The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Shared Instrumentation Grant (SIG) Program supports institutions in acquiring or upgrading high-cost, state-of-the-art biomedical research instruments. The SIG program aims to fund the purchase of a single, commercially available, specialized instrument or integrated system that is essential for research efforts across multiple NIH-supported projects. Eligible institutions must justify the need for shared, advanced equipment that supports NIH-funded projects in basic, translational, and clinical research. The minimum award is $50,000, with a maximum funding limit of $750,000, although the cost of the instrument can exceed this amount if the institution covers the balance. Examples of eligible instruments include microscopes, mass spectrometers, flow cytometers, and sequencers. Instruments must be used solely for research purposes and cannot support clinical (billable) care.

Applications are due annually by June 2, 2025, June 1, 2026, and June 1, 2027. Awards are generally made for a one-year period, with no indirect costs allowed. Applicants are encouraged to integrate the requested instrument into a core facility or shared resource to promote cost-effectiveness and interdisciplinary collaboration. Each application must identify a Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) responsible for scientific oversight, administrative tasks, and organizing an advisory committee to ensure fair access, training, and proper operation of the instrument.

Eligibility for this program includes higher education institutions, nonprofits, and specific categories such as Hispanic-serving institutions and historically Black colleges. Non-U.S. entities and non-U.S. components of domestic organizations are not eligible. To apply, organizations must have active registrations with SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. A minimum of three NIH-supported "Major Users" with substantial research needs for the instrument must be identified in the application. These Major Users must hold distinct NIH research awards, though researchers with other federal or institutional grants can be added as additional users. To support shared access, at least 35% of the Accessible Usage Time (AUT) must be dedicated to Major Users' NIH-funded projects, with all NIH-funded projects collectively using 65% of the AUT.

Applicants must submit an extensive Instrumentation Plan that details the justification for the instrument, the technical expertise available for its operation, and specific research projects that will benefit from the equipment. Each Major User’s project must demonstrate the need for the specific features of the requested instrument, and an itemized vendor quote with any applicable academic discounts must be included. The financial plan must outline operational and maintenance expenses and anticipated sources of funding, as these costs are not covered by the SIG program. An advisory committee is also required to assist the PD/PI in managing the instrument’s use, developing usage policies, and reporting on the instrument’s impact.

Applications are reviewed based on criteria such as the justification of need, technical expertise, potential impact on research projects, and institutional commitment to the instrument’s long-term maintenance and operation. Reviewers evaluate whether the instrument is essential for advancing the specific projects of the Major Users and assess plans for equitable sharing and compliance with usage policies. A comprehensive commitment from the institution to support the instrument’s upkeep and availability for at least five years or the effective lifetime of the instrument must be documented in the application.

Successful applicants are required to submit a Final Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) at the end of the grant period, detailing the instrument's impact, user information, and any publications resulting from its use. Additionally, annual usage reports for four years post-award are mandatory to track ongoing benefits and document the instrument’s contributions to NIH-funded research.