Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: October 20, 2025 (estimated application due date; forecasted opportunity)
Funding Amounts: Award size and duration not yet specified; cooperative agreement (UG3/UH3); non-dilutive funding plus support services.
Summary: Supports translational and clinical development of innovative medical devices to prevent, monitor, diagnose, or treat nervous or neuromuscular system disorders.
Key Information: This is a forecasted opportunity; applications are not yet being accepted. Notice is provided to allow time for collaboration and project planning.
Description
The NIH Blueprint MedTech Translator program is a forthcoming funding opportunity designed to accelerate the translation of novel medical device technologies for disorders of the nervous or neuromuscular systems. The program aims to support late-stage technology development and first-in-human clinical studies, helping innovators overcome translational barriers from early-stage development to clinical application.
The initiative is a collaboration among 12 NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices, collectively supporting neuroscience-related research to reduce the burden of nervous system disorders. The program will provide both non-dilutive funding and additional resources/services to help de-risk and advance device technologies, with the goal of enabling further investment from industry, investors, or government.
This opportunity is currently in the forecast stage; the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is expected to be published in July 2025, with applications anticipated to be due in October 2025.
Due Dates
- Estimated Application Due Date: October 20, 2025
- Estimated NOFO Release: July 21, 2025
- Estimated Award Date: July 1, 2026
- Estimated Project Start Date: July 1, 2026
Note: These dates are forecasts and may change when the official NOFO is released.
Funding Amount
- Award Size: Not yet specified; details will be provided in the official NOFO.
- Funding Mechanism: Cooperative Agreement (UG3/UH3 activity code; clinical trial optional).
- Support Provided: Non-dilutive funds for device development, plus access to additional resources and support services.
- Project Duration: Not yet specified.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
- Native American tribal governments (federally recognized and other tribal organizations)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
Both individual investigators and organizations with established collaborations with device manufacturers are encouraged to consider applying.
Application Process
- Current Status: Applications are not being accepted at this time; this is a forecasted opportunity.
- Preparation: Potential applicants are encouraged to use this advance notice to develop collaborations and responsive projects.
- Application Instructions: The opportunity will use the NIH UG3/UH3 cooperative agreement mechanism. Standard NIH application procedures and forms (SF424 R&R) will apply.
- Clinical Trials: Clinical trials are optional under this opportunity.
- Resources: Applicants should refer to the NIH Research Application Guide (Forms Version H) for detailed instructions on preparing NIH applications.
Additional Information
- The program is intended to catalyze the translation of early-stage device technologies toward clinical studies and patient access.
- The overarching goal is to sufficiently develop and de-risk technologies to attract further investment.
- The opportunity is particularly relevant for investigators with expertise in late-stage technology development, device optimization, and first-in-human studies.
- Both new device developers and those with existing industry collaborations are encouraged to prepare for this opportunity.
External Links
Contact Information
For general NIH grant inquiries, see the NIH Contact Page.