Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA OD 23 002
The NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) Awards funding opportunity (RFA-OD-23-002) is a renewed NIH program designed to speed up the translation of academic biomedical discoveries into real-world products that improve patient care and public health. Using a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01; clinical trial optional), NIH supports institutions in building or strengthening “REACH Hubs,” which function as organized entrepreneurship centers inside or alongside academic environments. The central idea is to move promising early-stage technologies out of the lab and toward commercialization by pairing modest, targeted funding with structured mentoring, practical development support, and connections to external partners.
Under this program, funded Hubs are expected to operate as part of a broader NIH-backed consortium. That consortium model is meant to create shared capacity and consistent standards across sites for selecting technologies, advancing them through early de-risking work, and developing teams that can carry innovations toward the market. Each Hub is responsible for establishing the internal infrastructure needed to identify and prioritize the most promising technologies aligned with NIH’s mission, and then to deploy “seed” support to innovators. A key emphasis is on funding product definition and proof-of-concept activities such as feasibility studies, prototype development, and other early validation work that can clarify whether a technology is viable and attractive for downstream investment or licensing.
Beyond direct project funding, REACH Hubs are expected to provide innovators with access to specialized resources and expertise that commonly determine whether biomedical technologies successfully cross the gap between research and product development. This includes scientific and technical input, but also practical commercialization supports like regulatory strategy, reimbursement considerations, business development, legal and intellectual property guidance, and project management. The program also places weight on workforce and skills development, aiming to give researchers and trainees hands-on entrepreneurship experience rather than limiting support to purely technical milestones. In effect, the Hub is meant to function as a structured on-ramp where investigators learn how to frame a product, understand the market and clinical use case, plan early development, and engage with commercialization pathways.
Another core expectation is that Hubs build strong public-private partnerships and bring in additional non-federal support. The FOA signals that long-term success depends on leveraging NIH funds rather than relying on them alone, with outside capital, in-kind support, industry engagement, philanthropic backing, or regional economic development partnerships helping to extend the reach of the program and sustain momentum for projects as they mature.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a wide range of academic and nonprofit institutions. Eligible applicant types include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (when not an institution of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. The FOA also highlights inclusion of organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and certain tribal entities. At the same time, it explicitly restricts foreign participation: non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed.
The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health under CFDA 93.859 (Health). It was posted with an original closing date of 2022-12-02 and a creation date of 2022-11-28. The listing provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the fields shown, but the overall structure indicates NIH intends to fund a set of institutional Hubs that can run internal proof-of-concept project support while collaborating across the consortium to share practices, resources, and commercialization know-how.Apply for RFA OD 23 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) Awards (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.859.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-11-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-12-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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NIH REACH Awards (RFA-OD-23-002) FAQ
What is the NIH REACH Awards funding opportunity?
The NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) Awards (RFA-OD-23-002) is a renewed NIH program intended to speed the translation of academic biomedical discoveries into real-world products that improve patient care and public health.
What is the main goal of the REACH program?
The program focuses on moving promising early-stage biomedical technologies out of the lab and toward commercialization by combining modest, targeted funding with structured mentoring, practical development support, and connections to external partners.
What funding mechanism does NIH use for this opportunity?
This opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism (U01). Clinical trial participation is optional.
What is a REACH Hub in this program?
A REACH Hub is an organized entrepreneurship center built inside or alongside an academic environment. The Hub is expected to provide infrastructure, mentoring, resources, and seed support to help advance early biomedical technologies toward commercialization.
How does the REACH consortium model work?
Funded Hubs are expected to operate as part of a broader NIH-backed consortium. The consortium model is meant to create shared capacity and consistent standards across sites for selecting technologies, de-risking them through early development work, and building teams capable of advancing innovations toward the market.
What are REACH Hubs expected to do with NIH support?
Hubs are expected to build or strengthen internal infrastructure to identify and prioritize promising technologies aligned with NIH's mission and then provide seed support to innovators to advance those technologies.
What kinds of activities can seed support be used for?
The program emphasizes product definition and proof-of-concept activities, including feasibility studies, prototype development, and other early validation work that helps clarify technical and market viability for later licensing or investment.
Is the program focused only on technical research milestones?
No. In addition to technical development and validation, the program places weight on workforce and skills development, aiming to provide hands-on entrepreneurship experience for researchers and trainees.
What kinds of non-technical commercialization support should a REACH Hub provide?
Hubs are expected to provide access to expertise and resources that often determine whether technologies can cross from research to product development, such as regulatory strategy, reimbursement considerations, business development, legal and intellectual property guidance, and project management.
What does "de-risking" mean in the context of this FOA?
Based on the description provided, de-risking refers to early work (such as feasibility studies, prototypes, and validation activities) that reduces uncertainty about whether a technology is viable and attractive for downstream investment, partnerships, or licensing.
How does the program support investigators and trainees?
The Hub model is described as a structured on-ramp where investigators learn how to define a product, understand the market and clinical use case, plan early development, and engage with commercialization pathways.
Are REACH Hubs expected to work with industry or external partners?
Yes. Another core expectation is that Hubs build strong public-private partnerships and connect projects to external partners, reflecting the program's emphasis on commercialization pathways.
Does the FOA expect additional non-federal support beyond NIH funds?
Yes. The FOA signals that long-term success depends on leveraging NIH funds rather than relying on them alone. Examples of additional non-federal support mentioned include outside capital, in-kind support, industry engagement, philanthropic backing, or regional economic development partnerships.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations. The information provided lists eligible applicants as including various levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and a wide range of academic, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. The opportunity includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (when not an institution of higher education).
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are listed as eligible, and small businesses are also listed as eligible.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically included?
Yes. The FOA highlights inclusion of organizations such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are specifically mentioned among the eligible or included organization types.
Are tribal entities eligible?
Certain tribal entities are mentioned as included, and the FOA also references Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) among highlighted institution types.
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
No. The FOA explicitly restricts foreign participation: non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component?
No. The FOA states that non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Are foreign components allowed under NIH policy definitions?
No. The FOA states that foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are not allowed.
Which federal agency administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 93.859 (Health).
What is the opportunity identifier?
The funding opportunity is identified as RFA-OD-23-002.
What does the listing say about award size or the number of awards?
The listing provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the fields shown.
What dates are shown for posting and closing?
The information provided states a creation date of 2022-11-28 and an original closing date of 2022-12-02.
What does "clinical trial optional" mean here?
The opportunity description states "clinical trial optional," indicating that a clinical trial is not required for participation under this mechanism, based on the information provided.
What kinds of outcomes is the program trying to achieve?
The program is designed to help translate early-stage biomedical discoveries into products, with early proof-of-concept and product definition work intended to make technologies more viable and attractive for downstream investment, licensing, and real-world use.
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