FOR-CA-25-086: Forecast to Publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity for SBIR Phase IIB Bridge Awards to Accelerate the Development of Cancer-Relevant Technologies Toward Commercialization (R44 Clinical Trial Optional)
Forecast
This forecast is out of date. Its expected dates have passed and the agency has not posted the opportunity on Grants.gov. It may be delayed or cancelled; check the program's other opportunities below.
National Institutes of Health plans to offer grants to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. It is a forecast: the notice is expected around August 29, 2025, with applications due around October 30, 2025.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed June 16, 2025. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award amountsNot given on Grants.gov
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeR44
- Clinical trialsOptional
- R44, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II. Full research and development of an SBIR project after Phase I (or both phases at once, called Fast Track). Other open R44 notices.
Key dates
| Forecast posted | June 16, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Expected posting | August 29, 2025 |
| Expected deadline | October 30, 2025 |
| Expected award date | July 1, 2026 |
Add the deadline to your calendar or it to My grants.
Who can apply
This opportunity is open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
All 11 applicant types the notice lists
- State governments
- County 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
- Private institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the money in the 2 programs behind this notice (58% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that seek additional funding to support the next stage of development for cancer-relevant projects that were previously funded under SBIR or STTR Phase II awards from any Federal agency. The purpose of this NOFO is to facilitate the transition of SBIR or STTR Phase II projects to the commercialization stage. This NOFO is expected to promote partnerships between Federally-funded SBIR or STTR Phase II awardees and third-party investors and/or strategic partners to facilitate and accelerate the capital-intensive steps that are required to commercialize new products and services. Applicants must submit a Commercialization Plan, which should include details on any independent third-party investor funding that has already been secured or is anticipated during the Phase IIB Bridge Award project period. It is expected that the level of this independent third-party funding will be equal to or greater than the NCI funds being requested throughout the Phase IIB Bridge Award project period. Proposed projects may address preclinical and/or clinical stages of technology development. Clinical trials may be proposed as appropriate but are not required. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the R44 activity code. The NOFO is expected to be published in Summer 2025 with an anticipated application due date in Fall 2025.
Who has won Cancer Treatment Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Cancer Treatment Research (93.395) awarded $5.6 billion across 3,622 grant awards, an average of $1.5 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Univeristy of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center | Texas | 144 | $188 million |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. | Massachusetts | 68 | $185 million |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | New York | 35 | $179 million |
| Public Health Institute | California | 4 | $168 million |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | Washington | 57 | $156 million |
Who has won Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research (93.394) awarded $2.7 billion across 1,944 grant awards, an average of $1.4 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco | California | 56 | $114 million |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | Washington | 37 | $96.7 million |
| The Leland Stanford Junior University | California | 62 | $89.1 million |
| Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research | New York | 52 | $88.7 million |
| The Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 63 | $86.5 million |
How to apply
- Read the full notice and attachments on Grants.gov. The notice is the official source for deadlines and requirements.
- Make sure your organization has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID; registration can take several weeks.
- Register on Grants.gov and submit through Workspace before the deadline and time given in the notice. Our application guide walks through each step.
Questions go to Jonathan Franca-Koh, Ph.D., M.B.A., National Cancer Institute (NCI), francakohjc@mail.nih.gov, 240-618-0984.
Questions people ask
Is FOR-CA-25-086 still open?
Not yet. It is a forecast: expected deadline October 30, 2025.
Who can apply for Forecast to Publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity for SBIR Phase IIB Bridge Awards to Accelerate the Development of Cancer-Relevant Technologies Toward Commercialization (R44 Clinical Trial Optional)?
National Institutes of Health accepts applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
What is the deadline for Forecast to Publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity for SBIR Phase IIB Bridge Awards to Accelerate the Development of Cancer-Relevant Technologies Toward Commercialization (R44 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Expected deadline October 30, 2025. Confirm the date and time in the official notice on Grants.gov.
Who has won Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, The Leland Stanford Junior University. The program made 1,944 awards worth $2.7 billion in that time.
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