretionary grant program under the SBIR mechanism, using the R43/R44 activity codes (generally aligned with SBIR Phase I and Phase II). Phase I (R43) typically supports early-stage feasibility, prototype development, and proof-of-concept work, while Phase II (R44) generally supports further R and D, refinement, validation, and steps toward commercialization and broader implementation. The funding instrument is a grant (not a contract), and it falls under CFDA 93.173, "Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders," which is associated with NIH efforts to advance research and solutions for hearing and communication challenges. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which reduces the burden on small businesses that may not have large reserves of capital.
The eligible applicants are limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules. The overall estimated total funding amount listed for the announcement is $2,000,000, and the stated award ceiling is $150,000 (often interpreted as a cap relevant to a specific phase or budget period, depending on the NIH budget guidance and how the FOA is structured). The opportunity category is discretionary, meaning funding decisions are made through the competitive NIH peer review and award process rather than being entitlement-based.
From a timing and administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted on October 26, 2011, and shows an original closing date of October 22, 2013, with a current closing date of November 1, 2013. The archive date is December 1, 2013, indicating that the solicitation is historical and no longer accepting applications after that period. Even though the specific dates are in the past, the FOA is still a useful reference point for understanding how NIH frames hearing access and disparity reduction priorities within SBIR, and it can help applicants model future proposals to similar NIH solicitations.
In practical terms, competitive projects under this FOA would be expected to demonstrate a clear line of sight from innovation to adoption: identifying the underserved population(s) being targeted, describing the real barriers to hearing health care technology use, and showing how the proposed technology or delivery model reduces those barriers. That could include approaches that simplify screening and assessment, support remote or community-based service delivery, reduce total cost of ownership, improve usability for older adults or people with limited digital literacy, integrate language access features, or otherwise increase consistent use and follow-through. The emphasis on "development and translation" also implies that NIH is looking for work that moves beyond basic research into productization, implementation planning, and evidence generation that supports uptake in real settings.
For applicants needing the full official details, NIH provided an additional information link to the archived FOA text at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DC-12-004.html. For technical issues accessing the announcement or linking problems, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Improving Access to Hearing Health Care (SBIR) R43/R44" opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding opportunity focused on developing, testing, and translating technologies that improve hearing health care outcomes in ways that can be used in real-world clinical or community settings.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DC-12-004.
What is the main purpose or theme of this SBIR opportunity?
The central purpose is translation: moving hearing-related innovations beyond invention and into practical tools, devices, services, or delivery approaches that people will actually use in everyday settings. The focus is on improving access and utilization, especially for underserved populations.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are limited to small business concerns, consistent with SBIR eligibility rules.
What types of projects are considered responsive to the opportunity?
Projects are expected to directly address gaps in access and utilization of hearing health care technology for underserved patient populations, with an explicit aim to reduce health disparities. A responsive project is designed to increase use of hearing health care technology by underserved groups, not only improve performance for people who already have good access to audiology services.
What does the FOA mean by "underserved patient populations" and "reducing health disparities"?
Based on the announcement description, the expectation is that applicants identify groups who face barriers to obtaining or continuing to use hearing health care, and propose technology-driven solutions that make care more obtainable, affordable, culturally and linguistically acceptable, or feasible in low-resource environments, with the goal of reducing disparity in outcomes and utilization.
Does the project have to focus on access and utilization, or can it focus only on better technology performance?
The emphasis is on access and utilization for underserved groups. The announcement indicates that an application is only responsive if it is designed to increase the use of hearing health care technology by underserved populations, rather than simply improving performance for those who already have good access.
What SBIR mechanisms (activity codes) are used in this opportunity?
This opportunity uses NIH SBIR activity codes R43 and R44, which are generally aligned with SBIR Phase I and Phase II.
What is the difference between Phase I (R43) and Phase II (R44) under this opportunity?
Phase I (R43) typically supports early-stage feasibility work such as prototype development and proof-of-concept. Phase II (R44) generally supports further research and development, refinement, validation, and steps toward commercialization and broader implementation.
Is this funding a grant or a contract?
The funding instrument is a grant, not a contract.
Is this a discretionary or entitlement program?
It is a discretionary program. Funding decisions are made through the competitive NIH peer review and award process.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing is 93.173, titled "Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders."
How much total funding is estimated for this announcement?
The overall estimated total funding amount listed is $2,000,000.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The stated award ceiling is $150,000. The announcement notes that this is often interpreted as a cap relevant to a specific phase or budget period depending on NIH budget guidance and how the FOA is structured.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting date listed is October 26, 2011.
What are the closing dates for this FOA?
The opportunity shows an original closing date of October 22, 2013, and a current closing date of November 1, 2013.
Is this funding opportunity still accepting applications?
No. The archive date is December 1, 2013, indicating the solicitation is historical and no longer accepting applications after that period.
If the FOA is archived, why might it still be useful?
Even though the dates are in the past, it can still serve as a reference for how NIH frames SBIR priorities around hearing health care access and disparity reduction, and it can help applicants model future proposals to similar NIH solicitations.
What kinds of barriers is NIH expecting applicants to address?
The description highlights barriers that prevent people from receiving or continuing to use hearing health care, and points to solutions that make care easier to obtain, more affordable, more culturally and linguistically acceptable, or feasible in low-resource environments.
What kinds of solutions does the FOA suggest could be relevant?
Examples described include technology or delivery approaches that simplify screening and assessment, support remote or community-based service delivery, reduce total cost of ownership, improve usability for older adults or people with limited digital literacy, integrate language access features, or otherwise increase consistent use and follow-through.
What does NIH mean by "development and translation" in this context?
It implies moving beyond basic research into productization, implementation planning, and evidence generation that supports real-world uptake in everyday clinical or community settings.
What should a competitive proposal be able to show?
The FOA description emphasizes a clear line of sight from innovation to adoption: (1) identifying the underserved population(s) being targeted, (2) describing real barriers to hearing health care technology use, and (3) explaining how the proposed technology or delivery model reduces those barriers in practice.
Where can applicants find the official archived FOA text?
The NIH archived FOA is available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DC-12-004.html
Who is listed as a contact for technical issues accessing the announcement?
For technical issues or linking problems, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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