Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 27 022

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 27 022

The Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program (S10 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), Funding Opportunity Number PAR-27-022, is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to help research organizations purchase or upgrade a single major piece of research equipment that will be shared by multiple NIH-supported investigators. This NOFO reflects a restructuring that combines three prior shared-use equipment mechanisms into one consolidated program: the long-running Shared Instrumentation Grant program, the High-End Instrumentation Grant program, and the Basic Instrumentation Grant program. The overall intent is to strengthen biomedical and behavioral research capacity by ensuring research teams have access to modern, commercially available, state-of-the-art instruments or integrated instrumentation systems that would be difficult to obtain through individual investigator budgets.

A central feature of the opportunity is that applications must be driven by a group of NIH-supported investigators who will use the instrument, rather than by a single user. NIH is emphasizing real, organized sharing that improves efficiency and cost-effectiveness across a research environment. The program is framed around improving the quality of research operations by enabling rigorous, reproducible measurements, supporting cutting-edge experiments, and encouraging collaboration across labs, departments, cores, and broader research communities. In practice, this means applicants are expected to show that the requested instrument will serve a meaningful user base, be heavily utilized, and be managed in a way that maximizes access and scientific benefit.

The funding request is tied to one instrument or one integrated system, either as a new purchase or as an upgrade to an existing instrument. The minimum award amount is $300,000. While there is no cap on the total cost of the instrument itself, the maximum NIH award is $5,000,000, meaning projects above that level must account for the gap through allowable cost sharing or other resources. The NOFO also notes that cost sharing is required for certain categories, specifically premium instruments or special use instruments, which signals NIH’s expectation that exceptionally expensive or narrowly purposed equipment should have additional institutional or non-federal support behind it. Applicants are directed to consult Section III (Eligibility Information) in the NOFO for the precise cost sharing conditions and definitions.

Eligibility is broad on the domestic side and includes many common U.S. applicant types, such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and various levels of government entities (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as eligible tribal governments and tribal organizations, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. The activity category is Health, and the listing includes CFDA/Assistance Listing numbers 93.310, 93.351, 93.855, 93.859, 93.866, and 93.867, reflecting the NIH-wide nature of the program across multiple institutes and centers.

Foreign involvement is explicitly restricted. Non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) may not 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. In plain terms, the applicant organization and the project scope for this equipment must remain domestic, and the shared instrument is expected to be located and operated within the eligible U.S. organizational context without foreign components.

This opportunity is not intended to support clinical trials, as indicated by the title designation “Clinical Trial Not Allowed.” The emphasis is squarely on instrumentation that enables and advances research broadly, including preclinical, basic, translational, and methodological work, so long as the request aligns with NIH rules for this mechanism and the applicant can demonstrate strong shared-use governance and scientific impact.

Key administrative details from the source listing include an NIH agency sponsor, a creation date of 2026-06-25, and an original closing date of 2028-07-01. The award ceiling is listed as $5,000,000. Expected awards are not specified in the provided text, so prospective applicants would typically look to the NOFO or NIH supporting materials for any estimates or historical context on award volume.

• 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): 93.310, 93.351, 93.855, 93.859, 93.866, 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-07-01.
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 27 022

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