“Can I spend small business funds on research in a foreign country?”

Under rare circumstances NIH may allow a foreign entity to perform a small portion of the research work. For example, if supplies, equipment, or a patient population are not available in the United States, NIH may allow that particular portion of the research work to be performed in or obtained from a foreign country.

These unique situations will be considered as exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Contact your program officer or Dr. Natalia Kruchinin, NIAID’s small business program coordinator, to discuss the matter further.

For more information, including how to provide a foreign justification in your application, refer to the SBIR/STTR Instructions for SF 424 (R&R) Application Packages - Version F and 18.5.2.1 Place of Performance in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. Also see the Foreign Involvement section of NIH’s Frequently Asked Questions for small businesses.