Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RR 11 005
Apply for RFA RR 11 005
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Instrument Development for Biomedical Applications (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.389 National Center for Research Resources.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 12, 2011 and posted on Jul 12, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 11, 2011. (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.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $125,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts County governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments City or township governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Instrument Development for Biomedical Applications (R21) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA RR 11 005) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant solicitation issued through the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). Its purpose was to support innovative, early-stage projects focused on developing new instrumentation or significantly improving existing instruments for biomedical research. A central theme of the announcement was broad utility: proposed instruments were expected to be useful to a wide range of biomedical and/or clinical researchers rather than being tightly tailored to one specific organ system, disease area, or narrowly defined application. In practical terms, applicants needed to make a strong case that the tool would have cross-cutting value across multiple research contexts and could enable or accelerate discovery in more than one field or user community.
This funding opportunity used the NIH R21 mechanism, which is generally aimed at exploratory and developmental research. Within that spirit, the program emphasized innovation in instrument development, meaning the work should go beyond routine purchasing, minor upgrades, or straightforward engineering that does not substantially change capability. The announcement sought projects where the main deliverable was an instrument or instrument platform that advances what researchers can measure, image, manipulate, or analyze in biomedical studies. The intended outcome was an enabling technology that expands research capacity, improves performance (such as sensitivity, resolution, throughput, speed, reliability, or usability), or opens new measurement capabilities that were previously impractical or unavailable.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary grant program in the Education and Health activity category, associated with CFDA number 93.389 (National Center for Research Resources). The opportunity was posted on July 12, 2011, with an original and final application due date of October 11, 2011. It was later archived on November 11, 2011, meaning it was time-limited and no longer active after that period. The announcement listed an estimated total funding amount of $1,000,000 and an award ceiling of $125,000. It also explicitly stated that cost sharing or matching was not required, reducing the need for applicants to secure non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants included public and private institutions of higher education, state governments, county and city/township governments, independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a wide range of nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as specified). For-profit entities were eligible as well, including small businesses and other for-profit organizations. Tribal eligibility included federally recognized Native American tribal governments and certain other tribal organizations, along with tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs). The announcement also called out additional eligible categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and eligible federal agencies. At the same time, it clearly excluded foreign institutions: non-U.S. entities were not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible, reinforcing that awards were intended for domestic applicants and domestically performed work.
For applicants, the most important strategic takeaway from this opportunity was the emphasis on instrument development that enables biomedical research broadly. A strong proposal under this announcement would typically describe a clear unmet need in research instrumentation, explain how the proposed development would overcome a current technical limitation, and demonstrate why the resulting tool would be applicable across multiple biomedical or clinical research areas. It would also usually outline a credible development plan, including design and prototyping approach, performance targets and evaluation methods, and a path toward adoption by a broader community of researchers. In other words, the program was less about answering a single biological question and more about creating the instrument capability that helps many researchers answer many different questions.
The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants website at the listed Additional Information link (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa files/RFA RR 11 005.html). For access or technical issues related to the electronic posting, the contact point provided was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Instrument Development for Biomedical Applications (R21).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA RR 11 005.
Which federal agency and NIH center issued this solicitation?
This solicitation was issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR).
What was the main purpose of this opportunity?
The purpose was to support innovative, early-stage projects that develop new instrumentation or make significant improvements to existing instruments for biomedical research.
What kind of projects was this program trying to fund?
The program sought projects where the primary deliverable is an instrument or instrument platform that advances what researchers can measure, image, manipulate, or analyze. The intended outcome was an enabling technology that expands research capabilities or improves performance (for example: sensitivity, resolution, throughput, speed, reliability, or usability), or enables measurement capabilities that were previously impractical or unavailable.
What does "broad utility" mean in this announcement?
A central theme was that the proposed instrument should be useful to a wide range of biomedical and/or clinical researchers. Applicants were expected to justify cross-cutting value across multiple research contexts, rather than building a tool tightly tailored to a single organ system, disease area, or narrowly defined application.
What funding mechanism did this opportunity use?
This opportunity used the NIH R21 mechanism, which is generally intended for exploratory and developmental research.
How innovative did the instrument development need to be?
The announcement emphasized innovation in instrument development and indicated that supported work should go beyond routine purchasing, minor upgrades, or straightforward engineering that does not substantially change capability. Projects were expected to result in a meaningful advance in instrument capability or performance.
What activity category was associated with this grant program?
The program was described as a discretionary grant in the Education and Health activity category.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The associated CFDA number was 93.389 (National Center for Research Resources).
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on July 12, 2011.
What were the application due dates?
