High-End Instrumentation (HEI) Grant Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 19 177

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 19 177

The High-End Instrumentation (HEI) Grant Program (PAR 19-177) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity designed to help institutions acquire or upgrade one major piece of cutting-edge, commercially available scientific equipment (or an integrated instrumentation system) that is too costly to be easily supported through typical research project grants. The program is aimed at shared-use, high-impact instrumentation that will serve a group of NIH-supported investigators, strengthening their ability to carry out advanced biomedical and behavioral research. This opportunity is explicitly marked as "S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning it supports research infrastructure (instrumentation) rather than the conduct of clinical trials under this award mechanism.

A central feature of the HEI program is its focus on a single, expensive, specialized instrument or system rather than multiple smaller purchases. The funding range is substantial, with a minimum award amount of $600,001 and a maximum award amount of $2,000,000. This scale is intended for high-end platforms that can transform or significantly expand an institution's research capabilities, especially when the instrument will be broadly accessible to a user group rather than dedicated to only one lab. While the opportunity supports either purchasing a new instrument or upgrading an existing one, the emphasis remains on enabling advanced research through shared, state-of-the-art technology.

The types of instruments that fit this program include a wide variety of sophisticated research platforms commonly used in modern biomedical science. Examples listed in the announcement include X-ray diffraction systems, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers, mass spectrometers, DNA and protein sequencers, biosensors, electron and confocal microscopes, cell sorters, and biomedical imaging systems. The list is not exhaustive, which signals that NIH is open to other comparable high-end instruments as long as they are specialized, commercially available, expensive enough to fall within the program's cost range, and clearly justified by the scientific needs of the NIH-supported user group.

Eligibility is geared toward U.S.-based organizations with the capacity to operate and manage shared instrumentation resources. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education where relevant). The opportunity also highlights that several categories of institutions are included among eligible applicants, such as 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). These categories reflect NIH's broader interest in ensuring that research infrastructure support can reach a diverse range of institutions and research communities.

At the same time, the announcement is clear about restrictions related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply, and foreign components (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In practical terms, the instrument and the benefiting activity are expected to be U.S.-based, with the supported research community and operational management anchored domestically.

From an administrative perspective, this is a discretionary grant opportunity under the NIH, falling within the Health funding activity category, and associated with CFDA numbers 93.351 and 93.859. The opportunity title and number identify it as an S10 instrumentation program, which is commonly used at NIH to support shared instrumentation acquisition and upgrades. The original closing date shown in the source data is May 31, 2019, and the creation date is January 29, 2019; applicants should always verify current submission windows and any reissued or updated announcements, since NIH often renews or replaces older funding announcements over time.

Overall, the HEI program is best understood as an infrastructure investment mechanism: it helps institutions secure major, high-cost instruments that can be operated as shared resources for multiple NIH-funded investigators, improving research capability, throughput, and technical sophistication. Competitive applications typically hinge on demonstrating a strong and well-defined user group, clear scientific need, a credible plan for access and scheduling, appropriate staffing and technical support, and a sustainable approach to operating and maintaining the instrument so it delivers long-term value to NIH-supported research.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "High-End Instrumentation (HEI) Grant 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 2019-01-29.
• 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 19 177

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