PAR-24-265
Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Summary
Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program – PAR-24-265
Research Focus & Contribution
The Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program funds the purchase or upgrade of a single high-priced, specialized research instrument or integrated instrumentation system needed by groups of NIH-supported investigators. The program targets basic, translational, and clinical biomedical and biobehavioral research across multiple disciplines. Supported instruments include light microscopes, confocal microscopes, electron microscopes, mass spectrometers, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers, DNA and protein sequencers, flow cytometers, biosensors, X-ray diffractometers, biomedical imagers (including optical coherence tomography), and high-throughput robotic screening systems. The intended contribution is enabling shared-use research infrastructure that individual investigators cannot justify purchasing independently, fostering collaborative multidisciplinary research and optimal resource utilization across institutions.
Participating NIH components include the National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). NEI prioritizes vision research instruments aligned with its strategic plan; NIGMS encourages participation from Institutional Development Award (IDeA) states; NIMH requires at least one NIMH-funded investigator in the Major User Group.
At-a-Glance
- Who can apply: U.S. higher education institutions (public and private), nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, and other eligible U.S. organizations. Foreign organizations are not eligible; clinical trials are not allowed.
- Funding & project length: $50,000 minimum to $750,000 maximum per award; one-year project period. No indirect costs allowed.
- Award mechanism: Grant (S10 activity code); new applications and resubmissions accepted.
- Key dates: Applications open May 2, 2025; due June 1, 2025, 2026, or 2027 (rolling cycles). Earliest start date June 1, 2026 (first cycle).
- Best fit for: Research groups in biomedical imaging, genomics, structural biology, cell biology, and neuroscience seeking shared core facility instrumentation; institutions with multiple NIH-funded investigators and commitment to collaborative infrastructure management.
Key Facts
Deadline
Tue, June 1, 2027
Posted
Tue, October 29, 2024
Award / Year (direct costs)
$750,000
Max Total
$750,000
Max Duration
1 year
Keywords
Research Areas
Gotchas (7)
Clinical trials are explicitly not allowed for this S10 mechanism, but the FOA does not clearly define what constitutes a 'clinical trial' in this context. Applicants using human subjects or patient p
85%
Source Text
“Clinical Trial? Not Allowed: Only accepting applications that do not propose clinical trials.”
Applications requesting more than one type of instrument will not be reviewed, but the FOA does not clarify whether a single integrated system with multiple distinct instrument types (e.g., a microsco
75%
Source Text
“An individual application requesting more than one type of instrument (for example, a mass spectrometer and a confocal microscope) is not responsive to this NOFO and will not be reviewed.”
A Notice of Correction (NOT-OD-25-019) was issued on November 4, 2024 regarding eligible organizations in the Eligible Organizations Section, but the corrected text is not provided in the FOA excerpt.
90%
Source Text
“November 4, 2024 - Notice of Correction to the Eligible Organizations Section of ORIP's PAR-24-265: Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). See Notice NOT-OD-25-019.”
The award project period is one year only, which is unusually short and may not align with typical instrument procurement, installation, and validation timelines that applicants might expect.
90%
Source Text
“Award Project Period: Awards are made for one year only.”
Applicants must establish an Advisory Committee, but the FOA does not specify the minimum size, required expertise, or whether committee members must be from the applicant institution or can be extern
70%
Source Text
“An Advisory Committee must be named to assist the PD/PI in administering the grant and overseeing the usage of the instrument. For details on the composition of the Advisory Committee, see Section IV.2 under "Administration."”
The FOA states that S10 awards do not allow indirect costs (F&A), which is atypical for NIH grants and may significantly impact institutional budgeting and cost recovery.
95%
Source Text
“S10 awards do not allow indirect costs.”
The FOA requires Annual Usage Reports (AURs) to be submitted for four years after the project end date, but does not specify the format, content, or submission deadline for these reports, creating pos
80%
Source Text
“Preparing and submitting Annual Usage Reports (AURs) of the instrument to the NIH for a period of four years after the project end date, see Section VI.4.”