Biomedical Technology Optimization and Dissemination Center (BTOD)

The Biomedical Technology Optimization and Dissemination Center (BTOD) is a funding opportunity announced by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health. This program supports centers focused on optimizing advanced biomedical technologies that have already demonstrated laboratory feasibility. The goal of these centers is to refine late-stage technologies, make them broadly usable, and ensure their effective dissemination across the biomedical research community. The program is structured to help move tools from development into widespread application, strengthening national biomedical research infrastructure. The opportunity number for this program is PAR-26-028, and it is currently published as a forecasted grant. The estimated posting date for the official notice is February 28, 2026, with an application due date of May 28, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced on April 1, 2027, with funded projects beginning on the same date. The fiscal year of funding is 2027. As a forecasted opportunity, this is intended to provide early engagement time for interested applicants, giving them an opportunity to prepare ahead of the full announcement. Eligible applicants include a wide variety of institutions and organizations. These include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, city and township governments, county governments, state governments, independent school districts, small businesses, and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. Nonprofit organizations with or without IRS 501(c)(3) status, special district governments, Native American tribal governments that are federally recognized, and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized are also eligible. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities may apply, as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, agencies of the federal government, and U.S. territories and possessions. This wide eligibility scope ensures that the program can attract proposals from diverse organizations that may be developing or advancing biomedical technologies. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the program falls under the category of health, with the associated assistance listing number being 93.859, which covers Biomedical Research and Research Training. The number of awards, total program funding, award ceiling, and award floor have not yet been published, which is typical for a forecasted opportunity. Cost sharing or matching is not required. Funding is discretionary, meaning awards will be made competitively based on the merit of applications received. Applicants must prepare to meet the estimated application timeline. The application open date is projected to be February 28, 2026, with the deadline for submission falling on May 28, 2026. Since no pre-application requirements such as letters of intent, concept papers, or pre-proposals were indicated in the notice, applicants are expected to submit directly by the final due date. Because this is a forecast, additional details on submission requirements, application structure, or evaluation criteria may be provided in the finalized Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Evaluation will focus on the ability of applicants to demonstrate how their centers will optimize existing technologies and disseminate them to the wider biomedical community. Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate both the scientific merit of the technology and the practical plans for dissemination and training. Further information about proposal requirements will be provided when the NOFO is formally released. Questions about this forecast may be directed to the program contact listed in the announcement. The official program contact is Dr. Carolina Salvador Morales, who can be reached by phone at 301-480-0779 or by email at carolina.salvadormorales@nih.gov. Interested applicants should monitor the Grants.gov portal and NIH communications for the formal reissue of this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Until then, the forecast serves as guidance for organizations to consider their readiness to apply and to plan for upcoming deadlines in 2026 and 2027.