ForecastedOpportunity FOR-TR-27-003

Selective Precision Targeting (SPoT)

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

Selective Precision Targeting (SPoT) is a forecasted federal cooperative agreement opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services). The agency's forecast estimates an application due date of February 17, 2026; forecast dates can change. Total estimated funding is $1.5M across about 5 awards. Applicant types listed as eligible include state governments, county governments, independent school districts, public colleges & universities, federally recognized tribal governments and 6 more. Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 93.350 (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Posted: Jun 27, 2025
Est. close date: Feb 17, 2026
Est. award date: Dec 17, 2026
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: $1,500,000
Expected awards: 5
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Cooperative Agreement
Opportunity category: Discretionary
Fiscal year: FY2028

Who can apply

State governments
County governments
Independent school districts
Public colleges & universities
Federally recognized tribal governments
Public & Indian housing authorities
Native American tribal organizations
501(c)(3) nonprofits
Private colleges & universities
For-profit organizations (not small businesses)
Small businesses

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) seeks to advance its mission by establishing a new initiative called Selective Precision Targeting (SPoT) to determine a mechanism for precise and on-target therapeutic drug delivery to specific hard-to-reach locations within the human body using microphysiological systems (MPS). Targeted drug-delivery systems, including engineered nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles or focused ultrasound, are methods for delivering medications to a specific area of the body (organ, tissue, or cell) to increase the concentration of the drug in that area. Hard-to-reach locations in the body include the blood–brain barrier, central nervous system, placenta, retina, or a tumor.

More specifically, the initiative goals are to:

Optimize specific targeting of nanoparticle therapeutics to the target organ/cell of interest
Assess biodistribution and off-target effects using a multi-organ microphysiological system
Provide evidence of functional cargo activity
Determine optimal route of administration

Grant authorities that allow the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) to forecast this opportunity are as follows: 42 U.S. Code § 287a - Cures Acceleration Network.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

93.350National Center for Advancing Translational SciencesProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 93.350

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$596M

FY25

$626M

FY26

— est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.350. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Passley Hargrove-Grimes, Ph.D. National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
passley.hargrove@nih.gov
240-485-4149

Quick answers

Is “Selective Precision Targeting (SPoT)” open for applications yet?

Not yet. It is a forecast — an agency's advance notice of an expected opportunity. The agency estimates posting the full notice around December 15, 2025. Forecast details and dates can change.

Who is eligible to apply for “Selective Precision Targeting (SPoT)”?

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: State governments, County governments, Independent school districts, Public colleges & universities, Federally recognized tribal governments, Public & Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Private colleges & universities, For-profit organizations (not small businesses) and Small businesses. Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through “Selective Precision Targeting (SPoT)”?

Per the notice, total estimated program funding is $1,500,000 and the agency expects to make about 5 awards.

How do I apply for “Selective Precision Targeting (SPoT)”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity FOR-TR-27-003), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

ForecastedALN 93.350