banner
quadrapole.bsky.social
@quadrapole.bsky.social
NIH SBIR Update
Great article just posted on value of the SBIR/STTR (DoD focus).
Summary:
1. On average, every $1 SBIR attracts $4 private
2. Large firms with many SBIR awards drive innovation
3. Blanket award caps are bad, faster and smarter funding is good

www.nsbaadvocate.org/post/news-ne...
NEWS | New Study Confirms SBIR STTR Programs Deliver Big Wins for Small Business, Support from NSBA, SBTC
NSBA and our Small Business Technology Council (SBTC) continue urging support for SBIR/STTR programs on Capitol Hill and across the country.
www.nsbaadvocate.org
January 13, 2026 at 2:46 PM
NIH SBIR Update -
January submission date is cancelled. April’s is in jeopardy.
December 19, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Notice of Early Expiration of PAR-23-149, PAR-23-150 and PAR-24-286
(K22 Mentored Career Transition Awards)

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-MH-26-010: Notice of Early Expiration of PAR-23-149, PAR-23-150 and PAR-24-286
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Notice of Early Expiration of PAR-23-149, PAR-23-150 and PAR-24-286 NOT-MH-26-010. NIMH
grants.nih.gov
December 17, 2025 at 3:38 PM
SBIR/STTR Update -

SBIR was left out of the NDAA. Now it takes unanimous consent to fix it, which means a handful of senators can block the broadly supported clean extension while holding out for the unpopular INNOVATE Act. I had ChatGPT compare the proposals.
December 12, 2025 at 3:59 PM
SBIR Update

I'm thankful that the NSBA is keeping everyone updated.

In essence, Senator Ernst remains opposed to extensions of any length without her changes reflected to the program.

Stay tuned.

www.nsbaadvocate.org/post/news-sb...
NEWS | SBIR/STTR Programs Still Lapsed as NDAA Week Lands on Capitol, Big Questions for Small Business Remain
NSBA and the Small Business Technology Council urge Congress to act to reinstate SBIR/STTR funds, including options to work in the reauthorizations in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
www.nsbaadvocate.org
December 9, 2025 at 3:19 PM
NDAA test released & SBIR Update -
The FY 2026 NDAA language was released last night. No mention of the SBIR program unfortunately. Hopefully it will be included, or perhaps a "manager's amendment."

Finger's crossed.

rules.house.gov/sites/evo-su...
rules.house.gov
December 8, 2025 at 2:50 PM
NIH Update-
Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions

Key points:
All ICO funding policies should:

* Align with the NIH’s mission
* Prioritize scientific merit; ICOs should consider peer review in its entirety

grants.nih.gov/news-events/...
Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions | Grants & Funding
grants.nih.gov
December 5, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Emergency Modifications to NIH Peer Review
Check this out. Top third reviewed. Bottom third triaged. Middle third not discussed but could be funded based on an internal review. Also, expect really concise summary statements.

grants.nih.gov/news-events/...
Emergency Modifications to NIH Peer Review | Grants & Funding
grants.nih.gov
December 5, 2025 at 9:44 PM
NIH Submission Policy Update -

Two useful changes.

1) Letters of Intent are being removed from the review process. 2) For >$500k requests in direct costs, IC notification is no longer required.

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-26-019: Updated Application Policies: NIH Administrative Burden Reduction Effort Removal of Requirements for Letters of Intent and Unsolicited Applications Requesting $500,000 or More in Dire...
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Updated Application Policies: NIH Administrative Burden Reduction Effort Removal of Requirements for Letters of Inten...
grants.nih.gov
December 3, 2025 at 6:26 PM
SBIR/STTR News
Here is a good summary from where things stand. Sen. Ernst is preventing the clear 1-yr extension from going through. Instead, she is pushing for her Innovate ACT, which would limit PIs to only one and orgs. to only 3 application per solicitation per year.

jm-aq.com/innovation-s...
Innovation Stalled: The Fight Over SBIR/STTR Reauthorization
SBIR/STTR funding is frozen as Congress debates reauthorization. Learn about competing bills, proposed reforms, and what’s next
jm-aq.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
NIH Grant Update -

"All grant applications submitted late for due dates between October 1, 2025, and December 5, 2025, will be accepted through 5:00 PM local time December 8, 2025."

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-26-012: Updated Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities Following the October 1, 2025 - Lapse in Appropriations
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Updated Guidance on Reopening of NIH Extramural Activities Following the October 1, 2025 - Lapse in Appropriations NOT-...
grants.nih.gov
November 24, 2025 at 6:16 PM
NIH SBIR/STTR update

Sen. Ernst is trying to attach her SBIR Innovate proposal to the NDAA reauthorization. It seems like a longshot given that some of the changes are substantial and Congress has not reviewed it. I suspect the clean 1-yr extension will go in.

punchbowl.news/article/defe...
Ernst eyes NDAA for small biz push
News: Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is working to shoehorn her plan to renew two small business grant programs into the annual defense policy bill.
punchbowl.news
November 24, 2025 at 2:40 PM
NIH SBIR/STTR Update

From what I can tell, nearly all SRG meeting in November and December have been pushed into January. At least they're happening at all after the shutdown.
November 24, 2025 at 2:36 PM
grants.nih.gov being sunsetted
November 21, 2025 at 3:47 PM
SBIR/STTR Update

The best hope is that the SBIR/STTR reauthorization is attached to the NDAA, due to be voted on in a few weeks. The clean 1-year extension would hopefully be the most "agreeable" mechanism. Stay tuned.
November 21, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Updated Terms and Conditions of Award – Termination and Compliance with Court Orders

In short, the language makes it easier for award termination.

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-26-009: Updated Terms and Conditions of Award Termination and Compliance with Court Orders
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Updated Terms and Conditions of Award Termination and Compliance with Court Orders NOT-OD-26-009. NIH
grants.nih.gov
November 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
NIH cuts impacted 74,000 clinical trial patients: study
www.axios.com/2025/11/18/n...
NIH cuts impacted 74,000 clinical trial patients: study
The termination of federal research grants disrupted about 1 in 30 NIH-funded clinical trials.
www.axios.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:09 PM
FYI - Notice of Early Expiration of NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Notices of Funding Opportunity and Guidance for Existing Recipients (NOT-OD-26-006)

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
NOT-OD-26-006: Notice of Early Expiration of NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Notices of Funding Opportunity and Guidance for Existing Recipi...
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Notice of Early Expiration of NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STT...
grants.nih.gov
November 17, 2025 at 8:18 PM
NIH grant peer review
Per NOT-OD-26-004, peer review is on hold during the shutdown. NIH SBIR/STTR proposal reviews were due to start already. Hopefully, NIH staff will find a solution 🙏. Given that the SBIR/STTR program has not been reauthorized, this could be the last submission cycle... Ever.
November 12, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Reposted
NIH will no longer list NIH grant opportunities through the NIH Guide.

Sure, grants.gov was duplicative. But grants.gov is shitty. And NIH's Guide was less shitty.

Not a huge deal. But just one more example of exec branch consolidation and NIH enshittification

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...
August 15, 2025 at 1:50 PM