Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 18 587
This funding opportunity, titled "Assistive Technology for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and Their Caregivers (R41/R42 - Clinical Trials Optional)" (PAR-18-587), is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program aimed at supporting small businesses that want to research and develop practical assistive technologies for people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), along with the caregivers or care partners who support them. The overall goal is to improve health and well-being, reduce illness and disability, and strengthen quality of life through technology that can be realistically used in everyday settings, not just in research environments.
The FOA emphasizes solutions that directly address common and high-impact challenges faced by individuals with ADRD and their caregivers. Priority areas include technologies that provide psychosocial support, such as tools that help improve mood, reduce loneliness, and build or maintain social connection and communication. Another key interest is stress reduction, including approaches like biofeedback or other technology-enabled behavioral therapies that can help caregivers and/or people with ADRD manage anxiety, agitation, or chronic stress. The announcement also calls out care management and support for activities of daily living, which can include technologies that help with routines, reminders, task guidance, safety, coordination of care, or similar day-to-day supports that reduce burden and help people function more independently for longer.
A major theme of the opportunity is that strong projects will be multidisciplinary. NIH is explicitly encouraging collaborations that bring together clinical expertise in aging and dementia (for example, geriatricians with dementia experience, neurologists, and psychologists) with technical and product-focused expertise (such as computer scientists and mechanical, electrical, and software engineers). In practice, this means applicants should show that they understand the clinical realities of ADRD and caregiving and can translate that understanding into a tool that is usable, acceptable, and effective for real users, including individuals with cognitive impairment who may have difficulty learning new workflows or interacting with complex interfaces.
Applications are expected to demonstrate the potential for broad population impact. The FOA lays out four qualities the proposed assistive technology should clearly aim to meet: it should be innovative (meaning it brings a genuinely new approach or meaningful improvement over what is currently available), it should be efficacious and effective (supported by evidence or a strong plan to generate evidence, with clinical trials allowed but not required), it should be scalable (able to be deployed widely without unreasonable cost or specialized infrastructure), and it should be low-cost (affordable enough to reach the people who need it, recognizing the financial constraints many families and care systems face). This combination signals that NIH is looking not only for novel prototypes, but for solutions that can realistically be adopted at scale and deliver measurable benefit.
From an administrative standpoint, the mechanism is an SBIR grant using the R41/R42 pathway, with clinical trials listed as optional. The eligible applicant pool is small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible. However, foreign components, as defined under NIH Grants Policy, may be allowed in some cases, meaning a U.S. small business might be able to include certain limited foreign activities if NIH policy permits and if well-justified, but the applicant organization itself must be U.S.-based and eligible under SBIR requirements. The opportunity falls under the NIH health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.866. The original closing date listed for this announcement was January 8, 2020, and the record indicates it was created on January 25, 2018.Apply for PAR 18 587
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assistive Technology for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and Their Caregivers (R41/R42 - Clinical Trials Optional)" 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 2018-01-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-01-08. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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FAQs: Assistive Technology for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and Their Caregivers (R41/R42 - Clinical Trials Optional) (PAR-18-587)
1) What is the title and identifier of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Assistive Technology for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and Their Caregivers (R41/R42 - Clinical Trials Optional)" and is identified as PAR-18-587.
2) Which agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity.
3) What type of program is this (and who is it designed for)?
This is an NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program intended to support small businesses conducting research and development (R&D) of practical assistive technologies for people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and for their caregivers or care partners.
4) What is the main goal of the FOA?
The overall goal is to improve health and well-being, reduce illness and disability, and strengthen quality of life through assistive technology that can realistically be used in everyday settings, not only in research environments.
5) Who is the technology intended to help?
The intended users include people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) as well as the caregivers or care partners who support them.
6) What kinds of challenges should the proposed technology address?
The FOA emphasizes solutions that directly address common and high-impact challenges faced by individuals with ADRD and their caregivers, particularly problems that occur in day-to-day life and caregiving contexts.
7) What priority areas are specifically highlighted?
The FOA highlights several priority areas, including:
- Psychosocial support (for example, improving mood, reducing loneliness, supporting social connection, and strengthening communication)
- Stress reduction (for example, biofeedback or technology-enabled behavioral approaches to help manage anxiety, agitation, or chronic stress)
- Care management and support for activities of daily living (for example, routines, reminders, task guidance, safety, coordination of care, and other practical supports that reduce burden)
8) Does the FOA focus on lab prototypes or real-world usability?
The FOA emphasizes technology that can be realistically used in everyday settings. Projects are expected to reflect the practical realities of ADRD and caregiving, including usability and acceptability for real users.
9) Why does the FOA emphasize multidisciplinary projects?
NIH is explicitly encouraging collaborations that combine clinical expertise in aging and dementia (such as geriatricians, neurologists, and psychologists) with technical and product-focused expertise (such as computer scientists and mechanical, electrical, and software engineers). The intent is to ensure the technology is grounded in clinical needs and feasible for end users.
10) What does NIH expect applicants to demonstrate about understanding the user population?
