NIMHD SBIR/STTR Program

NIMHD SBIR Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award

Funds prior NIH SBIR and STTR Phase II small businesses bridging later-stage R&D to commercialization.

The NIMHD SBIR Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award is the institute-relevant route into NIH PA-27-101, an R44 follow-on opportunity for small businesses with prior NIH SBIR or STTR Phase II funding. Simpler.Grants.gov lists the opportunity as posted May 28, 2026, with closing on April 5, 2029.

This is not a duplicate of the base SBIR parent grant. The source says Phase IIB bridges the funding gap between the end of an SBIR or STTR Phase II award and commercialization. It provides later-stage R&D support after the company has already completed the earlier NIH small-business phase.

Eligibility is narrower than base SBIR. Only United States small business concerns that previously received an NIH SBIR or STTR Phase II award may apply, and the source states only one NIH Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough award is allowed per project. The Simpler record marks cost sharing or matching as required, but the captured facts do not state a percentage, so the match field is left at zero with an ambiguity note rather than inventing a number.

Applications follow NIH small-business parent-announcement rhythm. NIH SEED lists standard due dates of September 5, January 5, and April 5, adjusted when those dates fall on weekends or federal holidays. The opportunity record itself closes April 5, 2029.

The practical caveat is readiness. A company without a prior NIH Phase II SBIR/STTR project should use the base SBIR or STTR route first. A company with Phase II history should confirm the six-due-date timing rule and renewal or resubmission status before treating this as available.