NEW
Recording from the first session 5/2/24 is available HERE
AND
Virtual Mid-South REACH information session (focus on TN applicants but useful for all states!) on 5/20/24 at
1pm CST/2pm EST!
Mid-South REACH Product Development Grants
Request for Applications (RFA): Cycle 1
Background:
The Mid-South REACH (Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub) program is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded program that extends across four states: Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. The primary goal of this grant program is to accelerate the real-world impact of biomedical and health related innovations through education, mentorship, and financial support for aspiring entrepreneurs. Led by Vanderbilt University in collaboration with University of Louisville, Jackson State University, and George Mason University, Mid-South REACH will administer over 20 awards in the first grant cycle to fund product development project grants across all four states. Beyond funding for technology development and translational research, Mid-South REACH will provide commercialization-related education and training for awardees, as well as coaching and strategic feedback from field experts, including the NIH and their partners (see https://ncai.nhlbi.nih.gov/ncai/resources/other).
The Mid-South REACH program is not a traditional grant program. It is focused on product development and requires milestone-based project management in six-month increments, renewable up to four times. Project Managers in each of the Mid-South REACH states are available to assist with preparation of pre-applications. Applicants invited to submit a full application will work with Project Managers and/or mentors on product development plans and project timelines.
Important Dates:
Pre-applications due: May 24, 2024 by 5:00 PM (CT)
Full application invitations sent: June 2024*
Full applications due: July 2024*
Full application pitch presentations: August 2024*
Anticipated award start/end dates: October 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025
*Exact dates to be determined
Submit your pre-application via the NIH Mid-South REACH Pre-Application portal:
Eligibility:
Open to faculty, staff, trainees, and students at universities and technical schools in the following mid-south states: Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. Specific eligibility information by state is listed below. No prior experience with NIH funding is required.
Applications must focus on the development of products/technologies that have the potential to improve patient care or enhance human health. There are no specific disease requirements, and all types of products (e.g., therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, tests, software) are eligible.
Products, technologies, and/or ideas should both:
originate from within an eligible university/community college in Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia.
either (a) have existing intellectual property protection (e.g., patent, copyright, trademark) or (b) have potential to create new intellectual property. Technologies that are already licensed to a company are not eligible.
Disclosure of projects/technologies to an applicant’s respective technology transfer office is not required to submit a pre-application; however, disclosure will be required prior to the submission of a Mid-South REACH full application (if invited).
Multiple Principal Investigators are permitted, but all personnel (including faculty sponsors) who are listed on an application must agree to participate and submit the application.
Non-faculty applicants must identify a faculty member who is willing to sponsor their application.
Clinical trials (by NIH definition) are not allowed.
Eligible institutions by state:
Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky University
Kentucky Community & Technical College System*
Kentucky State University
Morehead State University
Murray State
Northern Kentucky University
University of Kentucky
University of Louisville
Western Kentucky University
*Represents 16 institutions across the state
Kentucky questions?
contact information: midsouthreach@louisville.edu
Mississippi
Alcorn State
Delta State University
Hinds Community College
Jackson State University
Mississippi State University
Mississippi Valley State University
University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Southern Mississippi
Mississippi questions?
contact information technologytransfer@jsums.edu
Mid-South REACH information session
Thursday, May 2 at 3pm ET/2pm CT
Zoom Meeting registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0qd-igpzwtGtZARHmYXcfrcKqb3sMtNPfd
Can’t make it? We’ll share a recording soon.
Tennessee
Belmont University
Chattanooga State Community College
East Tennessee State University
Meharry Medical College
Middle Tennessee State University
Tennessee Board of Regents**
Tennessee State University
Tennessee Tech University (Innovation & Entrepreneurship)
Union University
University of Memphis
University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
**Represents 37 institutions in Tennessee
Tennessee - University questions?
contact information MidSouthREACH@vanderbilt.edu
Tennessee – Vanderbilt University Medical Center questions?
contact information brockcenter@vumc.org
Virginia
Christopher Newport University
George Mason University
James Madison University
Longwood University
Norfolk State University
Old Dominion University
Radford University
University of Mary Washington
University of Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia State University
Virginia Tech
William & Mary
Questions and assistance:
Mid-South REACH Project Managers can assist you with various aspects of the pre-application preparation, including the review of drafts prior to submission. We encourage informal inquiries about whether an idea or product would be suitable for this program. If needed, Mid-South REACH Project Managers may also be able to help identify a suitable collaborator(s) and/or faculty sponsor (for non-faculty applicants).
Please reach out with any questions related to the Mid-South REACH grant program or to schedule an appointment to discuss your project/idea or pre-application.
You can email Project Managers directly in each state:
For investigators in: Please contact:
Kentucky midsouthreach@louisville.edu
Mississippi technologytransfer@jsums.edu
Tennessee - Universities MidSouthREACH@vanderbilt.edu
Tennessee – Vanderbilt University Medical Center brockcenter@vumc.org
Virginia muzbil@gmu.edu or psorrell@gmu.edu
Review of pre-applications:
Pre-applications will be reviewed by the Mid-South REACH team in each state to verify if they are responsive to the RFA and may be excluded if not suitable for this grant program.
Responsive pre-applications will be reviewed by a panel consisting of the Mid-South REACH Internal Advisory Committee (IAC) and the Leadership Team based on criteria, including scientific merit, clinical relevance, intellectual property position, market potential, time to market, and portfolio diversity. The REACH IACs are made up of reviewers with scientific, clinical, entrepreneurial, technology transfer, and/or commercialization expertise from universities within each of the state partners. All applicants who submit a pre-application will be notified of the outcome (invited or not invited to submit a full application) and will receive written feedback from the Mid-South REACH IAC review.
Next steps:
Applicants who are not invited to submit a full application are encouraged to meet with Mid-South REACH Project Managers to discuss IAC feedback, areas in which the application could be strengthened, and/or strategies for alternative funding.
Applicants who are invited to submit a full application will receive further instructions and information regarding the preparation of their full application and pitch presentation. Submission of a full application will involve additional training in research commercialization and assistance in creating a detailed product development plan and project milestones. Final funding decisions will be made following review by the Mid-South REACH External Review Board (ERB) with input from the NIH Technology Guidance Committee (TGC).
Request for Application
Pre-Application Template (for download)