Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 19 179

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 179

The Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (PAR 19-179) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity designed to help research groups obtain major, high-cost scientific equipment that can be shared by multiple NIH-supported investigators. The core purpose is straightforward: strengthen biomedical and behavioral research capacity by enabling institutions to purchase or upgrade a single, expensive, specialized, commercially available instrument or an integrated instrumentation system that would be difficult to acquire through typical single-lab budgets. This opportunity is labeled "S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning the grant mechanism is intended for instrumentation support rather than running clinical trials under this award.

Funding under this program supports one major equipment purchase or upgrade per application, emphasizing shared access and broad scientific impact across several active research projects. The minimum award amount is $50,000, and while there is no stated maximum allowable instrument price, the maximum NIH award is capped at $600,000. In practice, that means an instrument can cost more than $600,000, but the portion covered by the SIG award cannot exceed $600,000, so applicants typically need to plan carefully around any additional costs, institutional contributions, service contracts, facility renovations, or other non-award funding needs if applicable.

The program is geared toward sophisticated research instruments commonly used across many biomedical disciplines. Examples specifically noted include X-ray diffractometers, mass spectrometers, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers, DNA and protein sequencers, biosensors, electron and light microscopes, cell sorters, and biomedical imaging systems. The list is not exhaustive, which signals that NIH is open to other types of specialized, commercially available instruments, as long as the request is well-justified, fits the intent of the program, and clearly benefits a group of NIH-funded investigators through a shared-use model.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based research and higher education organizations, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status) that meet NIH requirements. The announcement also highlights eligibility for several institution types that serve specific communities, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). At the same time, there are clear restrictions related to foreign participation: non-U.S. entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. Because NIH definitions and edge cases can matter, applicants are expected to rely on the full funding announcement for the precise eligibility rules and compliance requirements.

Administratively, the agency is NIH, and the opportunity falls under the Health funding activity category, with CFDA numbers 93.351 and 93.859 listed. The source record shows an original closing date of May 31, 2019 and a creation date of January 30, 2019, which suggests this specific posting reflects a particular cycle or version of the program announcement. Anyone interested in applying would need to verify the current status of PAR 19-179, check for any reissues or updated announcements, and follow the latest NIH submission dates and policies referenced in the active funding opportunity.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.351, 93.859.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-01-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-05-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for PAR 19 179

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