Fund Your Product Development Research

Grants and Cooperative Agreements

• A large portion of the research funded by NIAID is investigator initiated, meaning that investigators submit an application proposing research in any area of science NIAID supports.
• Product developers interested in pursuing the investigator-initiated path can apply for grant funding using a parent program announcement. Researchers can also respond to one of NIAID’s targeted funding opportunities relevant to their work.
• As product development programs advance toward clinical trials, product developers can explore grants and cooperative agreements for investigator-initiated clinical trials (IICT).
• Researchers and developers are encouraged to contact the DMID program staff aligned with their scientific areas to discuss opportunities. In addition, each targeted funding opportunity includes a scientific contact who can help address questions about these announcements.

Contracts

• NIAID also funds extramural research through contract solicitations. Contracts are legally binding agreements to acquire goods or services for the direct use or benefit of the U.S. government. Contracts have specific requirements and deliverables and operate within a defined schedule.

  DMID issues Broad Agency Announcements (BAA) on an annual basis to advance late-stage product development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. These efforts help move candidate products forward into human clinical trials with the goal of de-risking candidates for further development. The 2026 BAA was issued on November 22, 2024.

• Contract solicitations identify a point of contact from the NIAID Office of Acquisitions for interested applicants.

Small Business Programs

• Eligible companies are encouraged to explore Small Business Programs, including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and contracts and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. These small business programs help bridge the gap between basic science and commercialization of new therapies, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and other technologies.

More Information on Funding Opportunities

More information can be found on the Find a Funding Opportunity page. Investigators also are encouraged to sign up for NIAID Funding News for updates on new funding opportunities, timelines, and more.

See also:

• NIAID Paylines
• Standard Due Dates for NIH Grant Applications
• NIAID Concepts—Potential Funding Opportunities
• NIH RePORTER – Database of NIH funded awards