T1 Translational Research on Aging: Small Business Innovation Awards (R43/R44) | PAR 16 375

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 16 375

The NIH funding opportunity titled "T1 Translational Research on Aging: Small Business Innovation Awards (R43/R44)" (PAR-16-375) is a discretionary grant program designed to push promising aging-related science out of the lab and into practical, real-world solutions. Its core goal is to speed up translation, meaning it is not just focused on generating new academic knowledge, but on turning existing research advances into tangible outputs that can be developed, validated, and ultimately brought to market or otherwise deployed to help older adults. The FOA is framed around the idea that small businesses are often well-positioned to move quickly from prototype to product, and that greater small business participation could significantly shorten the time between discovery and broad public benefit.

The program specifically uses the SBIR mechanism, which is structured as a phased innovation pathway. Under SBIR, Phase I (R43) typically supports early feasibility work such as proof-of-concept testing, initial prototyping, and risk reduction, while Phase II (R44) supports more advanced development, such as refining the prototype, conducting more rigorous validation studies, and preparing for commercialization or broader implementation. In practical terms, this FOA is aimed at projects that have a credible pathway to becoming a device, product, healthcare practice, or program that improves or maintains health and functional independence in later life. The emphasis on functional independence is important because it signals interest not only in treating disease, but also in preserving mobility, cognition, daily functioning, and quality of life as people age.

This opportunity is housed within the NIH and falls under the health funding activity category, with CFDA number 93.866, which is associated with aging research (commonly linked to the National Institute on Aging). The eligible applicant pool is limited to small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules. The FOA explicitly notes that non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply and that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. At the same time, it allows for the possibility of "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning that while the applicant organization must be U.S.-based and eligible, certain project elements may be conducted abroad if NIH policy allows and if appropriately justified, reviewed, and approved. Applicants would need to pay close attention to the FOA and NIH policy language here because eligibility can hinge on how work is structured, where it is performed, and how collaborations are arranged.

From a programmatic standpoint, the FOA is trying to increase the number of aging-related innovations that make it into forms that can actually be used by clinicians, caregivers, health systems, community organizations, or older adults themselves. That can include technologies like assistive devices, diagnostic or monitoring tools, digital health solutions, or therapeutics-oriented platforms, as well as non-device interventions such as evidence-based care practices, service delivery models, behavioral programs, or scalable interventions that can be implemented in real-world settings. The common thread is translational intent and a clear benefit to older adults, with an implied expectation that the small business applicant will be thinking early about usability, adoption, regulatory and reimbursement considerations (where relevant), and commercialization or dissemination strategy.

The source information indicates the original closing date was 2019-09-05, and the record lists an award ceiling and expected awards as not specified in the provided excerpt. The FOA was created on 2016-07-22, which places it in a multi-year NIH announcement cycle typical of standing or recurring solicitations. Anyone considering this opportunity would need to verify the current status of PAR-16-375 (since NIH announcements can expire, be reissued, or replaced) and confirm current submission dates, budgets, and SBIR policy requirements in effect at the time of application.

In plain terms, this grant opportunity exists to help U.S. small businesses take aging-related scientific advances and turn them into real products and programs that help older adults stay healthier and more independent, using the SBIR phased development structure to support the transition from early feasibility work to more advanced development and readiness for market or deployment.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "T1 Translational Research on Aging: Small Business Innovation Awards (R43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-07-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-09-05. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.

Apply for PAR 16 375

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