Exploratory Research for Technology Development (R21) | PAR 17 046

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 046

The Exploratory Research for Technology Development (R21) opportunity (NIH, Funding Opportunity Number PAR-17-046; CFDA 93.859) is a discretionary grant program designed to push early-stage, high-risk technology ideas that could eventually transform biomedical research. The focus is on developing innovative research technologies rather than answering a specific biological or clinical question. In practical terms, applicants are expected to propose bold, novel technical concepts, methods, platforms, instruments, computational approaches, or other enabling technologies that could open new capabilities for the broader biomedical community down the road, even if the real-world payoff is still distant.

A defining feature of this program is that it explicitly rewards risk and novelty. Projects are expected to be exploratory and may involve unproven approaches, uncertain feasibility, or unconventional ideas, as long as the potential upside is significant. The tradeoff is clear: the program accepts that many of these efforts may not work, but it funds them because successful outcomes could have outsized impact. At the same time, the solicitation draws firm boundaries about what does not fit. Using the proposed technology to address a specific biomedical research question is considered outside the scope and should not be included as an aim. In addition, the presence of preliminary data demonstrating feasibility is framed as a signal that the project may already be beyond the exploratory stage and therefore may be unsuitable for this particular R21 technology-development program. The intent is to support concept formation and early technical exploration, not incremental improvements on already-validated tools.

Key administrative details include an award ceiling of $200,000 and an original closing date of April 12, 2019, with the opportunity first created on November 1, 2016. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is health. While the listing notes “expected awards” without a number, the main takeaway is that the mechanism supports relatively small, focused, early investigations rather than large-scale development efforts.

Eligibility is broad across many U.S.-based organization types and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education where noted); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other qualifying entities. The opportunity also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

Foreign participation is restricted in a specific way. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization. However, “foreign components” are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain types of international collaboration or activities if they meet NIH’s definition and requirements for a foreign component. Overall, the program is best suited for applicants proposing genuinely early, enabling technology concepts with high uncertainty, minimal to no feasibility demonstration, and a clear orientation toward future biomedical research capability rather than immediate biological discovery.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Exploratory Research for Technology Development (R21)" 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 2016-11-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-04-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• 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.

Apply for PAR 17 046

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