Building Sustainable Software Tools for Open Science (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), operating under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is forecasting a funding opportunity titled "Building Sustainable Software Tools for Open Science (R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)." This initiative is led by the NIH Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS) and is supported by a wide range of NIH Institutes and Centers, including NEI, NHLBI, NHGRI, NIA, NIAAA, NIAMS, NIBIB, NICHD, NIDCD, NIDCR, NIDDK, NIDA, NIEHS, NIMH, NINDS, NIMHD, NLM, NCCIH, and NCI. The announcement is intended to prepare potential applicants for a renewed version of a previous funding opportunity (RFA-OD-24-010) that concluded earlier than expected. The NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science guides this initiative, emphasizing the enhancement of data infrastructure and modernization of the research ecosystem. The primary objective of this opportunity is to promote the development and sustainability of high-impact research software tools aligned with open science principles. This includes software that supports biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social health-related research. Applicants will be expected to develop tools that are robust, scalable, reproducible, and sustainable. Another major focus is on expanding the dissemination and usability of these tools to the broader scientific community, fostering collaborations between researchers and software engineers, and improving software development capabilities within the research workforce. This funding opportunity will use the R03 mechanism, a small research grant intended to support discrete, well-defined projects. The opportunity specifically excludes clinical trials. While the solicitation has not yet been officially posted, the NIH anticipates releasing the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) on April 15, 2026. The estimated application due date is June 16, 2026. Selected awardees are expected to be notified by April 13, 2027, with funded projects beginning on the same date. Eligible applicants for this opportunity are broad and inclusive. They include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, independent school districts, tribal governments and organizations (both federally recognized and others), for-profit organizations including small businesses, city, county, and state governments, public housing authorities, and special district governments. Additionally, regional, faith-based, and community-based organizations, U.S. territories and possessions, eligible federal agencies, and non-domestic (foreign) entities may apply. While there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this funding, details regarding the number of anticipated awards, award ceiling, award floor, and total program funding have not been disclosed at this time. Applicants are advised to monitor the NIH grants website and Grants.gov for the official NOFO release and additional application materials. The official point of contact for this forecast is the Office of Data Science Strategy (ODSS), which may be reached at [email protected]. As this opportunity is currently in the forecast stage, no applications are being accepted yet. However, this advance notice allows researchers and development teams ample time to prepare their proposals, assemble partnerships, and ensure their software initiatives are aligned with NIH’s goals for open science and research sustainability. This forecasted opportunity aligns with NIH’s continued investment in tools and infrastructure that facilitate responsible, transparent, and reusable scientific discovery.