Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OD 12 003

  • The National Institutes of Health in the education environment food and nutrition health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Small Business Alzheimers Disease Research (SBIRR43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 93.136 Injury Prevention and Control Research and State and Community Based Programs 93.172 Human Genome Research 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.213 Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.307 Minority Health and Health Disparities Research 93.350 National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences 93.351 Research Infrastructure Programs 93.361 Nursing Research 93.389 National Center for Research Resources 93.393 Cancer Cause and Prevention Research 93.394 Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research 93.395 Cancer Treatment Research 93.396 Cancer Biology Research 93.399 Cancer Control 93.837 Cardiovascular Diseases Research 93.838 Lung Diseases Research 93.839 Blood Diseases and Resources Research 93.846 Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research 93.847 Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research 93.856 Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research 93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research 93.866 Aging Research 93.867 Vision Research 93.879 Medical Library Assistance.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Feb 29, 2012 and posted on Feb 29, 2012.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2012. (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.
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Opportunity Summary:

The Small Business Alzheimers Disease Research funding opportunity (SBIR R43/R44), listed as RFA-OD-12-003, was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant announcement designed to bring small businesses directly into the push to accelerate Alzheimers disease research. It was released in the context of a larger federal commitment: on February 7, 2012, the Secretary of Health and Human Services announced that $50 million would be directed immediately in FY2012 to strengthen Alzheimers research efforts following the signing of the National Alzheimers Project Act. This particular solicitation focused that momentum into the SBIR pipeline, aiming to convert innovative ideas from eligible small companies into concrete research-and-development projects with clear scientific and ultimately clinical value.

At its core, the opportunity invited SBIR applications from eligible small business concerns working on Alzheimers disease. The scope was intentionally broad, reflecting the reality that meaningful progress against Alzheimers requires advances at multiple stages of the research continuum. Projects could include basic science investigating the underlying biology of the disease, including molecular mechanisms and genetics, as well as more applied work that moves discoveries toward real-world use. The announcement explicitly anticipated translational and clinical research, especially efforts tied to the development, refinement, and testing of potential therapies. In practice, that meant the program could support everything from identifying novel targets and biomarkers to building or validating enabling technologies, and from proof-of-concept therapeutic development through steps that prepare a candidate for clinical evaluation.

The funding instrument was a grant under the SBIR mechanism, specifically R43/R44, which generally corresponds to Phase I and Phase II small business innovation research activities. While the source text does not spell out the phase structure, the R43/R44 labeling signals NIHs intent to support early feasibility work and follow-on development that positions an innovation for more advanced R&D and, ideally, commercialization. The overall intent was to leverage small businesses as engines of rapid innovation, bridging the gap between academic discovery and deployable solutions such as drugs, biologics, diagnostics, devices, digital tools, or research platforms that could improve prevention, detection, or treatment of Alzheimers disease.

Administratively, the opportunity was posted and created on February 29, 2012, with an original and current closing date of April 30, 2012, and an archive date of May 31, 2012, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation. The estimated total funding amount listed for the opportunity was $2,000,000, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which is typical for many NIH research grant mechanisms and lowers barriers for small firms that may not have substantial non-federal capital available for early-stage work.

Eligibility was limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules and the program objective of stimulating technological innovation in the private sector. The activity and topical categorization was mapped across a wide range of CFDA numbers spanning health and biomedical research domains, including aging research, neurosciences and neurological disorders, mental health, genomics, translational sciences, and many others. That broad CFDA mapping reflects how Alzheimers intersects with multiple NIH institutes and scientific disciplines, and it also signals that the agency expected diverse approaches, from fundamental disease mechanisms to enabling tools and applied interventions.

For applicants or members of the public needing help accessing the full announcement, NIH provided technical assistance contacts through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster. An additional information link was provided to the NIH grants guide page for the RFA, where the full requirements, application instructions, and any institute-specific considerations would have been detailed.

In summary, RFA-OD-12-003 was a targeted NIH SBIR grant opportunity meant to harness small business innovation to advance Alzheimers disease research during a period of increased federal investment. It supported a wide spectrum of Alzheimers-related R&D, from basic biology and genetics through translational and clinical development aimed at therapies, and it offered funding without a matching requirement, with an estimated total program funding level of $2 million for that solicitation cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Small Business Alzheimer's Disease Research (SBIR R43/R44) - RFA-OD-12-003

What is RFA-OD-12-003?

