Funder: National Institutes of Health
Due Dates: August 14, 2025 (New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | January 16, 2026 (New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision) | August 14, 2026 (New/Renewal/Resubmission/Revision)
Funding Amounts: $1.5M/year (total for all awards); up to 6 awards; budgets not limited but must reflect project needs; max project period 5 years.
Summary: Supports clinical research to identify and validate novel non-invasive brain stimulation targets and mechanistic responses for substance use disorder treatment.
Key Information: Requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP); applications without a PEDP will be withdrawn.
Description
This opportunity, offered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at NIH, seeks clinical research projects that will identify and validate novel targets for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). The focus is on understanding the neurobiological, cognitive, and behavioral responses to NIBS that precede clinical outcomes such as reduced craving or drug use. The ultimate goal is to advance mechanistic understanding of SUD and inform future clinical trial design by identifying new stimulation targets and proximal efficacy metrics.
Projects may use modalities such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct or alternating current stimulation, or other non-invasive approaches. Studies should go beyond preselected cortical targets and clinical endpoints, aiming to uncover new brain circuits and intermediate markers relevant to SUD.
Note: A Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) is required and will be evaluated during peer review. Applications lacking a PEDP will be considered incomplete and withdrawn.
Due Dates
- August 14, 2025: Application due date (New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision)
- January 16, 2026: Application due date (New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision)
- August 14, 2026: Application due date (New, Renewal, Resubmission, Revision)
- Letter of Intent: 30 days prior to each application due date
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization.
Funding Amount
- Total Funds Available: NIDA intends to commit $1.5 million per year in FY 2024, 2025, and 2026 across this and companion NOFOs.
- Number of Awards: Up to 6 awards anticipated.
- Budget: Application budgets are not limited but must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.
- Project Period: Maximum of 5 years.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- Public/State controlled and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
- 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)
- Eligible agencies of the federal government
Individuals: Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as PD/PI(s) may apply.
Application Process
- Submission: Applications must be submitted electronically via ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or an institutional system-to-system solution.
- Required Registrations: Applicant organizations must have active registrations in SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. PDs/PIs must have an eRA Commons account.
- Letter of Intent: Strongly encouraged, due 30 days before the application deadline, sent to NIDALetterofIntent@mail.nih.gov.
- Application Instructions: Follow the NIH SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the specific NOFO instructions.
- PEDP Requirement: A Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP) must be included and will be peer reviewed.
- Data Management and Sharing Plan: Required for all applications generating scientific data.
- Clinical Trial Option: Both clinical trial and non-clinical trial applications are accepted.
Additional Information
- Scope: Applications must focus on SUD-relevant targets and responses to NIBS. Projects focusing exclusively on alcohol use disorder are not responsive.
- Special Considerations: Review NIDA’s Special Considerations for Funding Opportunities and Awards.
- Review Criteria: Scientific merit, innovation, approach, investigator qualifications, environment, and adherence to PEDP and data sharing requirements.
- Foreign Institutions: Eligible and encouraged to apply; must follow NIH policies for foreign applicants.
External Links
Contact Information