Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 239
The NIH grant opportunity PAR-20-239 supports small businesses that want to build or adapt interactive digital media (IDM) STEM learning resources focused on health and medicine topics and on influencing student career awareness and choices. It is issued under the NIH small business program using the R41/R42 mechanism and is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning the proposed work should not include clinical trial activities. The overall aim is to move strong health- and medicine-related STEM content into engaging, interactive, computer-based experiences that can be used either in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade settings or in informal science education environments intended for the general public.
The FOA is centered on "interactive digital media" as a specific kind of educational product: software or digital services that respond to user actions and deliver content through combinations of text, animation, video, audio, simulations, and game-like experiences. The government rationale behind this program is that interactive learning tools can support hands-on, inquiry-based learning and "learning-by-doing" by letting users explore, receive feedback, and control their learning path in a way that is often difficult to replicate with static materials. In practical terms, projects could include interactive modules, serious games, virtual labs, simulations, or other digital experiences that teach biomedical or health concepts while also strengthening STEM engagement and helping learners see potential education and career pathways.
Two main audience tracks are explicitly called out. The first is the formal education pipeline for P-12 students, including support resources that can also be used by pre-service and in-service teachers and families. The second is informal science education (ISE), meaning educational experiences outside the traditional classroom such as museum-based learning, science centers, community programs, or broadly accessible public-facing resources. A key expectation is that this SBIR funding can help translate either new or existing health/medicine-based P-12 curricula and museum exhibits into digital interactive formats, rather than limiting applicants to completely original content. That translation angle is important because it encourages commercialization and scaling of proven educational materials by turning them into digital tools that can reach more learners.
Eligibility is limited to small business concerns, consistent with the SBIR/STTR-focused nature of the announcement and its grant structure. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, the FOA notes that "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement may be allowed in some cases, which typically refers to specific parts of a project being carried out abroad under NIH rules rather than a foreign entity serving as the applicant organization.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health, categorized under health (CFDA 93.859). The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity mechanism is R41/R42. The opportunity was created on 2020-06-25, and the listed original closing date is 2022-09-02. The source data does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for the relevant phase and mechanism details.Apply for PAR 20 239
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Interactive Digital Media STEM Resources for Pre-College and Informal Science Education Audiences (STTR) (R41/R42 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): 93.859.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2020-06-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-09-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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FAQs: NIH PAR-20-239 (SBIR R41/R42) Interactive Digital Media (IDM) STEM Learning Resources
What is PAR-20-239?
PAR-20-239 is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) small business grant opportunity that supports the development or adaptation of interactive digital media (IDM) STEM learning resources focused on health and medicine topics, with an emphasis on influencing student career awareness and choices.
Who is this funding intended for?
This opportunity is intended for eligible small business concerns applying under the NIH small business program using the R41/R42 mechanism.
What does the R41/R42 mechanism mean in this opportunity?
The activity mechanism for this funding opportunity is R41/R42, which is the NIH small business research (SBIR) structure used for phased project support (commonly associated with Phase I and Phase II). The specific phase details are not provided in the summary information here and would normally be confirmed in the full FOA.
Are clinical trials allowed under this FOA?
No. The opportunity is labeled "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which means the proposed work should not include clinical trial activities.
What kinds of products or projects does NIH want to fund through PAR-20-239?
The FOA is centered on "interactive digital media" educational products. Projects may involve creating or adapting computer-based learning experiences that respond to user actions and present content through combinations of text, animation, video, audio, simulations, and game-like experiences.
What is considered "interactive digital media" (IDM) for this opportunity?
In this FOA, IDM refers to software or digital services that react to user input and provide interactive learning experiences. Examples described include interactive modules, serious games, virtual labs, and simulations that teach biomedical or health concepts.
What topics should the learning resources cover?
The learning resources should focus on health and medicine topics, presented as STEM learning content. The goal is to move strong health- and medicine-related STEM content into engaging, interactive digital experiences.
What is the primary goal of the program?
The overall aim is to translate strong health- and medicine-related STEM content into engaging, interactive, computer-based experiences that can be used in formal P-12 education settings or in informal science education environments for the general public.
What is the rationale for supporting interactive learning tools?
The government rationale described is that interactive learning tools can support hands-on, inquiry-based learning and learning-by-doing by letting users explore, receive feedback, and control their learning path in ways that can be difficult to achieve with static materials.
Who are the intended audiences for the funded interactive resources?
Two main audience tracks are called out: (1) the formal education pipeline for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade (P-12) learners, including support resources usable by pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and families; and (2) informal science education (ISE) audiences outside traditional classrooms, such as museum-based learning, science centers, community programs, or broadly accessible public-facing resources.
Can the resource be used in schools and also outside of schools?
Yes. The FOA emphasizes usability in either P-12 settings or informal science education environments intended for the general public.
Does the FOA require completely original educational content?
No. A key expectation is that SBIR funding can help translate either new or existing health/medicine-based P-12 curricula and museum exhibits into digital interactive formats, rather than limiting applicants to fully original content.
What does "translation" mean in the context of this FOA?
In this context, "translation" refers to turning existing or proven educational materials (such as P-12 curricula or museum exhibits) into interactive digital tools that can reach more learners through commercialization and scaling.
What are examples of eligible project formats mentioned in the description?
Examples mentioned include interactive modules, serious games, virtual labs, simulations, and other digital experiences that teach biomedical or health concepts while strengthening STEM engagement and supporting career awareness.
What is informal science education (ISE) as described here?
Informal science education refers to educational experiences outside the traditional classroom, including museum-based learning, science centers, community programs, and broadly accessible public-facing resources.
Are teachers and families part of the intended user ecosystem?
Yes. For the P-12 track, the FOA explicitly notes support resources that can also be used by pre-service and in-service teachers and families.
Is this opportunity open to foreign institutions?
No. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Can a U.S. organization apply if part of the work is outside the U.S.?
Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, the FOA notes that "foreign components" (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) may be allowed in some cases, meaning certain project elements could potentially be carried out abroad under NIH rules even though the applicant organization is not foreign.
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is a grant.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity and is categorized under health, with CFDA 93.859.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2020-06-25.
What is the listed closing date in the provided information?
The listed original closing date is 2022-09-02.
Is there an award ceiling or an expected number of awards listed here?
No. The source information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
Where would an applicant normally look for budget limits or award expectations?
Based on the provided summary, applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text and NIH budget guidance for the relevant SBIR phase and mechanism details.
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