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National Institutes of Health · United States

NEI Translational Research Program for Therapeutics (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

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Applications close on 16 Nov 2029. Eligible applicant types include small businesses, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities and 12 more.

About this call

The purpose of NEI's Translational Research program (TRP) is the rapid and efficient translation of innovative laboratory research findings into therapeutics for use by clinicians to treat visual system diseases or disorders. The TRP will support the product development of biological, pharmaceutical, medical device, and/or combination therapies for any disease or disorder of the visual system.The TRP will utilize a bi-phasic, milestone-driven mechanism of award. The R61 phase can be up to two years and will support research that has demonstrated significant preliminary data but has not advanced to the level of clinical translation. The R33 phase can be up to four years and will support research that is in the final states of preclinical development with potential for near-term clinical development. The total duration of both R61 and R33 cannot exceed five years. The R33 is to focus on advancing a single therapeutic candidate through Investigational New Drug or Investigational Device Exemption (IND/IDE) enabling studies, filing an IND/IDE package with the FDA, and designing future clinical trials. R33 recipients must submit or obtain an IND/IDE application to FDA, or must transition the product to clinical practice, within the period of performance. The specific activities appropriate for the R33 phase will depend on the product under study and available preliminary data on the product. Delineation of milestones by the applicant for the R61 and R33 phases is a key characteristic of this program. A milestone is defined as a scheduled event in the project timeline that signifies the completion of a major project stage or activity. This program will support applications that propose a series of milestones including manufacturing and product development goals. Applications that address contingency plans to proactively confront potential delays in meeting the milestones are strongly encouraged. Milestones are required for both phases. Milestones must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). All projects will begin with a R61 phase regardless of therapeutic starting point.

Who can apply

• Small businesses
• Special district governments
• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
• For profit organizations other than small businesses
• Private institutions of higher education
• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
• Independent school districts
• State governments
• 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
• City or township governments
• County governments

Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility.Foreign Organizations/International CollaborationsNon-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.NIH will no longer issue awards (i.e., new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) to domestic or foreign entities that involve foreign subawards/subcontracts. All NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards/subcontracts must be submitted in response to a NOFO that is specifically designated for funded international collaborations. See NIH Grants Policy Statement 16.8 Collaborative International Research Awards.Applications involving foreign subawards/subcontracts submitted in response to this NOFO will be deemed noncompliant and will not be considered for funding. This policy applies to all monetary international collaborations resulting in foreign subawards/subcontracts, however, it does not preclude unfunded international collaborations or foreign components, funding for foreign consultants, or procurement of unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors.

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

Topics

Health

How to apply

1. Read the full notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) linked from the official page: eligibility, cost sharing and evaluation criteria.
2. Make sure your organisation has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID (UEI); registration can take several weeks.
3. For NIH: the organisation and the principal investigator also need eRA Commons accounts; applications are usually submitted through Grants.gov (for example with ASSIST).
4. Prepare the required forms, narrative, budget and attachments exactly as the NOFO specifies.
5. Submit before the deadline and keep the tracking number. Check for amendments before you submit.

From the call text

Who can apply

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Company stage

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Single applicant or consortium

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Where applicants must be based

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Where to apply

All NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards/subcontracts must be submitted in response to a NOFO that is specifically designated for funded international collaborations.

Contact

National Institutes of Health · NEI_extramural@nih.gov · 301-402-2541

Where these facts come from

Official sources

Official call page

Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 13 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.

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