Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 18 007
The Nasal Delivery of CNS Therapeutics (R41/R42) funding opportunity (RFA-DA-18-007) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitation focused on solving a specific drug delivery problem: getting therapeutics into the central nervous system (CNS) in a reliable and clinically meaningful way using the intranasal route. The core aim is not just to show that a drug can be detected in the brain after nasal dosing, but to develop a nasal delivery formulation and approach that can consistently deliver a therapeutic to the CNS at a physiologically relevant concentration, meaning levels that are high enough, sustained enough, and reproducible enough to plausibly produce a therapeutic effect in real biological systems.
The opportunity is aimed at small businesses and uses the STTR mechanism, which is designed to require and formalize collaboration between a small business concern and a non-profit research institution (such as a university or research hospital). The R41/R42 structure generally reflects a phased development path: an initial feasibility and proof-of-concept stage (Phase I, R41) followed by a more advanced development and validation stage (Phase II, R42). In practical terms, applicants are expected to move beyond basic ideas and toward a deliverable technology package, such as a formulation, device-formulation combination, or validated delivery system that shows reproducible CNS exposure and supports further preclinical or translational development.
Scientifically, the scope is intentionally broad in terms of the types of therapeutics that could benefit from nasal delivery to the brain. The description explicitly includes examples like peptides, antibodies, RNA interference (RNAi)-based modalities, and more traditional pharmacotherapeutics. These classes are often limited by barriers such as poor blood-brain barrier penetration, systemic degradation, unfavorable pharmacokinetics, or dose-limiting side effects when given peripherally. By emphasizing nasal delivery, the initiative is pointing toward strategies that leverage intranasal pathways with the potential to reach CNS tissues more directly than systemic administration, while still requiring applicants to demonstrate credible, quantitative delivery at relevant concentrations rather than relying on theoretical advantages.
Eligibility is restricted primarily to small businesses, consistent with STTR rules. The announcement clearly states that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. However, it also notes that foreign components, as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, may be allowed in some cases, which typically means limited, well-justified parts of the project could be performed outside the U.S. if there is a strong scientific reason and the work cannot be reasonably done domestically. Applicants would need to look closely at the full funding announcement for the exact conditions and documentation expectations tied to any foreign component.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program under NIH, categorized under education and health, and tied to CFDA number 93.279. The funding opportunity was created on April 25, 2017, with an original closing date of August 23, 2017. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided source data, so those specifics would normally be confirmed in the full RFA text or associated NIH documentation. Overall, the opportunity is geared toward translational, product-oriented development work where the main success metric is a robust, reproducible nasal delivery solution that demonstrably achieves CNS exposure levels that matter biologically, positioning the technology for further development toward clinical utility.Apply for RFA DA 18 007
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nasal Delivery of CNS Therapeutics (R41/R42)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-04-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-08-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Health
Next opportunity: Media Projects
Previous opportunity: Innovation for HIV Vaccine Discovery (R01)
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA DA 18 007
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA DA 18 007) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Role of Myeloid Cells in Persistence and Eradication of HIV-1 Reservoirs from the Brain (R01) Apply for RFA MH 18 300 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 300 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Role of Myeloid Cells in Persistence and Eradication of HIV-1 Reservoirs from the Brain (R21) Apply for RFA MH 18 301 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 301 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Genomic Community Resources (U24) Apply for PAR 17 273 Funding Number: PAR 17 273 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| In Vitro and Animal Model Studies on HBV/HIV Co-Infection (R01) Apply for PA 17 280 Funding Number: PA 17 280 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HIV and Hepatitis B Co-Infection: Advancing HBV Functional Cure through Clinical Research (R01) Apply for PA 17 279 Funding Number: PA 17 279 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Wearable to Track Recovery and Relapse Factors for People w/ Addiction(R43/R44) Apply for RFA DA 18 010 Funding Number: RFA DA 18 010 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Exploring Novel RNA Modifications in HIV/AIDS and Substance Use Disorders (R01) Apply for RFA DA 18 008 Funding Number: RFA DA 18 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Exploring Novel RNA Modifications in HIV/AIDS and Substance Use Disorders (R21) Apply for RFA DA 18 009 Funding Number: RFA DA 18 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| In Vitro and Animal Model Studies on HBV/HIV Co-Infection (R21) Apply for PA 17 281 Funding Number: PA 17 281 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| HIV and Hepatitis B Co-Infection: Advancing HBV Functional Cure through Clinical Research (R21) Apply for PA 17 278 Funding Number: PA 17 278 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Leveraging Population-based Cancer Registry Data to Study Health Disparities (R01) Apply for PA 17 289 Funding Number: PA 17 289 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Leveraging Population-based Cancer Registry Data to Study Health Disparities (R21) Apply for PA 17 288 Funding Number: PA 17 288 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Addressing Suicide Research Gaps: Aggregating and Mining Existing Data Sets for Secondary Analyses (R01) Apply for RFA MH 18 400 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 400 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Silencing of HIV-1 Proviruses (R61/R33) Apply for RFA AI 17 013 Funding Number: RFA AI 17 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| U.S. Tobacco Control Policies to Reduce Health Disparities (R01) Apply for PAR 17 217 Funding Number: PAR 17 217 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| U.S. Tobacco Control Policies to Reduce Health Disparities (R21) Apply for PAR 17 218 Funding Number: PAR 17 218 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| HIV/AIDS and the Tumor Niche (R01) Apply for RFA CA 17 030 Funding Number: RFA CA 17 030 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Addressing Suicide Research Gaps: Understanding Mortality Outcomes (R01) Apply for RFA MH 18 410 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 410 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Imaging the Persistent HIV Reservoir (R01) Apply for PA 17 305 Funding Number: PA 17 305 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| HIV/HCV Co-Infections in Substance Abusers (R01) Apply for PAS 17 311 Funding Number: PAS 17 311 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA DA 18 007", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.