Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 16 006
Apply for RFA HD 16 006
- The National Institutes of Health in the health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tools for Assessment and Improvement of Neurologic Outcomes (R41/R42)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 12, 2015 and posted on Aug 12, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 10, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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 NIH grant opportunity titled "Tools for Assessment and Improvement of Neurologic Outcomes (R41/R42)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HD-16-006) was a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitation designed to push forward practical, clinically useful technologies that can better diagnose neurologic problems, guide interventions, and ultimately improve outcomes for vulnerable pregnancies and infants. The focus is specifically on situations where there is already a known neurologic disease affecting a fetus or infant, as well as cases where infants are considered at high risk for neurologic complications. In other words, the FOA is aimed at translating scientific ideas into real-world tools that clinicians and caregivers could use to identify risk earlier, make better treatment decisions, and track whether interventions are working during pregnancy, at birth, or in early infancy.
This was a discretionary grant program under the NIH, and the activity mechanism was the STTR phased award structure using the R41/R42 mechanisms. In practice, that means applicants were expected to propose a development pathway that often starts with feasibility and proof-of-concept work (Phase I, R41) and, if successful, advances into more robust research and development and validation work (Phase II, R42). The STTR structure also implies a formal collaboration between a U.S. small business concern and a nonprofit research institution, reflecting NIH's intention to couple academic or clinical research strengths with commercial development capabilities so that promising innovations have a clearer path to deployment and eventual adoption.
From a topic standpoint, the FOA centered on "tools and technology" for three broad purposes: assessment/diagnosis, intervention support, and outcome improvement/monitoring in the context of perinatal and infant neurology. While the announcement text in the provided excerpt is brief, it clearly signals an interest in technologies that could impact neurologic outcomes around pregnancy and early life, which commonly includes areas like early detection of neurologic injury or developmental risk, better monitoring during high-risk pregnancies, tools that help clinicians stratify which infants need urgent follow-up, and technologies that enable earlier or more targeted interventions. The driving idea is that earlier, more accurate assessment and better-tailored interventions can change long-term trajectories for infants who might otherwise experience permanent disability or serious developmental complications.
Administratively, the awarding agency was the National Institutes of Health, and the program was listed under CFDA 93.865 (Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research), which aligns it closely with NICHD's mission area. The funding instrument type was a grant, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to bring a formal matching contribution to be eligible. The opportunity was posted on August 12, 2015, with an original and current closing date of December 10, 2015, and it was later archived on January 10, 2016, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation rather than a permanently open, standing program announcement.
Eligibility was restricted to small businesses, consistent with STTR rules. The FOA explicitly stated that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions were not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible to apply. However, it left room for "foreign components" as defined by NIH policy to potentially be included, which typically refers to specific parts of a project that may occur outside the United States when scientifically justified and allowable under NIH rules, even though the primary applicant organization must be U.S.-based and eligible.
For applicants seeking the full details at the time, NIH provided an official guide notice link (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-16-006.html). The contact pathway included the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster emails for access or linking issues, which is typical for NIH postings and reflects that programmatic questions would generally be handled through the FOA's listed scientific/research contacts in the full announcement, while technical access issues were routed to OER support.
Overall, RFA-HD-16-006 can be understood as an NIH effort to stimulate commercially oriented, research-driven development of perinatal and infant neurology technologies, using the STTR model to bridge lab-to-market gaps and encourage partnerships that can convert promising concepts into deployable tools that improve early neurologic diagnosis, guide interventions, and support better outcomes for high-risk infants and pregnancies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this NIH grant?
The opportunity is titled "Tools for Assessment and Improvement of Neurologic Outcomes (R41/R42)" and the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is RFA-HD-16-006.
What type of program is this opportunity?
This was a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitation using the NIH phased award structure under the R41/R42 activity mechanisms.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The FOA was designed to advance practical, clinically useful technologies that can better assess and diagnose neurologic problems, guide interventions, and improve neurologic outcomes during pregnancy, at birth, or in early infancy.
What kinds of technologies or tools were encouraged under this FOA?
The FOA emphasized "tools and technology" aimed at (1) assessment/diagnosis, (2) intervention support, and (3) outcome improvement and monitoring in perinatal and infant neurology settings.
Who is the intended patient population or clinical focus?
The focus is on vulnerable pregnancies and infants, specifically situations where a fetus or infant already has a known neurologic disease and situations where infants are considered at high risk for neurologic complications.
Is this opportunity focused on translating research into real-world clinical use?
Yes. The stated intent is to translate scientific ideas into tools that clinicians and caregivers can use to identify risk earlier, make better treatment decisions, and track whether interventions are working.
How do the R41 and R42 phases generally relate to the project pathway?
The phased structure typically begins with Phase I (R41) feasibility and proof-of-concept work, and if successful, advances to Phase II (R42) for more robust research and development and validation.
Does the STTR mechanism require a partnership?
Yes. The STTR structure implies a formal collaboration between a U.S. small business concern and a nonprofit research institution, combining research strengths with commercial development capabilities.
Which federal agency administered the award?
The awarding agency was the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type was a grant.
Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
No. The opportunity indicated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Which CFDA program was this opportunity listed under?
The program was listed under CFDA 93.865, Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research.
When was this opportunity posted?
It was posted on August 12, 2015.
What were the application closing dates?
The original closing date and the current closing date were both December 10, 2015.
Is this FOA still open?
No. It was archived on January 10, 2016, indicating it was a time-limited solicitation rather than an ongoing, continuously open program.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was restricted to small businesses, consistent with STTR rules.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply as the applicant?
No. Non-U.S. (foreign) institutions were not eligible to apply as applicant organizations.
Can non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations apply or be included?
Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were not eligible to apply. However, the FOA left room for "foreign components" as defined by NIH policy to potentially be included when scientifically justified and allowable, while the primary applicant organization must be U.S.-based and eligible.
Where could applicants find the official FOA details?
NIH provided an official guide notice link: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-16-006.html
Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the FOA posting?
The contact pathway mentioned NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster emails for access or linking issues.
What is the overall goal of NIH in issuing RFA-HD-16-006?
The overall aim was to stimulate commercially oriented, research-driven development of perinatal and infant neurology technologies and to use the STTR partnership model to help bridge lab-to-market gaps so successful tools can be deployed and adopted.
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