Applicants are expected to show they understand clinical realities of ADRD and caregiving and can translate that into a tool that is usable, acceptable, and effective for real users, including individuals with cognitive impairment who may have difficulty learning new workflows or using complex interfaces.
11) Are clinical trials required for this opportunity?
No. Clinical trials are optional under this funding opportunity.
12) What grant mechanism and pathway does this opportunity use?
The opportunity uses an SBIR grant mechanism on the R41/R42 pathway.
13) What are the core qualities NIH wants the assistive technology to meet?
The FOA identifies four qualities the proposed technology should clearly aim to meet:
- Innovative: a genuinely new approach or meaningful improvement over what is currently available
- Efficacious and effective: supported by evidence or a strong plan to generate evidence (clinical trials are allowed but not required)
- Scalable: deployable widely without unreasonable cost or specialized infrastructure
- Low-cost: affordable enough to reach people who need it, recognizing real financial constraints
14) Does NIH expect projects to have broad population impact?
Yes. Applications are expected to demonstrate potential for broad population impact, aligning with the focus on scalability and affordability.
15) What does "scalable" mean in the context of this FOA?
Based on the FOA description, scalable means the technology can be deployed widely without unreasonable cost or reliance on specialized infrastructure, so it can realistically reach many users.
16) What does "low-cost" mean in the context of this FOA?
The FOA signals a preference for solutions that are affordable enough to reach the people who need them, taking into account the financial constraints faced by many families and care systems.
17) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant pool is small businesses, consistent with SBIR rules.
18) Are foreign institutions eligible to apply?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
19) Can a non-U.S. component of a U.S. organization apply or participate as the applicant?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible as applicants under this opportunity.
20) Are any foreign activities allowed at all?
Foreign components (as defined under NIH Grants Policy) may be allowed in some cases. This suggests a U.S. small business might be able to include limited foreign activities if they are permitted under NIH policy and are well-justified, but the applicant organization must be U.S.-based and SBIR-eligible.
21) What is the associated CFDA number?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.866.
22) What funding activity category does this fall under?
It falls under the NIH health funding activity category.
23) What was the original closing date listed for this announcement?
The original closing date listed was January 8, 2020.
24) When was this opportunity record created?
The record indicates it was created on January 25, 2018.
25) What types of solutions are likely to be responsive, based on the FOA description?
Based on the emphasis described, responsive solutions would be practical assistive technologies that target psychosocial support, stress reduction, and/or care management and daily living supports, and that are designed to be innovative, evidence-oriented, scalable, and low-cost for real-world use by people with ADRD and caregivers.
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Applicants also applied for:
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Assistive Technology for Persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and Their Caregivers (R43/R44 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 588 Funding Number: PAR 18 588 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIAMS Clinical Trial Implementation Cooperative Agreement (U01 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 18 594 Funding Number: PAR 18 594 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Clincal Observational (CO) Studies in Musculoskeletal, Rheumatic, and Skin Diseases (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 597 Funding Number: PAR 18 597 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $225,000 |
| Research on Current Topics in Alzheimer's Disease and Its Related Dementias (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 596 Funding Number: PAR 18 596 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Coordination Center for Programs to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE) (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA HL 19 001 Funding Number: RFA HL 19 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $320,000 |
| Programs to Increase Diversity Among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE) (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA HL 19 002 Funding Number: RFA HL 19 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Methods Development in Natural Products Chemistry (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 608 Funding Number: PAR 18 608 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Methods Development in Natural Products Chemistry (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 607 Funding Number: PA 18 607 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Development of Novel and Emerging Technologies for Cryogenic or Long-term Preservation and Revival of Drosophila and Zebrafish Genetic Stocks (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 610 Funding Number: PA 18 610 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mentored Career Transition Award for Intramural Fellows (K22 Clinical Trials Required) Apply for PA 18 613 Funding Number: PA 18 613 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NINDS Exploratory Clinical Trials for Small Business (R44) - Clinical Trial Required Apply for PAR 18 618 Funding Number: PAR 18 618 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NINDS Exploratory Clinical Trials for Small Business (R42) - Clinical Trial Required Apply for PAR 18 617 Funding Number: PAR 18 617 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mentored Career Transition Award for Intramural Fellows (K22 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 614 Funding Number: PA 18 614 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Development of Novel and Emerging Technologies for Cryogenic or Long-term Preservation and Revival of Drosophila and Zebrafish Genetic Stocks (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 609 Funding Number: PA 18 609 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Disease Mechanisms of Prenatal and Pediatric Hydrocephalus (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 622 Funding Number: PA 18 622 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Tools to Enhance the Study of Prenatal and Pediatric Hydrocephalus (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PA 18 623 Funding Number: PA 18 623 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research to Support the Reduction and Elimination of Mental Health Disparities (Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 621 Funding Number: PA 18 621 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Understanding Processes of Recovery in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder (R21 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 620 Funding Number: PA 18 620 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Understanding Processes of Recovery in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 18 619 Funding Number: PA 18 619 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Dementia Care and Caregiver Support Interventions (R01 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA AG 18 030 Funding Number: RFA AG 18 030 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
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