NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH)

This FOA announces the renewal of the NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub (REACH) program, 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.

Number of Applications
1
Amount of Funding

$5 million per year over 4 years

Eligibility

This FOA requires cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

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 as well as reported.  In-kind contributions that enable the Hub to meet the goals of this FOA are allowed and encouraged, though not required. In-kind contributions do not apply to the cash matching requirements. Any in-kind contributions volunteered by the applicants/recipients do not need to be reported to the NIH.

Internal CWRU letters of intent must include a letter approving the cost share commitment from the school or college research dean or dean.  Internal CWRU letters of intent without this support letter will not be considered.

    Submission Process

    Step 1

    Please submit a single pdf document to Stephanie Endy at stephanie.endy@case.edu by 5pm on Friday, February 1, 2019.  This single pdf document should include the following components:

    1. A cover letter no longer than one page listing the title of the project, the PI, and the PIs department and school or college;
    2. An NIH style biosketch for the PI only;
    3. No more than two pages describing the project, including a brief overview of the project, and those parts of the standard review criteria posted in the NIH request for applications that are specific for this funding opportunity.  This includes the review criteria significance, investigators, innovation, approach, and environment.  For this internal letter of intent you do not need to address the additional review criteria; and
    4. A letter approving the cost share commitment from the school or college research dean or dean.  Internal CWRU letters of intent without this support letter will not be considered.
    Step 2

    Final nominees will be notified of their selection by February 8, 2019.

    Step 3

    Final proposal must be received by the Office of Research Administration by 5:00 pm on March 12, 2019.

    Step 4

    Final proposal must be received by the sponsor by 5:00 PM EST on March 19, 2019.

    Deadlines

    Abstract or LOI to ORA Chosen Proposal Announced ORA Final Proposal Due Date Sponsor Submission Deadline Days Until Due
    02/01/2019 02/08/2019 03/12/2019 03/19/2019 CLOSED