Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 15 001
Apply for RFA DA 15 001
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Tools for Monitoring and Manipulating Modified RNAs in the Nervous System (R43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 22, 2014 and posted on Jan 17, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 24, 2014. (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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offered this Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer style funding opportunity to push the development of practical, research-ready tools for working with chemically (covalently) modified RNA in the nervous system. The focus is on eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and regulatory RNAs that carry chemical marks, and on technologies that can both monitor those marks (detect, measure, map, track changes over time or across cell types) and manipulate them (add, remove, edit, or otherwise control RNA modifications in a targeted way). In plain terms, the announcement is aimed at helping small companies turn emerging RNA-modification biology into usable products that neuroscientists and neuropharmacology researchers can apply in real experimental settings, including studies relevant to mental health and substance use disorders.
This opportunity was released as a discretionary grant competition under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-15-001, titled "Tools for Monitoring and Manipulating Modified RNAs in the Nervous System (R43/R44)." The R43/R44 mechanism indicates a phased small-business program: an initial Phase I (R43) typically supports early feasibility and prototype development, while Phase II (R44) supports further development, validation, and steps toward a mature product. While the source text here does not lay out the scientific topic areas in detail, the purpose statement makes the intent clear: NIH wanted applicants to propose tool and product development efforts specifically centered on covalently modified RNAs, with a nervous-system research context.
Programmatically, the opportunity sits within NIH and aligns with activity areas tied to mental health research and drug abuse/addiction research, reflected in the CFDA listings 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants) and 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs). The total estimated funding level for the announcement was $2,000,000, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which is typical for many NIH small-business solicitations and lowers the barrier for early-stage R&D companies to participate.
Eligibility was limited to small businesses. Foreign (non-U.S.) institutions were not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible. However, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement could be allowed, meaning a U.S. small business could potentially include certain justified international elements (for example, specialized expertise or resources abroad) if they meet NIH policy requirements and are properly documented, even though the applicant organization itself must be domestic.
Key dates from the posting show that it was published in early 2014, with a posted date of January 17, 2014 and a creation date of January 22, 2014. The original and current closing date were the same: April 24, 2014. The archive date was May 25, 2014, indicating that this was a time-limited solicitation and is no longer open. For applicants at the time, the full announcement and instructions were available through the NIH grants site link provided in the notice. Support contacts listed were the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster addresses for access or linking problems, which suggests the announcement expected applicants to rely primarily on the online full-text RFA for detailed requirements, application instructions, and any additional scientific scope guidance.
Overall, the grant opportunity was designed to accelerate commercialization-oriented toolmaking around RNA chemical modifications in the nervous system, by providing NIH grant support to small businesses capable of translating basic scientific advances into enabling technologies. The intended end result was a stronger toolbox for detecting and controlling modified RNAs in neural tissues and models, thereby improving researchers ability to study how these RNA marks influence brain function and dysfunction, including in areas central to mental health and addiction.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the funding opportunity number and title?
The opportunity is Funding Opportunity Number (FON) RFA-DA-15-001, titled "Tools for Monitoring and Manipulating Modified RNAs in the Nervous System (R43/R44)."
Which agency offered this grant opportunity?
The opportunity was offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of funding mechanism is this?
It uses the NIH small-business phased mechanisms R43/R44, which align with Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer style funding. Phase I (R43) generally supports early feasibility and prototype development, and Phase II (R44) supports further development and validation toward a mature product.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to push development of practical, research-ready tools for working with chemically (covalently) modified RNA in the nervous system, with an emphasis on product and tool development that researchers can use in real experimental settings.
What kinds of RNAs are emphasized in the scientific scope?
The focus is on eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and regulatory RNAs that carry chemical (covalent) marks.
What does "modified RNAs" mean in the context of this announcement?
In this announcement, "modified RNAs" refers to RNAs that carry chemical marks added through covalent modification (chemical modifications on RNA molecules).
What kinds of tools did NIH want applicants to develop?
NIH sought technologies that can both monitor RNA chemical marks and manipulate them in targeted ways. Monitoring includes detecting, measuring, mapping, and tracking changes over time or across cell types. Manipulation includes adding, removing, editing, or otherwise controlling RNA modifications.
What does "monitoring" RNA modifications include?
Monitoring activities mentioned include detecting, measuring, mapping, and tracking RNA modification marks, including changes over time or across different cell types.
What does "manipulating" RNA modifications include?
Manipulating activities mentioned include adding, removing, editing, or otherwise controlling RNA modifications in a targeted manner.
What research context is this opportunity targeting?
The tools are intended for use in nervous-system research, including neuroscience and neuropharmacology research contexts.
How does this opportunity relate to mental health and substance use research?
The announcement is framed to support studies relevant to mental health and substance use disorders by improving the toolbox for detecting and controlling RNA modifications in neural tissues and models.
Which CFDA program areas are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants) and CFDA 93.279 (Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs).
What was the estimated total funding level for this announcement?
The total estimated funding level was $2,000,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement indicated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to small businesses.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign (non-U.S.) institutions were not eligible to apply.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations eligible?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were also not eligible.
Can a U.S. small business include any international participation at all?
Possibly. The notice states that "foreign components" (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) could be allowed. This suggests some justified international elements could be included if they meet NIH policy requirements and are properly documented, even though the applicant organization itself must be U.S.-based.
What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The posted date was January 17, 2014, the creation date was January 22, 2014, and the closing date was April 24, 2014.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The archive date was May 25, 2014, and the closing date was April 24, 2014, indicating it was time-limited and is no longer open.
Where were applicants expected to find the full instructions and details?
The notice indicates the full announcement and instructions were available through the NIH grants site link provided in the posting, and applicants were expected to rely on the online full-text RFA for detailed requirements and application instructions.
Who were the listed contacts for help?
Support contacts listed were NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster addresses for access or linking problems, indicating assistance was oriented toward website access/linking issues for the announcement materials.
What kind of end result was NIH aiming for with this program?
The goal was to accelerate commercialization-oriented toolmaking around RNA chemical modifications in the nervous system, resulting in a stronger, research-ready toolbox for detecting and controlling modified RNAs in neural tissues and models.
What is the practical impact NIH described for these tools?
NIH described an intended impact of improving researchers' ability to study how RNA chemical marks influence brain function and dysfunction, including areas central to mental health and addiction research.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education Health
Next opportunity: Tools for Monitoring and Manipulating Modified RNAs in the Nervous System (R41/R42)
Previous opportunity: PHS 2014 02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA and ACF for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR R43/R44)
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