Biomedical Technology Research Resource (P41) | PAR 17 316

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 316

The Biomedical Technology Research Resource (BTRR) (P41) opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through NIGMS, supports the creation and operation of national-scale technology resource centers that push forward new or substantially improved biomedical technologies. The intent is not simply to fund a one-off research project, but to build an advanced, community-facing resource that develops cutting-edge methods, tools, and platforms in direct response to the practical needs of basic science, translational, and clinical researchers. In other words, the technology development should be tightly motivated by real research bottlenecks faced by biomedical investigators, and the Resource is expected to serve as a hub that both innovates and enables.

A defining feature of this program is the expectation that the funded Resource will make its technologies broadly available to the research community in a sustainable way. That typically means more than publishing papers: the Resource should provide access pathways (for example, services, collaborative access, software/tools distribution, protocols, or instrumentation access), maintain quality and reliability over time, and operate with a plan that supports continued community use. Alongside access, the FOA emphasizes training and dissemination. Applicants should be prepared to show how they will train users (such as through workshops, courses, webinars, hands-on programs, visiting scientist opportunities, or well-documented online materials) and how they will actively communicate both the technologies themselves and the experimental results generated with them so that the broader community can adopt and build on the advances.

The FOA also makes clear that successful BTRRs are expected to sit at the leading edge of their fields. Competitiveness depends not only on technical excellence and innovation, but also on credible engagement with the relevant user communities. That engagement usually implies a strong understanding of who the users are, what problems they are trying to solve, how the Resource will prioritize technology development in response to those needs, and how the Resource will measure impact. In practice, this kind of center-style program often benefits from clear governance, user feedback mechanisms, and well-defined plans for outreach and collaboration, since the goal is national-level relevance rather than a narrow, local capability.

For new applicants, the announcement strongly encourages submitting a pre-application under the related pre-application FOA (PAR-17-315). The purpose of that step is to get early feedback on whether the proposed technology development fits the NIGMS BTRR program and whether it appears competitive enough to justify the time and effort of preparing a full P41 application. This is essentially an early screen designed to improve alignment between applicants and program goals, reducing the risk of developing a full proposal that is not well matched to the program’s expectations.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizational types and includes many government entities and academic institutions, as well as nonprofits and certain for-profit organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other qualified organizations. The FOA also highlights additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, there are important limits related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S.-based applicant may include certain foreign activities or collaborations when they meet NIH’s definition and requirements for a foreign component, but the applicant organization itself must be domestic and compliant with the stated restrictions.

From the source details provided, this is a discretionary grant opportunity in the health category, listed under CFDA 93.859. The funding opportunity number is PAR-17-316. The posted award ceiling is $800,000, and the original closing date shown in the record is 2020-05-07 (with the FOA originally created on 2017-06-14). Overall, the program is designed for organizations capable of operating a high-impact, national technology resource: one that develops advanced biomedical technology, shares it broadly and sustainably, trains users effectively, and stays closely connected to the evolving needs of the biomedical research community.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biomedical Technology Research Resource (P41)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-06-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $800,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 17 316

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