NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH) Awards Solicitation

Please see the full solicitation for complete information about the funding opportunity. Below is a summary assembled by the Research & Innovation Office (RIO).

Program Summary

The NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH) program is envisioned as a partnership program between NIH and the qualifying research institutions to accelerate the creation of small businesses and the transition of discoveries originating from academic research into products that improve health. The program was established to facilitate and accelerate the translation of academic biomedical discoveries into products that improve patient care and public health. Through this program, NIH will provide the qualifying institutions with the funds to seed the creation of academic entrepreneurship Hubs. Hubs will be responsible for providing innovators with both the initial investment and resources to support the proof of concept work and the mentorship in product development and commercialization needed to develop high priority technologies that address the highest US disease burden within the NIH’s mission. Funded Hubs are intended to work as a consortium to enable: (1) the infrastructure for identifying the most promising technologies, (2) funding for product definition studies (e.g. feasibility studies, prototype development, proof-of-concept studies) provided to individual researchers, (3) access to expertise in areas required for early stage technology development (including scientific, regulatory, reimbursement, business, legal, and project management), and (4) skills development and hands-on experience in entrepreneurship.  Establishing public-private partnerships and providing additional non-federal funds will be critical for success.

Deadlines

CU Internal Deadline: 11:59pm MST January 24, 2019

Sponsor Letter of Intent (not required) Deadline: 5:00pm MST February 19, 2019

Sponsor Application Deadline: 5:00pm MST March 19, 2019

Internal Application Requirements (all in PDF format)

  • Project Summary (2-3 pages): Please address the following: (a) Hub objectives (including short term and long term goals), (b) how the Hub’s expertise, capabilities, partnerships, and resources will enable it to have a significant influence on accelerating the pace and increasing probability of success for discoveries and innovations being developed into products that improve health, (c) leadership and governance, (d) collaborations, partnerships, and non-federal funding, (e) project management and technology development, (f) skills development, education, and mentoring, and (g) plan for self-sustaining infrastructure.
  • PI CV
  • Budget Overview (up to 1 page): A basic budget outlining project costs is sufficient; detailed OCG budgets are not required. Please include the source of the cash match requirement.

To access the online application, visit: https://colorado.secure-platform.com/a/solicitations/home/6313

Eligibility

Applicants must be a university or other research institution that participates in the NIH STTR program. Participation means that a university or other research institution has been a formal partner to a small business on an STTR grant. Many NIH-supported universities or other research institutions will be eligible. Please contact the Scientific/Review staff listed in the solicitation for clarification.

Current NCAI and REACH awardees are not eligible to serve as the primary applicant organization.

Limited Submission Guidelines

Only one application per institution.

Award Information

Award Amount: $1,000,000 annually ($4,000,000 total)

Number of Awards: Up to 5

Award Duration: Up to 4 years.

Required Cost Share: This FOA requires a minimum of a 1:1 cash match of the direct costs of the award and must be included in the application. In-kind contributions that enable the Hub to meet the goals of the FOA are encouraged, but not required. In-kind contributions do not apply to the cash matching requirement.