Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HG 15 033
Apply for RFA HG 15 033
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development (R43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.172 Human Genome Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 17, 2015 and posted on Aug 17, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 27, 2017. (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.
- 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity titled "Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development (R43/R44)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HG-15-033) is an NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitation aimed at pushing nucleic acid sequencing beyond current mainstream approaches. It is run under the National Institutes of Health, specifically aligned with the Human Genome Research program area (CFDA 93.172), and it supports small businesses that want to create genuinely new sequencing capabilities for DNA and direct RNA sequencing. The emphasis is on technology development that opens up new ways of reading genetic material, especially approaches that could change what is technically possible rather than simply refining incremental aspects of existing methods.
The scientific focus is on novel sequencing technologies, with a strong preference for ideas that are not already widely used in current commercial platforms. Applicants can propose a full end-to-end sequencing system, meaning an integrated platform that could plausibly become a functioning sequencing instrument or workflow. They can also focus on key components that would enable such systems, such as new sensing modalities, new enzyme or pore concepts, new library preparation paradigms, novel chemistries, improved signal processing, or other foundational elements that address major bottlenecks. A third path is proposing major upgrades to existing systems, but the bar is intentionally high: the FOA calls for improvements of at least an order of magnitude, which generally implies about a tenfold leap in a meaningful performance measure (for example, throughput, read length, accuracy, cost per base, speed, sample requirements, or another core metric relevant to sequencing). The announcement explicitly welcomes high-risk, high-payoff projects, signaling that unconventional ideas and ambitious technical leaps are not only acceptable but are considered appropriate for meeting the goals of the program.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant program using the SBIR mechanisms R43 and R44, which correspond to the typical SBIR phased structure (R43 often aligned with early feasibility and R44 aligned with later-stage development and commercialization-oriented advancement). The estimated total funding indicated in the source information is $2,000,000, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which is consistent with many NIH SBIR opportunities. The opportunity was posted and created on August 17, 2015, with an original and current closing date listed as August 27, 2017, and an archive date of September 27, 2017, meaning it is no longer open but remains accessible for reference and historical context.
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, which is standard for SBIR. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. However, the notice indicates that foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement may be allowed in some cases, which typically means certain project elements could be performed outside the U.S. if strongly justified, while the applicant organization itself must remain eligible as a U.S. small business. The overall intent is to keep the center of gravity of the project within an SBIR-eligible domestic small business while still allowing limited foreign involvement when scientifically necessary and compliant with NIH policy.
In practical terms, the FOA is designed for small companies working on next-generation sequencing breakthroughs, including entirely new physics or biochemistry for base calling, direct RNA sequencing innovations (which can bypass reverse transcription and may preserve RNA modifications and isoform information), and system-level designs that could reshape speed, cost, portability, or data quality. The strongest conceptual fit is a project that clearly identifies a key limitation in current sequencing (or a capability gap, like better direct RNA readouts) and proposes a credible, testable path to a radically better solution, even if the engineering and validation are difficult and the outcome uncertain.
For the full announcement details, including any specific NIH requirements, review criteria, budgets, and submission instructions that were in effect during the active period, the additional information link provided is: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HG-15-033.html. If there are access or linking issues, the contact point listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled "Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development (R43/R44)" and the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is RFA-HG-15-033.
Which agency and program area run this opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitation aligned with the Human Genome Research program area. The CFDA program area is listed as 93.172.
What is the main purpose of this SBIR opportunity?
The focus is on pushing nucleic acid sequencing beyond current mainstream approaches by supporting small businesses developing genuinely new sequencing capabilities for DNA and direct RNA sequencing. The emphasis is on technology development that could change what is technically possible, not just incremental refinements of existing methods.
What types of sequencing technologies are being sought?
The scientific focus is on novel sequencing technologies, with a strong preference for approaches that are not already widely used in current commercial sequencing platforms.
Does the opportunity support direct RNA sequencing?
Yes. The solicitation explicitly supports new capabilities for DNA and direct RNA sequencing.
Are high-risk, high-payoff ideas appropriate for this funding call?
Yes. The announcement explicitly welcomes high-risk, high-payoff projects, meaning unconventional ideas and ambitious technical leaps are considered appropriate for the program’s goals.
What kinds of project scopes are allowed (full system vs. components)?
Applicants may propose: (1) an end-to-end sequencing system (an integrated platform that could plausibly become a functioning sequencing instrument or workflow), (2) key components that enable such a system (such as new sensing modalities, enzyme or pore concepts, library preparation paradigms, chemistries, or signal processing), or (3) major upgrades to existing systems, provided the improvement bar is met.
What are examples of "key components" that could be proposed?
Examples described include new sensing modalities, novel enzyme or pore concepts, new library preparation paradigms, novel chemistries, improved signal processing, and other foundational elements that address major sequencing bottlenecks.
Can applicants propose improvements to existing sequencing systems?
Yes, but the bar is intentionally high. The FOA calls for improvements of at least an order of magnitude, which generally means about a tenfold leap in a meaningful sequencing performance measure.
What does "order of magnitude improvement" mean in this FOA?
In this context it generally implies about a tenfold improvement in a meaningful metric, such as throughput, read length, accuracy, cost per base, speed, sample requirements, or another core sequencing metric.
What funding mechanism is used?
