Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health (93.286)
Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health (Assistance Listing 93.286) is run by the National Institutes of Health, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. It awarded $1.8 billion in 1,983 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $886,380 per award on average. 54 funding opportunities are open or forecast now.
The typical award was $585,920. Half of the 1,983 awards fell between $269,785 and $1.3 million, and they ranged from $0 to $8.1 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$1.8 billion
- Grant awards1,983
- Typical award$585,920
- Awarded in FY 2025$340 million
- Size rank185 of 1824
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- Annual funding was roughly flat, $356 million in fiscal 2021 and $340 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 185th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 44% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 48 states and territories.
What the program funds
To support hypothesis-, design-, technology-, or device-driven research related to the discovery, design, development, validation, and application of technologies for biomedical imaging and bioengineering. The program includes biomaterials (biomimetics, bioprocessing, organogenesis, rehabilitation, tissue engineering, implant science, material science, interface science, physics and stress engineering, technology assessment of materials/devices), biosensors/biotransducers (technology development, technology assessment, development of algorithms, telemetry), nanotechnology (nanoscience, biomimetics, drug delivery systems, drug bioavailability, microarray/combinatorial technology, genetic engineering, computer science, technology assessment), bioinformatics (computer science, information science, mathematics, biomechanics, computational modeling and simulation, remote diagnosis and therapy), imaging device development, biomedical imaging technology development, image exploitation, contrast agents, informatics and computer sciences related to imaging, molecular and cellular imaging, bioelectrics/biomagnetics, organ and whole body imaging, screening for diseases and disorders, and imaging technology assessment and surgery (technique development and technology development).
Open opportunities
- NIH Research Software Engineer (RSE) Award (R50 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
- Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
- BRAIN Initiative: Preclinical Proof of Concept for Novel Recording and Modulation Technologies in the Human CNS (R18 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- BRAIN Initiative: Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Probe Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Research Opportunities Using Invasive Neural Recording and Stimulating Technologies in the Human Brain (R61 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- NIH, CDC and FDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Optional)
- NIH Small Business Technology Transfer Grant (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Optional)
- Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Required)
- Mentored Quantitative Research Development Award (Parent K25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Required)
- Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)
- New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
- Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Required)
- Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Required)
- Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- BRAIN Initiative: Reagent Resources for Brain Cell Type-Specific Access to Broaden Distribution of Enabling Technologies for Neuroscience (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- BRAIN Initiative: Brain Behavior Quantification and Synchronization- Next Generation Sensor Technology Development (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
- Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional)
- Successor-in-Interest (Type 6 Parent Clinical Trial Optional)
- NIH Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- Bioengineering Partnerships with Industry (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
- BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS): Specialized Projects for Scalable Technologies (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Any corporation, public or private institution or agency, or other legal entity, either nonprofit or for-profit, may apply for a research grant. An applicant for an individual NRSA must be a citizen of the United States or lawfully admitted for permanent residence. Those on temporary or student visas are not eligible. An eligible institution for an institutional NRSA must be capable of providing predoctoral and/or postdoctoral research training opportunities for engineers, bioengineers or other. SBIR grants can be awarded only to domestic small businesses (entities that are independently owned and operated for profit; are not dominant in the field in which research is being proposed; and have no more than 500 employees). Primary employment (more than one-half time) of the principal investigator must be with the small business at the time of award and during the conduct of the proposed project. In both Phase I and Phase II, the research must be performed in the United States or its possessions. To be eligible for funding, a grant application must be reviewed for scientific merit and program relevance by a scientific review group and a national advisory council. STTR grants can be awarded only to domestic small business concerns (entities that are independently owned and operated for profit, are not dominant in the field in which research is proposed and have no more than 500 employees) which "partner" with a research institution in cooperative research and development.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Research Grant funds may be used for salaries, consultation, equipment, travel and other usual costs, subject to Federal regulations applicable to the grant. Individual National Research Service Awards (NRSAs) are made directly to individuals for research training in specified areas related to the mission of NIBIB. Institutional NRSAs may be made to institutions to enable them to accept individuals for research training. Each individual who receives a NRSA postdoctoral fellowship or traineeship is obligated upon termination of the award to comply with certain service and payback provisions. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grants are to establish the technical merit and feasibility of a proposed research effort that may lead to a commercial product or process. Only Phase I awardees are eligible to apply for Phase II support. Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I grants are to determine the scientific, technical, and commercial merit and feasibility of the proposed cooperative effort that has potential for commercial application. Phase II funding is based on results of research initiated in Phase I and scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the Phase II application. Indirect costs are paid at negotiated rates for most grant mechanisms.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
FY 23 range $2,500 - $9,231,842; average $420,473 FY 24 range $5,405 - $3,565,780; average $425,722 FY 25 range $10,000 - $2,198,313; average $395,948
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health (93.286) awarded$1.8 billion across 1,983 grant awards, an average of $886,380 per award.
Who usually wins
Colleges and universities received 76% of the money, nonprofits 15% and small businesses 4.2%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges and universities | 1,495 | $1.3 billion | 76% |
| Nonprofits | 299 | $272 million | 15% |
| Small businesses | 107 | $73.5 million | 4.2% |
| Other | 71 | $59.3 million | 3.4% |
| Businesses | 7 | $12.1 million | 0.7% |
| State and local governments | 4 | $1.5 million | less than 0.1% |
By state
44 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 260 | $277 million |
| California | 282 | $264 million |
| New York | 161 | $165 million |
| Maryland | 102 | $111 million |
| Pennsylvania | 118 | $94.9 million |
| Texas | 106 | $82.8 million |
| Illinois | 82 | $75.0 million |
| North Carolina | 80 | $70.7 million |
| Minnesota | 44 | $52.5 million |
| Ohio | 54 | $52.0 million |
| Michigan | 64 | $49.3 million |
| Missouri | 46 | $47.7 million |
| Tennessee | 45 | $46.8 million |
| Georgia | 51 | $43.9 million |
| Connecticut | 38 | $37.0 million |
| Wisconsin | 32 | $33.3 million |
| Washington | 34 | $33.0 million |
| Virginia | 40 | $32.6 million |
| Florida | 30 | $23.3 million |
| Colorado | 38 | $16.6 million |
| Arizona | 30 | $16.3 million |
| Utah | 22 | $12.3 million |
| Indiana | 21 | $11.3 million |
| Kansas | 5 | $11.0 million |
| New Hampshire | 17 | $10.6 million |
| District of Columbia | 12 | $10.2 million |
| Iowa | 13 | $9.1 million |
| Arkansas | 9 | $7.0 million |
| Oregon | 12 | $6.4 million |
| New Jersey | 14 | $6.2 million |
| Alabama | 8 | $4.7 million |
| Hawaii | 5 | $4.6 million |
| New Mexico | 5 | $4.4 million |
| Nebraska | 6 | $3.6 million |
| Kentucky | 5 | $3.3 million |
| Delaware | 5 | $3.2 million |
| South Carolina | 9 | $3.2 million |
| Montana | 2 | $3.0 million |
| West Virginia | 6 | $3.0 million |
| Rhode Island | 39 | $2.7 million |
| Vermont | 3 | $2.5 million |
| Louisiana | 8 | $2.3 million |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $2.3 million |
| Mississippi | 5 | $1.6 million |
| Idaho | 1 | $530,605 |
| Wyoming | 1 | $393,148 |
| Nevada | 1 | $215,377 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $65,155 |