OpenFederal grantOpen to for-profit businessesRFA-NS-25-023

HEAL Initiative: Studies to Enable Analgesic Discovery (R61/R33 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

National Institutes of HealthCloses Jan 15, 2027(94 days left)Up to $350,000

Does this fit your business?

This is an NIH HEAL Initiative research grant for early-stage drug discovery aimed at non-addictive pain treatments—assay development, screening, and hit characterization, with no clinical trials allowed. It fits small biotech businesses, universities, and nonprofits doing translational pain research. Retailers, software firms, and any organization without a research program in pain therapeutics should not bother applying.

Best for
Biotech and life-science small businesses developing non-addictive pain therapeutics, Universities and research institutions running early-stage drug discovery, Nonprofits with translational pain research programs, For-profit companies building pain-drug screening assays
Not for
Retail, finance, housing, and other businesses outside healthcare and biotech, Organizations seeking clinical trial funding (clinical trials not allowed), Foreign entities and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations
Estimated fit by industry, best first
IndustryEstimated fit
Healthcare & BiotechMatches your industry (clinical)
78
Strong Match
Agriculture & FarmingLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Arts & CultureLimit: Nothing in this notice points to arts & culture
54
Possible Match
Construction & InfrastructureLimit: Nothing in this notice points to construction & infrastructure
54
Possible Match
Education & TrainingLimit: Nothing in this notice points to education & training
54
Possible Match
Energy & Clean TechLimit: Nothing in this notice points to energy & clean tech
54
Possible Match
Show all 15 industries
Estimated fit by industry, best first
IndustryEstimated fit
Environment & ConservationLimit: Nothing in this notice points to environment & conservation
54
Possible Match
Finance & BankingLimit: Nothing in this notice points to finance & banking
54
Possible Match
Food & BeverageLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Housing & Real EstateLimit: Nothing in this notice points to housing & real estate
54
Possible Match
ManufacturingLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Retail & E-CommerceLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Social Services & NonprofitLimit: Nothing in this notice points to social services & nonprofit
54
Possible Match
Technology & SoftwareLimit: Nothing in this notice points to technology & software
54
Possible Match
Transportation & LogisticsLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match

These are our matcher’s estimates for a typical business in each industry. A real match depends on your size, your state and what you need the money for — check your own fit.

What this funds

Money can be used for
Research
Who can apply
Small businesses, For-profit companies, Nonprofits, State and local governments, Tribal governments and organizations, Colleges and universities, Other applicants (see eligibility)
Award range
Up to $350,000

Questions about this grant

When is the application deadline?
January 15, 2027.
How much funding can an applicant receive?
The largest award listed is $350,000. No other award amounts are published in the facts.
Who can apply for this grant?
Small businesses, for-profit organizations, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), state, county, city, township, and special district governments, public housing authorities, independent school districts, federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations, and public or private institutions of higher education. Other eligible applicants include HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, faith-based and community-based organizations, and federal agencies. Foreign organizations and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
Can a sole proprietor or single-member LLC apply?
The facts do not say. Small businesses are listed as eligible, but the notice does not specify whether sole proprietors or single-member LLCs qualify, so that is not published here.
Can a nonprofit apply?
Yes. Both nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) are eligible.

Summary

NIH HEAL Initiative R61/R33 funding translational research toward non-addictive pain therapeutics: assay development, screening, and hit characterization. Eligible applicants include small businesses, for-profits, nonprofits, universities, and state/local/tribal governments; clinical trials not allowed.

About this grant

This funding opportunity is part of a suite of NOFOs within the NIH HEAL Initiative to support the development of safe, effective, and non-addictive therapeutics to treat pain. The goal is to encourage initial translational efforts that will support a drug discovery program and advance projects to the point where they meet the entry criteria for the Pain Therapeutics Development Program. The scope will therefore be focused on development of assays to support a distinct testing funnel, screening efforts to identify hits, and initial characterization of hits and potential therapeutic agents (including small molecules, biologics, and natural products).

Who can apply

Other Eligible Applicants include the following:

Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) are not eligible to apply.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

Topics and uses of funds

Topics

  • Health
  • Science

Program contact

National Institutes of Healthgrantsinfo@nih.gov301-402-2541

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