This is an NIH SBIR solicitation using the R43 and R44 mechanisms, corresponding to the typical SBIR phased structure (R43 often aligned with early feasibility; R44 aligned with later-stage development and commercialization-oriented advancement).
Is this a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The source information describes it as a discretionary grant program using SBIR mechanisms.
What is the estimated total funding amount listed for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding indicated in the provided information is $2,000,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The information provided states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR requirements.
Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible, based on the information provided.
Are any foreign components allowed at all?
The notice indicates that foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) may be allowed in some cases. This typically means certain project elements could be performed outside the U.S. if strongly justified and compliant with NIH policy, while the applicant organization must still be an eligible U.S. small business.
Is this opportunity currently open for applications?
No. The opportunity is no longer open. The provided information lists an original and current closing date of August 27, 2017, and an archive date of September 27, 2017.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted and created on August 17, 2015.
Where can I find the full FOA announcement details?
The full announcement details are available at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HG-15-033.html.
Who do I contact if I have trouble accessing the FOA link?
The contact point listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
What kinds of breakthroughs is this FOA trying to enable?
It is designed for small companies working on next-generation sequencing breakthroughs, including entirely new physics or biochemistry for base calling, direct RNA sequencing innovations, and system-level designs that could reshape speed, cost, portability, or data quality.
What makes a project a strong conceptual fit, based on the description provided?
A strong fit is a project that clearly identifies a key limitation in current sequencing (or a capability gap such as improved direct RNA readouts) and lays out a credible, testable path to a radically better solution, even if the engineering and validation are difficult and the outcome is uncertain.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Institutes of Health
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: SBIR/STTR FY 2016 Phase I Release 1
Previous opportunity: The ZRDA Activity in Georgia
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA HG 15 033
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA HG 15 033) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Integrated Preclinical/Clinical AIDS Vaccine Development Program (IPCAVD) (U19) Apply for PAR 15 330 Funding Number: PAR 15 330 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Impact Evaluation of Combination HIV Prevention Intervention in Botswana under PEPFAR Apply for RFA GH 16 002 Funding Number: RFA GH 16 002 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $8,729,606 |
| Strengthening and Expanding HIV/AIDS Surveillance, Prevention, Care and Support Services Targeting Vulnerable Populations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Apply for CDC RFA PS10 101705CONT16 Funding Number: CDC RFA PS10 101705CONT16 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Partnering with the Ministry of Health of Vietnam to Build a Sustainable System for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care, and Treatment in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam under the President s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Apply for CDC RFA GH13 130403CONT16 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH13 130403CONT16 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development (R01) Apply for RFA HG 15 032 Funding Number: RFA HG 15 032 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| Novel Nucleic Acid Sequencing Technology Development (R21) Apply for RFA HG 15 031 Funding Number: RFA HG 15 031 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Limited Competition Alzheimers Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, ADNI (U19) Apply for RFA AG 16 019 Funding Number: RFA AG 16 019 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $12,000,000 |
| Immunization and Vaccines for Children Program Apply for CDC RFA IP13 130104CONT16 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP13 130104CONT16 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PPHF 2015 Immunization Utilization of Immunization Information Systems (IIS) for Assessment, Feedback, Apply for CDC RFA IP15 1505PPHF15 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP15 1505PPHF15 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Health and Hygiene Activity Apply for RFA 367 15 000002 Funding Number: RFA 367 15 000002 Agency: Nepal USAID Kathmandu Category: Health Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| World Health Organization Expanding Efforts and Strategies to Prevent and Control TB Including Multidrug Resistant TB, and TB in Vulnerable Populations Apply for CDC RFA PS14 141202CONT16 Funding Number: CDC RFA PS14 141202CONT16 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Imaging Diagnostics of Dental Diseases and Conditions (Caries, Periodontal Disease, Cracked Teeth, and Pulp Vitality) (R43/R44) Apply for PA 15 335 Funding Number: PA 15 335 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Imaging Diagnostics of Dental Diseases and Conditions (Caries, Periodontal Disease, Cracked Teeth, and Pulp Vitality) (R41/R42) Apply for PA 15 336 Funding Number: PA 15 336 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NEI Audacious Goal Initiative Discovery based Science to Identify factors Influencing Neural Regeneration in the Visual System (U01) Apply for RFA EY 15 002 Funding Number: RFA EY 15 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Chemistry, Toxicology, and Addiction Research on Waterpipe Tobacco (R01) Apply for RFA OD 15 005 Funding Number: RFA OD 15 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Global Health Security Partnership Engagement Expanding Efforts and Strategies to Protect and Improve Public Health Globally Apply for CDC RFA GH15 162101SUPP15 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH15 162101SUPP15 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Population Based Surveillance of Birth Defects and Data Utilization for Public Health Action Apply for CDC RFA DD16 1601 Funding Number: CDC RFA DD16 1601 Agency: NCBDDD Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| NINDS Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research (K22) Apply for PAR 15 338 Funding Number: PAR 15 338 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Abuse Liability Associated with Reduced Nicotine Content Tobacco Products (R01) Apply for RFA OD 15 006 Funding Number: RFA OD 15 006 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Rape Prevention and Education Apply for CDC RFA CE14 140103CONT16 Funding Number: CDC RFA CE14 140103CONT16 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA HG 15 033", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.