T2 Translational Research on Aging: Small Business Innovation Awards (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 18 184

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 184

The grant opportunity titled "T2 Translational Research on Aging: Small Business Innovation Awards (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-18-184) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding announcement designed to speed up the translation of aging-related scientific advances into real-world, commercially viable products and services. Its core purpose is to encourage small businesses to take promising research ideas and move them closer to practical use, with a clear focus on improving or preserving health, day-to-day function, and independence in older adults. The program is positioned around translational research, meaning it is aimed less at basic discovery and more at development steps that help turn existing knowledge into usable tools, interventions, or technologies.

This FOA supports small business-led innovation across a broad range of potential outputs, including novel medical or assistive devices, products, healthcare practices, and programs. The emphasis is on projects that are not only scientifically and technically strong, but also show clear potential for commercial success and a realistic pathway to reaching older adults who could benefit. In other words, applicants are expected to think beyond proof-of-concept alone and demonstrate how the work could ultimately become something that can be manufactured, deployed, implemented in care settings, or otherwise delivered at scale.

The funding mechanism uses NIH’s SBIR award structure under the R43 and R44 activity codes. In general NIH terms, R43 is commonly associated with an SBIR Phase I award (early-stage feasibility, prototyping, and initial validation), while R44 is commonly associated with an SBIR Phase II award (more advanced research and development, refinement, expanded testing, and steps toward commercialization). The announcement is labeled "Clinical Trial Optional," which signals that projects may include a clinical trial if the proposed work truly requires it, but a clinical trial is not mandatory for eligibility. This flexibility allows the FOA to accommodate a wide range of translational activities, from engineering and product development through pilot clinical evaluation, depending on what is most appropriate for the innovation.

Eligibility is centered on small businesses, consistent with the SBIR program’s goal of leveraging private-sector agility and commercialization expertise. The FOA explicitly notes that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply, and that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. At the same time, it leaves open the possibility of "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which can sometimes be allowed under specific circumstances; applicants would need to consult the full FOA and NIH policy definitions to understand when and how a foreign component could be included. The sponsoring agency is NIH, and the listing references CFDA number 93.866, which corresponds to NIH aging-related assistance programs.

As provided in the source details, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the grant funding instrument type. The opportunity was created on 2017-11-28, and the original closing date shown is 2019-09-05. The summary information provided does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, which typically means applicants would need to consult the full announcement for budget limits, project period expectations, and other application-specific constraints. Overall, the opportunity is aimed at bringing aging-focused innovations out of the lab and closer to the marketplace, with the ultimate goal of producing tangible solutions that help older adults maintain health and functional independence.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "T2 Translational Research on Aging: Small Business Innovation Awards (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-09-05. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.

Apply for PAR 18 184

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