NIA Research and Entrepreneurial Development Immersion (REDI): Entrepreneurship Enhancement Award (R25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 22 226

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 22 226

The NIA Research and Entrepreneurial Development Immersion (REDI): Entrepreneurship Enhancement Award is an NIH training-focused grant opportunity (R25; independent clinical trial not allowed) run by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Its core aim is to build and strengthen entrepreneurial training programs that help scientists translate aging-related research into real-world products, services, and solutions. Rather than funding a traditional research project, this program is meant to support structured training and immersion experiences that expand career-ready skills, especially for people who may pursue paths beyond the standard academic research track.

The program is geared toward developing entrepreneurship-oriented curricula and experiences for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, along with early-career scientists holding masters, Ph.D., or Dr.P.H. degrees. The training focus must align with NIA's mission areas, which include aging biology, geroscience, age-related clinical and social/behavioral research, and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (often referenced as AD). The overarching goal is to broaden trainees' skillsets so they can navigate a wider set of careers, including roles in industry, startups, venture creation, technology transfer, commercialization, product development, regulatory science, and other innovation-oriented settings connected to aging and AD.

This opportunity is identified as PAR-22-226 and falls under a discretionary grant mechanism in the health funding activity category (CFDA 93.866). The award ceiling is listed at $250,000, indicating the maximum amount that may be provided under the terms of the opportunity (exact budgets, project periods, and allowable cost structures typically depend on NIH and FOA-specific guidance, but the ceiling provides a practical cap for planning). The original closing date is October 17, 2024, which signals the last date applications were accepted under the listed schedule for that cycle.

A notable boundary of the program is embedded in the title: "Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed." In practical terms, applicants should not propose an independent clinical trial as the core activity under this R25. The emphasis is on training program development and implementation, not running clinical trials, and applicants are expected to keep proposed activities within NIH's definition of allowable training and educational program work for this mechanism.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes many types of government entities and institutions. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (when not institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses, among others. The opportunity explicitly highlights additional eligible organizational categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions, reflecting a strong openness to varied institutional settings that can deliver effective entrepreneurship training.

At the same time, the announcement is clear about restrictions related to foreign participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In short, the applicant organization and the supported program components must be U.S.-based without foreign components.

Overall, this REDI R25 opportunity is best understood as capacity-building support for entrepreneurship education and immersion programs tied to aging and Alzheimer’s-related science. Competitive proposals will typically be those that can convincingly show a well-designed training structure, meaningful experiential learning opportunities, and a clear pathway for trainees to gain practical skills for innovation and commercialization, all while staying within the non-clinical-trial, training-centric boundaries of the R25 mechanism.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIA Research and Entrepreneurial Development Immersion (REDI): Entrepreneurship Enhancement Award (R25 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-17. (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 $250,000.00 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 22 226

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