Funding Opportunity Announcement - NIBIB Technology Development Networks

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health, intends to release a Notice of Funding Opportunity for Technology Development Network Coordinating Centers. This initiative is designed to advance biomedical innovation by creating centralized hubs that link scientific and engineering communities, with a particular focus on translational technology development. These centers will serve as a foundation for collaboration across multiple projects and disciplines, ensuring that the program generates impactful solutions that can improve human health. The Coordinating Centers will be responsible for enhancing integration among technology development projects within the Network. Their work will include facilitating opportunities for collaboration between investigators, coordinating resources, and providing outreach to broaden participation across the biomedical research community. A key component will be the Opportunity Funds program, which is intended to quickly support smaller-scale, promising projects that can accelerate translational development of new platform technologies. Funding will be distributed through a cooperative agreement mechanism (U24 activity code). This model is designed to allow substantial programmatic involvement from NIH staff while enabling grantees to pursue innovative approaches. The total estimated funding available for this opportunity is one million dollars, with one award expected. The award ceiling is one million dollars, though the award floor has not been specified. Funding is intended to support activities that further the development, dissemination, and application of biomedical technologies. Eligibility is broad and inclusive of a wide range of organizations. Eligible entities include state, county, city, and township governments, special district governments, Native American tribal governments (both federally recognized and other), nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status, public housing authorities, higher education institutions (both public and private), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), and independent school districts. Additional eligible entities include U.S. territories, regional organizations, federal government agencies, and faith- or community-based organizations. This eligibility design reflects NIH’s aim to foster multidisciplinary collaboration across multiple sectors. This funding opportunity is currently in a forecast stage. The estimated posting date for the formal funding announcement is May 1, 2026. The anticipated application due date is August 1, 2026, with an estimated award date of April 1, 2027. Projects are expected to start on May 1, 2027, aligning with the NIH fiscal year 2027 cycle. At present, applications are not being accepted, but the forecast is provided to allow prospective applicants to begin developing collaborative networks and project proposals. All inquiries related to this program should be directed to the designated program contact, Luisa Russell, who can be reached by email at luisa.russell@nih.gov. No phone contact information has been provided. The forecast notice emphasizes that specific opportunities for Technology Development Centers will follow and that this announcement pertains specifically to the Coordinating Centers. Interested parties are encouraged to consider potential collaborations and prepare for the upcoming funding cycle.