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HCN Grants Est. 2026
No. PAR-25-321 · National Institutes of Health
Open

Exploratory/Developmental Bioengineering Research Grants (EBRG) (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

Dealbreakers No cost share required Audit: not stated
Not reimbursement-only
“Grant: A financial assistance mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity.” — From the announcement

At a glance

This program funds exploratory, early-stage bioengineering research to test new tools, technologies, methods, or approaches that could improve biomedical research, clinical care, or accessibility. It uses the NIH R21 grant mechanism and allows projects with or without a clinical trial. Eligible applicants include a wide range of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including nonprofits, universities, governments, for-profit organizations, and foreign organizations; foreign components of U.S. organizations are also allowed. The total direct cost budget may not exceed $275,000 over two years, with no more than $200,000 in any single year, and there is no cost-sharing requirement. The announcement excludes certain cancer basic science studies and phase III or late-stage randomized clinical trials.

AI-generated summary — verify against the announcement

What it funds

  • Education
  • Health
  • Research & Discovery
  • Technology & Product Development
  • Patients & People with Health Conditions
  • Researchers & Scholars
  • Biomedical & Disease Research
  • Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences
  • Health Care Delivery, Access & Workforce
Official description from grants.gov

Through this engineering-oriented Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) intends to encourage submissions of exploratory/developmental Bioengineering Research Grant (EBRG) applications to demonstrate feasibility and potential utility of new capabilities or improvements in quality, speed, efficacy, operability, costs, and/or accessibility of solutions to problems in basic biomedical, pre-clinical, or clinical research, clinical care delivery, or accessibility.

Who can apply

  • City or township governments
  • County governments
  • For-profit organizations other than small businesses
  • Independent school districts
  • Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
  • Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized)
  • Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education)
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education)
  • Others
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
  • Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • Special district governments
  • State governments
Geographic restriction None found in the announcement — likely nationwide