RFA-OD-12-003 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary funding opportunity announcement for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants focused on Alzheimer's disease research. It is titled "Small Business Alzheimer's Disease Research" and uses the SBIR R43/R44 grant mechanisms.

What is the purpose of this SBIR funding opportunity?

The purpose is to bring eligible small businesses directly into efforts to accelerate Alzheimer's disease research by supporting research-and-development projects with clear scientific value and potential clinical impact. The announcement emphasizes moving innovative ideas from small companies into concrete R&D projects that can advance prevention, detection, or treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Who is the sponsoring agency?

The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The opportunity also references support and posting through NIH's Office of Extramural Research (OER) resources.

Is this opportunity connected to a broader federal Alzheimer's initiative?

Yes. The opportunity was released in the context of a larger federal commitment announced on February 7, 2012, when the Secretary of Health and Human Services stated that $50 million would be directed immediately in FY2012 to strengthen Alzheimer's research efforts following the signing of the National Alzheimer's Project Act.

What types of projects does the solicitation support?

The scope is intentionally broad and covers multiple stages of the research continuum in Alzheimer's disease. Supported projects may include basic science, translational research, and clinical research, particularly work tied to the development, refinement, and testing of potential therapies.

Does the funding support basic research on Alzheimer's biology and genetics?

Yes. The opportunity includes basic science projects investigating underlying biology, including molecular mechanisms and genetics related to Alzheimer's disease.

Does the opportunity support translational and clinical research?

Yes. The announcement explicitly anticipates translational and clinical research, especially efforts connected to developing, refining, and testing potential therapies.

What are examples of activities that could fit within the program scope?

Based on the description, the scope could include identifying novel targets and biomarkers, building or validating enabling technologies, and conducting proof-of-concept therapeutic development through steps that prepare a candidate for clinical evaluation.

What kinds of outputs or solutions is NIH trying to encourage through this SBIR?

The opportunity aims to bridge the gap between discovery and deployable solutions. Examples mentioned include drugs, biologics, diagnostics, devices, digital tools, or research platforms that could improve prevention, detection, or treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

What funding mechanism is used?

This is an SBIR grant opportunity using the NIH R43/R44 mechanisms, which generally correspond to Phase I and Phase II small business innovation research activities.

What do R43 and R44 imply about the project stages?

While the provided text does not spell out the phase structure, the R43/R44 labeling signals NIH's intent to support early feasibility work and follow-on development that positions an innovation for more advanced R&D and, ideally, commercialization.

How much funding is available?

The estimated total funding amount listed for the opportunity is $2,000,000 for that solicitation cycle.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity indicates there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules and the program objective of stimulating technological innovation in the private sector.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted and created on February 29, 2012. The original and current closing date is listed as April 30, 2012.

Is this a time-limited solicitation, and is it archived?

Yes. It is described as a time-limited solicitation, and an archive date of May 31, 2012 is provided.

Which research areas or NIH domains does this opportunity relate to?

The opportunity is mapped across a wide range of CFDA numbers spanning health and biomedical research domains. The description specifically mentions areas such as aging research, neurosciences and neurological disorders, mental health, genomics, translational sciences, and others, reflecting how Alzheimer's intersects with multiple NIH institutes and disciplines.

Does the opportunity require projects to focus only on one discipline?

No. The broad CFDA mapping and the wide scope suggest NIH expected diverse approaches, ranging from fundamental disease mechanisms to enabling tools and applied interventions.

Where can applicants find the full announcement and official instructions?

An additional information link was provided to the NIH grants guide page for the RFA, where the full requirements, application instructions, and any institute-specific considerations would have been detailed.

Who can help if someone has trouble accessing the announcement or needs technical assistance?

NIH provided technical assistance contacts through the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster for help accessing the full announcement.

What is the overall goal of NIH in using SBIR for Alzheimer's research here?

The overall goal is to leverage small businesses as engines of rapid innovation to accelerate Alzheimer's disease R&D and help convert promising innovations into projects that can progress toward clinical value and potential commercialization.

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