The original and final application due date listed was October 11, 2011.
Is this funding opportunity still active?
No. The opportunity was archived on November 11, 2011, indicating it was time-limited and is no longer active after that period.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The announcement listed an estimated total funding amount of $1,000,000.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling stated in the announcement was $125,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement explicitly stated that cost sharing or matching was not required.
What types of organizations were eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included many U.S.-based entities, such as:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Independent school districts
- Special district governments
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as specified)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profit entities)
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and certain other tribal organizations
- Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
- Hispanic-serving Institutions
- Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Regional organizations
- U.S. territories or possessions
- Eligible federal agencies
Were foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. The announcement clearly excluded foreign institutions: non-U.S. entities were not eligible, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible.
Did the announcement emphasize where the work should be performed?
Yes. By excluding non-U.S. entities and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations, the announcement reinforced that awards were intended for domestic applicants and domestically performed work.
What was the most important strategic emphasis for applicants?
The key emphasis was instrument development that broadly enables biomedical research. Strong applications would typically demonstrate an unmet instrumentation need, show how the proposed tool overcomes a technical limitation, and explain why the instrument would benefit multiple research areas and user communities.
What elements would a strong proposal typically include (based on the announcement's focus)?
Based on the description provided, a strong proposal would usually include:
- A clear description of an unmet need in biomedical research instrumentation
- An explanation of the technical limitation being addressed and how the new or improved instrument would overcome it
- A strong case for broad utility across multiple biomedical or clinical research areas
- A credible development plan (design and prototyping approach)
- Defined performance targets (for example: sensitivity, resolution, throughput, speed, reliability, usability)
- Evaluation methods to test whether performance targets are met
- A path toward broader adoption by the research community
Was this opportunity intended to fund a single biological research question?
The emphasis described was less about answering a single biological question and more about creating an instrument capability that helps many researchers answer many different questions across multiple fields or applications.
Where was the full announcement posted?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants website at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa_files/RFA_RR_11_005.html
Who was listed as the contact for access or technical issues with the electronic posting?
For access or technical issues related to the electronic posting, the contact point provided was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA RR 11 005) also looked into and applied for these:
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| Gene Environment Interplay in Substance Use Disorders (R01) Apply for PA 11 235 Funding Number: PA 11 235 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Gene Environment Interplay in Substance Use Disorders (R21) Apply for PA 11 236 Funding Number: PA 11 236 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Gene Environment Interplay in Substance Use Disorders (R03) Apply for PA 11 237 Funding Number: PA 11 237 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Social and Behavioral Research on the Elderly in Disasters (R01) Apply for PA 11 263 Funding Number: PA 11 263 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Social and Behavioral Research on the Elderly in Disasters (R21) Apply for PA 11 265 Funding Number: PA 11 265 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Alliance of Glycobiologists for Detection of Cancer (U01) Apply for RFA CA 11 009 Funding Number: RFA CA 11 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| 2012 NIDA Translational Avant Garde Award for Medication Development for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders (DP1) Apply for RFA DA 12 010 Funding Number: RFA DA 12 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Pre Application for the 2012 NIDA Translational Avant Garde Award for Medication Development for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders (X02) Apply for PAR 11 269 Funding Number: PAR 11 269 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Pre Application for the FY12 NIDA Avant Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS Research (X02) Apply for PAR 11 256 Funding Number: PAR 11 256 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY12 NIDA Avant Garde Award Program for HIV/AIDS Research (DP1) Apply for RFA DA 12 011 Funding Number: RFA DA 12 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) (P20) Apply for PAR 11 286 Funding Number: PAR 11 286 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Pilot studies in Pancreatic Cancer (R21) Apply for PA 11 297 Funding Number: PA 11 297 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Pilot studies in Pancreatic Cancer (R03) Apply for PA 11 298 Funding Number: PA 11 298 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R03) Apply for PA 11 313 Funding Number: PA 11 313 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R01) Apply for PA 11 311 Funding Number: PA 11 311 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R21) Apply for PA 11 312 Funding Number: PA 11 312 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Human Health and Heredity in Africa (H3Africa) Research Grants (U01) Apply for RFA RM 11 009 Funding Number: RFA RM 11 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $275,000 |
| Scalable Assays for Unbiased In Vitro Analysis of Neurobiological Function (R21/R33) Apply for PAR 11 319 Funding Number: PAR 11 319 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions (R21) Apply for RFA CA 11 012 Funding Number: RFA CA 11 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research Answers to NCIs Provocative Questions (R01) Apply for RFA CA 11 011 Funding Number: RFA CA 11 011 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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