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Funder · Federal agency

National Institutes of Health

Funds biomedical research nationwide, supporting university, nonprofit, and small business projects across major health initiatives.

United Stateswww.nih.gov
Key stats
Annual funding$35.3B
Programs9
Active grants13
Total grants13
About

National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the medical-research arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the world's largest public funder of biomedical research. It sits in Bethesda and moves about $35.3 billion a year through 27 Institutes and Centers.

Its cross-IC routes include SBIR and STTR, parent R01, R03, and R21 announcements, the HEAL Initiative, and the NIH Common Fund. Those routes reach universities, nonprofits, and small businesses that can fit a standard parent mechanism or a trans-NIH initiative, rather than a narrow institute-specific call. The portfolio spans biotech, medtech, neurotech, synthetic biology, materials, and adjacent enabling tools.

NIH is strongest when a project can fit a standard parent mechanism or a cross-cutting initiative. Applicants need to match the science to the right announcement, then check the institute or center involvement, because the disease-area programs live under the individual IC slugs rather than under this parent record.

Programs & grants under this funder
NIEHS Worker Training Program’s SBIR E-Learning for HAZMAT and Emergency Response (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Offers NIEHS Worker Training support for HAZMAT and emergency response through practical e-learning tool development channels.

NIH HEAL Initiative

Invests innovative organizations in United States by guiding innovation from prototype work to stronger buyer demand.

1 grant
NIH HEAL Initiative — Open NOFOs
Open
— pool·11 days
NIH IGNITE Program (NINDS) — Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts

Helps NIH IGNITE Program Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts for Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network.

1 grant
NIH IGNITE Program — R61/R33 Phased Neurotherapeutic Grants
Open
— pool
NIH Research Project Grant

Helps NIH Research Project Grant for established research programs for innovation and strategic advancement.

1 grant
NIH R01 Research Project Grant — Parent PA
Open
— pool·92 days
NIH R01 R21 (small business / SBIR adjacent)

Administers innovative organizations in United States to build innovation work toward measurable commercialization outcomes.

NIH Small Research Grant Program

Supports short United States investigator projects through NIH small research pathways for focused feasibility work and clear pilot results.

1 grant
NIH R03 Small Research Grant — Parent PA
Open
— pool·103 days
NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant

Helps NIH Exploratory and Developmental Research Grant for novel ideas and preliminary studies.

1 grant
NIH R21 Exploratory Research Grant — Parent PA
Open
— pool·103 days
NIH SBIR

Funds non-dilutive support for United States small businesses in biomedical and behavioral health innovation.

5 grants
NIH SBIR Direct-to-Phase II (Omnibus)
Open
$80M pool·62 days
NIH SBIR Fast-Track (Omnibus)
Open
$130M pool·62 days
NIH SBIR Phase I (Omnibus)
Open
$220M pool·62 days
NIH SBIR Phase II (Omnibus)
Open
$440M pool·62 days
NIH SBIR — Receipt (First Post-Reauthorization
Open
— pool·62 days
NIH STTR

Supports nonprofits and companies working with research institutions to turn scientific ideas into medical products.

3 grants
NIH STTR Phase I (Omnibus)
Open
$50M pool·62 days
NIH STTR Phase II (Omnibus)
Open
$65M pool·62 days
NIH STTR — Receipt (First Post-Reauthorization
Open
— pool·62 days
Parent entityUS Department of Health and Human Services
Last verified: 26 May 2026Source: www.nih.gov