Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 13 100
Apply for RFA MH 13 100
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Clinical Neuroscience and Entertainment Software Pilot Partnership Program to Develop Neuropsychiatric Interventions (SBIR R43/R44)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 8, 2012 and posted on Jun 8, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 11, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The funding opportunity titled "Clinical Neuroscience and Entertainment Software Pilot Partnership Program to Develop Neuropsychiatric Interventions (SBIR R43/R44)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-13-100) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant solicitation designed to push forward a specific kind of digital health product: highly engaging cognitive training interventions that are delivered through computers and/or gaming platforms. The central idea is to blend the motivational pull, usability, and production quality typical of entertainment software with rigorous clinical neuroscience methods, with the end goal of producing interventions that do more than improve performance on a lab task. NIH is explicitly emphasizing outcomes that translate into improved real-world functioning for patients, which signals an interest in products that demonstrate practical benefits in everyday life (for example, improvements tied to work, school, independent living, social functioning, attention and executive control in daily contexts, or other measurable functional outcomes depending on the disorder being targeted).
This FOA targets cognitive training approaches aimed at the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, autism, and/or HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND). In practical terms, the program is looking for interventions that train cognitive processes relevant to these conditions (such as attention, memory, processing speed, cognitive control, or social cognition), but packaged in a way that keeps users engaged enough to complete training at the intensity and frequency needed to have a therapeutic effect. By highlighting computers and gaming platforms, the announcement anticipates products that feel like polished interactive experiences rather than traditional clinic-based exercises, potentially enabling scalable delivery in home or community settings while still being grounded in clinical evidence.
A defining feature of this opportunity is the partnership model it promotes. NIH is specifically encouraging small businesses that already have development and commercialization experience in the entertainment software industry to collaborate with clinical neuroscientists who have expertise in cognitive training. The intent is to avoid two common pitfalls: clinical tools that are scientifically well intentioned but not engaging enough for sustained use, and engaging games that are not built on validated therapeutic principles or measured in clinically meaningful ways. In this structure, the entertainment software partner brings strengths like game design, user experience, engagement mechanics, rapid prototyping, and market-aware product development, while the clinical neuroscience partner contributes theoretical grounding, target selection (which cognitive mechanisms to train and why), study design, outcomes measurement, and an evidence pathway that can support eventual adoption in clinical or community settings.
The funding instrument is an SBIR grant using the R43/R44 mechanism, which generally corresponds to a phased approach where Phase I (R43) supports early-stage feasibility and prototype development, and Phase II (R44) supports more advanced development and a stronger demonstration of efficacy and readiness for commercialization. Although the source text provided does not lay out the detailed phase-specific requirements, the presence of R43/R44 signals that applicants should be thinking in terms of an innovation pipeline: initial proof-of-concept and feasibility testing followed by larger development and validation work that can support real-world deployment and commercial viability. Importantly, the eligible applicants are small businesses, reinforcing that NIH is looking for entities positioned to productize and bring these interventions to market rather than purely academic research teams.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary grant opportunity in the health category (CFDA 93.242, Mental Health Research Grants) with no cost sharing or matching requirement listed. The opportunity was posted and created on June 8, 2012, with an original and current closing date of December 11, 2012, and it was archived on January 11, 2013. The estimated total funding amount listed is $3,000,000, indicating a modestly sized program intended to seed multiple pilot partnerships or early-stage projects rather than fund a single large initiative. The sponsoring agency is NIH, and the announcement provides an additional information link through the NIH grants guide (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-13-100.html). For access or linking issues, the contact listed is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Overall, the program can be understood as a translational bridge between clinical neuroscience and commercial-grade interactive software development. It is aimed at creating digital cognitive training interventions that patients will actually use, that clinicians and researchers can evaluate with credible endpoints, and that have a realistic path to broader dissemination because they are being built by small businesses with entertainment software development and commercialization experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Clinical Neuroscience and Entertainment Software Pilot Partnership Program to Develop Neuropsychiatric Interventions (SBIR R43/R44)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-MH-13-100.
