Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: October 10, 2025 (New, Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | October 9, 2026 (New, Renewal/Resubmission/Revision)
Funding Amounts: Up to $275,000 direct costs over 2 years; no more than $200,000 in any single year; project period limited to 2 years.
Summary: Supports multidisciplinary research on core ethical issues arising from advancements in neurotechnology and brain science, in alignment with BRAIN Initiative priorities.
Key Information: Clinical trials are optional; foreign organizations are eligible; Data Management and Sharing Plan required.
Description
This NIH funding opportunity supports exploratory/developmental (R21) research projects that address the ethical implications of research focused on the human brain, particularly as they relate to emerging neurotechnologies and scientific advancements supported by the BRAIN Initiative. The program seeks to foster multidisciplinary collaborations that integrate neuroethics with neuroscience, aiming to inform and guide responsible research and application of new brain technologies.
Projects should address key ethical issues such as data privacy, informed consent, health disparities, long-term obligations to patient populations, and the societal impact of neurotechnological advances. The initiative encourages innovative, high-risk, and potentially transformative research that can complement and integrate with ongoing neuroscience discoveries.
Due Dates
- Next Application Due Date: October 10, 2025
- Subsequent Due Date: October 9, 2026
- Letter of Intent: 30 days prior to each application due date
- Earliest Submission Date: September 11, 2024
- All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
Funding Amount
- Total Direct Costs: Up to $275,000 for the entire 2-year project period
- Annual Limit: No more than $200,000 in direct costs in any single year
- Project Duration: Maximum of 2 years
- Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 8 new awards per year (subject to appropriations)
- No cost sharing or matching required
Eligibility
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Eligible Organizations:
- Public/State controlled and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses)
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal governments (federally recognized and other)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized)
- Faith-based and community-based organizations
- Regional organizations
- U.S. territories and possessions
- Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) and foreign components of U.S. organizations
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Eligible Individuals: Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as PD(s)/PI(s).
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Multiple Applications: Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided each is scientifically distinct.
Application Process
- Submission Platforms: Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or an institutional system-to-system solution.
- Required Registrations: SAM, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, and (for foreign organizations) NCAGE code.
- Letter of Intent: Strongly encouraged, due 30 days before the application deadline; should include project title, PI(s), key personnel, institutions, and FOA number/title.
- Application Format: Follow the NIH SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the specific instructions in the funding announcement.
- Research Plan: Must include a clear rationale for the ethical issue(s) addressed, methodological approach, timeline with milestones, and a Data Management and Sharing Plan.
- Clinical Trials: Applications may propose clinical trials but are not required to do so.
- Data Sharing: All applications must address data management and sharing, with expectations for depositing data in BRAIN Initiative archives.
Additional Information
- Scope: Projects should focus on novel, transformative approaches to neuroethics, with clear relevance to BRAIN Initiative-supported research.
- Review Criteria: Emphasis on significance, innovation, investigator expertise, approach, and environment. High-risk/high-reward projects are encouraged.
- Milestones: Applications must include annual milestones; failure to do so will result in administrative withdrawal.
- Foreign Applicants: Foreign organizations and components are eligible and encouraged to apply.
- Companion Opportunity: For longer-term projects with preliminary data, see the companion R01 opportunity RFA-MH-25-170.
External Links
Contact Information