Administrative Supplements for Participation in the Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation (C3i) Program (Admin Supp) | PA 17 286

FAQs: Administrative Supplements for Participation in the C3i Program (PA 17-286)

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the NIH "Administrative Supplements for Participation in the Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation (C3i) Program (Admin Supp)" under Funding Opportunity Number PA 17-286. It provides administrative supplement funding so NIH-funded investigators can participate in the C3i entrepreneurship training program focused on commercialization and business-development skills for early-stage biomedical technology, with a particular emphasis on medical devices.

What is the main purpose of the administrative supplement?

The main purpose is to add targeted support onto an existing, active NIH award so the funded team can receive structured commercialization training and mentoring through C3i. It is intended to help investigators move beyond proof-of-concept research and evaluate whether and how an innovation could realistically reach patients and clinical settings.

Is this meant to fund a brand-new standalone research project?

No. NIH describes the central aim as supporting participation in the C3i training program via an administrative supplement to an existing NIH award, rather than funding a new standalone research project.

What is the C3i Program?

C3i (Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation) is an entrepreneurship and commercialization-focused curriculum combined with customized mentoring. It is designed to provide frameworks and tools often not covered in traditional academic training for medical device innovators and other early-stage biomedical technology teams.

What kinds of topics does the C3i training cover?

Based on the description provided, the program helps teams work through topics such as identifying a credible unmet clinical need, evaluating market demand, clarifying the value proposition, understanding stakeholders and adoption pathways, and assessing the broader business opportunity around a technology.

Who is this opportunity intended to help?

It is intended for NIH-funded investigators (and their teams) who want to participate in C3i to strengthen commercialization readiness and gain a more disciplined, real-world view of commercial viability for early-stage biomedical technologies, particularly medical devices.

What does NIH hope investigators will get out of participating?

NIH states the intent is to foster earlier and more effective translation of biomedical technologies by equipping investigators to test real-world assumptions, make smarter go/no-go decisions, and position promising technologies for downstream commercialization.

How should the supplement relate to the parent NIH award?

Because this is an administrative supplement, the request is generally expected to be linked to the goals of the existing NIH-funded project and justified as an added activity that accelerates translation and commercialization readiness, rather than changing the core scientific aims of the parent award.

Is NIH encouraging applicants to contact NIH staff before applying?

Yes. The announcement strongly encourages prospective applicants to contact NIH Scientific/Research staff before applying. This suggests NIH expects applicants to confirm fit with the C3i program, eligibility, and supplement expectations in advance, and to align on how participation would integrate with the scope and status of the parent award.

What type of award is this?

It is listed as a discretionary grant under NIH and uses an administrative supplement mechanism tied to an existing NIH award.

What activity area does it fall under?

The opportunity is connected to health and is categorized in the source data under "Food and Nutrition, Health."

What are the eligible applicant organization types?

Eligibility is described as broad. Eligible applicants include: state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other organizations.

Are specific institution categories explicitly named as eligible?

Yes. The announcement explicitly calls out additional eligible categories including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI); faith-based or community-based organizations; Hispanic-serving institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); regional organizations; eligible federal agencies; and U.S. territories or possessions.

Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply under the rules described.

Can a U.S. organization apply if part of the work would be performed outside the United States?

The provided information states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply and that foreign components (as NIH defines them in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. This effectively limits participation to domestic applicants and domestic project components.

Are foreign components allowed under NIH definitions?

No. The opportunity description indicates that foreign components, as defined by NIH in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers: 93.233, 93.286, 93.350, 93.837, 93.838, 93.839, 93.840, 93.847, and 93.853. This reflects that supplements may be relevant across several NIH institutes and funding programs.

Does the provided information specify an award ceiling or number of expected awards?

No. The provided dataset does not specify the award ceiling or the expected number of awards.

What is the closing date shown in the source data?

The original closing date shown in the source data is June 30, 2017.

When was the opportunity record created according to the source data?

The opportunity record shows a creation date of May 12, 2017.

In plain terms, what is this grant best understood as?

It is best understood as a pathway for existing NIH awardees to obtain structured commercialization training and mentorship through C3i, strengthening the translational and market-facing trajectory of promising early-stage biomedical and medical device innovations.