Which agency is sponsoring this opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What type of grant mechanism does this use?
This opportunity uses the NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant mechanism with the R43/R44 structure.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are small businesses. The program is framed to support organizations positioned to productize and commercialize the resulting intervention, rather than purely academic research teams.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The program is designed to advance highly engaging digital cognitive training interventions delivered through computers and/or gaming platforms, blending entertainment-quality software design with rigorous clinical neuroscience methods to produce neuropsychiatric interventions with practical, real-world benefits.
What kinds of products or interventions is NIH looking to support?
NIH is seeking cognitive training interventions that are delivered via computers and/or gaming platforms and are engaging enough to sustain the intensity and frequency of use needed for therapeutic effect. The intent is that these tools feel like polished interactive experiences (similar to entertainment software) while still being clinically grounded and measurable.
Which clinical areas or conditions are targeted by this FOA?
The FOA targets cognitive training approaches aimed at the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, autism, and/or HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND).
What kinds of cognitive functions might these interventions train?
The announcement highlights cognitive processes relevant to the targeted conditions, such as attention, memory, processing speed, cognitive control, and social cognition.
What outcomes does NIH emphasize for these projects?
NIH explicitly emphasizes outcomes that translate into improved real-world functioning, not just improved performance on lab tasks. Examples described include improvements related to work, school, independent living, social functioning, and attention/executive control in daily contexts (or other measurable functional outcomes relevant to the disorder being targeted).
Why does the FOA emphasize entertainment software and gaming platforms?
The FOA is built around the idea that engagement, usability, and production quality typical of entertainment software can help users stick with cognitive training long enough to achieve therapeutic benefit, while clinical neuroscience methods ensure the intervention targets validated mechanisms and can be evaluated using clinically meaningful endpoints.
What is the partnership model encouraged by NIH?
NIH encourages small businesses with development and commercialization experience in the entertainment software industry to collaborate with clinical neuroscientists who have expertise in cognitive training. The program is designed to combine commercial-grade game design and user engagement with clinically rigorous theory, study design, and outcomes measurement.
What roles are implied for the entertainment software partner versus the clinical neuroscience partner?
The entertainment software side is described as bringing strengths like game design, user experience, engagement mechanics, rapid prototyping, and market-aware product development. The clinical neuroscience side is described as contributing theoretical grounding, selection of cognitive targets, study design, outcomes measurement, and an evidence pathway to support adoption in clinical or community settings.
What problem is this partnership model trying to solve?
The FOA is intended to avoid two common pitfalls: (1) clinical tools that are scientifically well intentioned but not engaging enough for sustained use, and (2) engaging games that are not built on validated therapeutic principles or measured in clinically meaningful ways.
How does the SBIR R43/R44 phased approach relate to this opportunity?
R43/R44 indicates a phased development pathway. Phase I (R43) generally supports early feasibility and prototype development, while Phase II (R44) generally supports more advanced development and stronger demonstration of efficacy and readiness for commercialization. While the provided summary does not list detailed phase-by-phase requirements, the mechanism signals that applicants should plan an innovation pipeline from proof-of-concept through validation and commercialization readiness.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is listed for this opportunity.
What is the CFDA number and category associated with this grant?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants) in the health category.
What is the estimated total funding amount for the program?
The estimated total funding amount listed is $3,000,000.
Does the total funding level suggest anything about the program size?
Based on the provided description, the $3,000,000 estimate suggests a modestly sized program intended to seed multiple pilot partnerships or early-stage projects rather than fund a single large initiative.
What were the key dates for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was posted and created on June 8, 2012. The original closing date and the current closing date are both listed as December 11, 2012. It was archived on January 11, 2013.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The closing date is listed as December 11, 2012, and the opportunity was archived on January 11, 2013.
Where can applicants find the official NIH announcement and details?
