Biomedical Engineering, Imaging, and Technology Acceleration (BEITA) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The National Institutes of Health, through the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, has issued a forecasted funding opportunity announcement titled Biomedical Engineering, Imaging, and Technology Acceleration (BEITA) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This program is being prepared under opportunity number RFA-EB-26-003 and is expected to be posted on March 10, 2026. The initiative is aligned with the HBCU PARTNERS Act (Public Law 116-270) and Executive Order 14283, which focus on strengthening the research capacity and competitiveness of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. These directives emphasize increasing HBCU participation in federal research funding, developing academic centers of excellence, and fostering collaboration with public and private stakeholders. The purpose of the BEITA program is to enhance bioengineering and imaging research capacity at HBCUs, encourage technological innovation, and expand research training opportunities for faculty and students. The program seeks to increase participation and visibility of HBCUs in federally funded biomedical research, aligning institutional development with national educational and economic priorities. Funding provided through this opportunity is intended to support collaborative and multidisciplinary research projects that combine expertise in bioengineering, biomedical imaging, and technology development with disease- or discipline-specific biomedical research areas. This funding opportunity will use the UG3/UH3 cooperative agreement activity code. Cooperative agreements generally indicate substantial involvement by the NIH in project execution, meaning funded recipients can expect ongoing interaction, guidance, and oversight from NIH staff throughout the project’s duration. The estimated total program funding is $1,920,000, and four awards are expected to be made. Award ceilings and floors have not yet been specified in the forecast notice. Funding rules, including spending restrictions or priorities, have not been detailed, but applicants can anticipate requirements consistent with NIH cooperative agreements, including budget justifications and compliance with NIH research standards. Eligible applicants include both private institutions of higher education and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, provided they meet the definition of HBCU as outlined in 34 C.F.R. § 608.2. This makes eligibility highly specific, restricting applications to a defined set of institutions while encouraging broad participation within this group. Investigators with expertise in bioengineering, biomedical imaging, and technology development are encouraged to apply, as are teams proposing interdisciplinary collaborations with other biomedical fields. The anticipated timeline for this opportunity includes a forecast publication date of September 15, 2025, with the official posting expected on March 10, 2026. Applications will be due on June 1, 2026. The estimated award date is April 1, 2027, which is also the projected project start date. Because this is a forecasted opportunity, no applications are currently being solicited, and no pre-application deadlines such as letters of intent or concept papers have been listed at this time. For more information or clarification, applicants are encouraged to contact the designated NIH program officer. The listed contact is David Gutekunst, PhD, who can be reached via email at dave.gutekunst@nih.gov. Applicants are advised to monitor Grants.gov and NIH announcements for the full Notice of Funding Opportunity when it is formally published.