NCI SBIR/STTR Omnibus (NIH-wide) + NCI SBIR Contracts
Supports small business teams in cancer innovation through National Cancer Institute routes that combine federal opportunity channels and direct contract activity.
NCI's SBIR and STTR offering has two faces: the NIH-wide omnibus that includes NCI and the NCI-issued SBIR contract solicitations for cancer-specific needs. It is aimed at small U.S. businesses building cancer diagnostics, therapeutics, and other enabling technologies, with award sizes from $300,000 to $2 million and a median actual award around $500,000. The omnibus uses R43/R44 SBIR and R41/R42 STTR mechanisms, with standard NIH receipt dates around January, April, and September. As of April 13, 2026, NIH had no active SBIR or STTR notices of funding opportunity, and the next standard receipt date was September 5, 2026. NCI also runs its own contract solicitation series, PHS YYYY-1, for specific cancer technology needs defined by NCI staff. The best fit is a U.S. for-profit company with a clear cancer use case and enough technical maturity to survive a competitive NIH review. Teams that can match a defined NCI topic, especially through the contract series, usually benefit from a tighter problem statement and a more direct commercialization story. Venture-capital-backed small businesses remain eligible through the special NIH pathway.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.