An additional information link is provided through the NIH grants guide: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-13-100.html
Who should be contacted if there are issues accessing the NIH link?
The contact listed for access or linking issues is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
What is the overarching goal of this FOA in practical terms?
As described, the FOA acts as a translational bridge between clinical neuroscience and commercial-grade interactive software development, aiming to produce digital cognitive training interventions that patients will actually use, that can be evaluated with credible endpoints, and that have a realistic pathway to dissemination because they are being built by small businesses with entertainment software development and commercialization experience.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Institutes of Health
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: Digital Humanities Start up Grants
Previous opportunity: Minority Based Community Clinical Oncology Program Groups (U10)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA MH 13 100
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA MH 13 100) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Developing and Improving Institutional Animal Resources (G20) Apply for RFA OD 12 008 Funding Number: RFA OD 12 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| OMICS Technologies For Predictive Modeling of Infectious Diseases (U19) Apply for RFA AI 12 027 Funding Number: RFA AI 12 027 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Secretarys Minority AIDS Initiative Funding for Care and Prevention in the United States (CAPUS) Demonstration Project Apply for CDC RFA PS12 1210 Funding Number: CDC RFA PS12 1210 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $3,500,000 |
| Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success II Apply for SP 12 004 Funding Number: SP 12 004 Agency: Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Adminis. Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| A Pre application for the NIH Industry Pilot Program Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules (X02) Apply for PAR 12 203 Funding Number: PAR 12 203 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Limited Competition for NIH Industry Pilot Program Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules (UH2/UH3) Apply for RFA TR 12 004 Funding Number: RFA TR 12 004 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Limited Competition for NIH Industry Pilot Program Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules (UH3) Apply for RFA TR 12 005 Funding Number: RFA TR 12 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) P20 Apply for PAR 12 205 Funding Number: PAR 12 205 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Surveillance Apply for CDC RFA PS13 1303 Funding Number: CDC RFA PS13 1303 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $350,000 |
| Research Resource for Human Organs and Tissues (U42) Apply for RFA OD 12 002 Funding Number: RFA OD 12 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Health and Humanitarian Assistance Service Delivery Grants Apply for APS 294 12 000001 Funding Number: APS 294 12 000001 Agency: West Bank, Gaza USAID West Bank Category: Health Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Decreasing Patient Radiation Dose from CT Imaging Achieving Sub mSv Studies (U01) Apply for PAR 12 206 Funding Number: PAR 12 206 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Renal Function and Chronic Kidney Disease in Aging (R21) Apply for PA 12 210 Funding Number: PA 12 210 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Ethical, Legal, and Societal Issues (ELSI) Research Program (U01) Apply for RFA RM 12 005 Funding Number: RFA RM 12 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| PPHF 2012 Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Programs financed in part by 2012 Prevention and Public Health Funds Apply for CDC RFA DP08 8050501PPHF12 Funding Number: CDC RFA DP08 8050501PPHF12 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Obesity Prevention Programs Statewide Collaboratives to Improve Nutrition, Breastfeeding Support, Physical Activity and Screen Time Practices for Obesity Prevention in Young Children financed solely by 2012 Prevention and Public Health Funds Apply for CDC RFA DP12 1215PPHF12 Funding Number: CDC RFA DP12 1215PPHF12 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Advancing Partners Community based Family Planning Project Apply for SOL OAA 12 000091 Funding Number: SOL OAA 12 000091 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Health Funding Amount: $210,000,000 |
| Sustainable, Community Action and Leadership Enhancement towards Universal Health Care (UHC) through Clinical and Organizational Capacity Strengthening of Midwives for Maternal, Neonatal, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN SCALE UP) Apply for RFA 492 12 000004 Funding Number: RFA 492 12 000004 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Health Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Integrative Medicine Program (IMP) Apply for HRSA 12 180 Funding Number: HRSA 12 180 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| National coordinating center for Integrative Medicine Apply for HRSA 12 182 Funding Number: HRSA 12 182 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA MH 13 100", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.