Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MD 15 009
Apply for RFA MD 15 009
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovations for Healthy Living Improving Population Health and Eliminating Health Disparities (R43)/(R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.307 Minority Health and Health Disparities Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 24, 2015 and posted on Apr 24, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 23, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- 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 "Innovations for Healthy Living: Improving Population Health and Eliminating Health Disparities (R43)/(R44)" is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding announcement that supports U.S. small businesses working on practical, commercialization-ready innovations aimed at improving population health and reducing health disparities. The core intent is to move beyond research for its own sake and instead accelerate the development of a tangible product, process, or service that can be brought to market and used in real-world settings to prevent disease, improve health, and narrow gaps in both healthcare access and health outcomes. The FOA emphasizes solutions that are not only scientifically sound, but also realistic to deploy and sustain where disparities are most pronounced.
A central theme of this opportunity is equity-focused innovation. NIH is looking for technologies or approaches that are effective, affordable, culturally acceptable, and deliverable to groups that experience persistent disadvantages in health and healthcare. The announcement specifically highlights racial and ethnic minority populations, low-income communities, and rural populations as priority beneficiaries. In practical terms, applicants are expected to demonstrate that the proposed innovation is designed with these communities in mind, including how it will be adopted, used, and maintained in settings that may face resource constraints, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, language and cultural mismatches, or limited broadband and infrastructure.
This FOA uses the SBIR grant mechanisms R43 and R44, which correspond to Phase I and Phase II of the SBIR program. Phase I (R43) typically supports early-stage feasibility work, such as proof-of-concept development, initial prototyping, and preliminary testing to show that the idea can work and is worth scaling. Phase II (R44) generally supports more advanced research and development, such as refinement of the technology, validation in relevant settings, preparation for regulatory or implementation pathways when applicable, and other steps needed to reach commercialization. Because the FOA explicitly frames the goal as commercialization, competitive applications generally need to show not only technical merit but also a credible path to market and to meaningful impact on health disparities once the innovation is deployed.
The program sits within NIH's health-related funding portfolio and is associated with CFDA number 93.307, "Minority Health and Health Disparities Research." The total estimated funding listed for this announcement is $1,000,000, with an expectation of about four awards. The funding instrument is a grant, the opportunity category is discretionary, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are not required to contribute matching funds as a condition of award.
Eligibility is limited to eligible United States small business concerns. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement may be allowable in some cases, which typically means that certain elements of the project could involve foreign work if appropriately justified and permitted under NIH policy, though the applicant organization itself must be a qualifying U.S. small business.
Key administrative details in the source information include the Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MD-15-009, with the original posting date of April 24, 2015. The closing date for applications was July 23, 2015, and the opportunity was archived on August 23, 2015. The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health. An additional information link was provided through the NIH grants guide (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MD-15-009.html). For access or technical issues with the online announcement, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV, including support for both difficulty accessing the full announcement and problems linking to it.
Overall, this FOA targets small businesses that can translate innovation into real, deployable solutions that measurably improve health and reduce inequities. Strong alignment with the FOA means demonstrating not just a novel idea, but a practical and culturally informed implementation and commercialization approach that reaches underserved communities and improves outcomes in a way that can scale.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Innovations for Healthy Living: Improving Population Health and Eliminating Health Disparities (R43)/(R44)."
Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of funding program is this?
This is an NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding opportunity using the R43 (Phase I) and R44 (Phase II) grant mechanisms.
What is the main purpose of this SBIR FOA?
The core intent is to support U.S. small businesses developing practical, commercialization-ready innovations that improve population health and reduce health disparities. The focus is on moving beyond research alone and accelerating a product, process, or service that can be deployed in real-world settings.
What kinds of outcomes is NIH looking for from funded projects?
The FOA emphasizes tangible innovations that can be brought to market and used to prevent disease, improve health, and narrow gaps in healthcare access and health outcomes. Solutions are expected to be scientifically sound and realistic to deploy and sustain where disparities are most pronounced.
What does "equity-focused innovation" mean in the context of this opportunity?
It means proposing technologies or approaches that are effective, affordable, culturally acceptable, and deliverable to groups that experience persistent disadvantages in health and healthcare. Applicants are expected to show that the innovation is designed with these communities in mind and can be adopted and maintained in resource-constrained settings.
Which populations are specifically highlighted as priority beneficiaries?
The announcement specifically highlights racial and ethnic minority populations, low-income communities, and rural populations.
What real-world barriers should applicants consider when designing solutions?
The FOA notes that priority settings may face resource constraints, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, language and cultural mismatches, and limited broadband and infrastructure. Applicants are expected to address how the innovation will be adopted, used, and maintained given these realities.
What do the R43 and R44 mechanisms correspond to?
R43 corresponds to SBIR Phase I, and R44 corresponds to SBIR Phase II.
What is typically supported in Phase I (R43)?
Phase I (R43) typically supports early-stage feasibility work such as proof-of-concept development, initial prototyping, and preliminary testing to demonstrate the idea can work and is worth scaling.
What is typically supported in Phase II (R44)?
Phase II (R44) generally supports more advanced R&D such as refining the technology, validating it in relevant settings, preparing for regulatory or implementation pathways when applicable, and other steps needed to reach commercialization.
How important is commercialization for this FOA?
Commercialization is a central goal. Competitive applications generally need to show both technical merit and a credible path to market, along with a clear plan for meaningful impact on health disparities once deployed.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The program is associated with CFDA number 93.307, "Minority Health and Health Disparities Research."
What is the total estimated funding amount and expected number of awards?
The total estimated funding is $1,000,000, with an expectation of about four awards.
What is the funding instrument and opportunity category?
The funding instrument is a grant, and the opportunity category is discretionary.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this opportunity.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to eligible United States small business concerns.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply.
Are any foreign activities allowed under this FOA?
Foreign components (as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement) may be allowable in some cases, typically meaning certain elements of a project could involve foreign work if appropriately justified and permitted under NIH policy. The applicant organization itself must still be a qualifying U.S. small business.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-MD-15-009.
When was this opportunity originally posted?
The original posting date was April 24, 2015.
What was the application closing date?
The closing date for applications was July 23, 2015.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on August 23, 2015.
Where can I find the official NIH grants guide link for this FOA?
The additional information link provided is http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MD-15-009.html.
Who should be contacted for access or technical issues with the online announcement?
For difficulty accessing the full announcement or problems linking to it, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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