Forecast for BRAIN Initiative: Research Resource Grants for Technology Integration and Dissemination (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

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Description

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), led by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and in partnership with several other NIH Institutes and Centers, intends to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for cooperative agreements (U24) to accelerate the impact of the BRAIN Initiative. The focus is on the rapid dissemination, integration, and broad adoption of developed and validated technologies and resources within the neuroscience research community.

This opportunity is designed to support projects that will make BRAIN Initiative tools, methods, and resources widely available, encourage collaborative approaches, and provide training in new technologies. The goal is to maximize the scientific impact of BRAIN Initiative investments by ensuring that cutting-edge resources are accessible and usable by a broad range of neuroscience researchers.

Note: This is a forecasted opportunity. Applications are not being accepted at this time. The notice is provided to allow potential applicants time to develop collaborations and prepare responsive projects.

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Due Dates

• Estimated Application Due Date: October 16, 2025
• Estimated NOFO Release Date: August 15, 2025
• Estimated Award Date: June 16, 2026
• Estimated Project Start Date: June 16, 2026

These dates are subject to change when the official NOFO is published.

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Funding Amount

• Award Size: Not yet specified; details will be provided in the forthcoming NOFO.
• Funding Mechanism: U24 Cooperative Agreement (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
• Number of Awards: Not specified.
• Project Duration: Not specified.

No cost sharing or matching is required.

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Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education
• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education)
• State governments
• County governments
• Independent school districts
• Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
• Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
• For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
• Small businesses

Eligibility details will be finalized in the published NOFO.

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Application Process

• Current Status: Applications are not being solicited yet. This is a forecasted opportunity.
• Preparation: Potential applicants are encouraged to use this advance notice to:
  • Develop meaningful collaborations, especially those combining expertise in technology dissemination and training.
  • Plan projects that will broadly disseminate and integrate BRAIN Initiative technologies and resources.
• Submission: When the NOFO is released, applications will be submitted via Grants.gov using the SF424 (R&R) forms and following NIH standard application procedures.
• Guidance: Refer to the NIH Research Application Guide (Forms Version H) for detailed instructions on preparing NIH applications.

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Additional Information

• Clinical Trials: Not allowed under this opportunity.
• Activity Code: U24 (Resource-Related Research Projects—Cooperative Agreements)
• Focus Areas: Rapid dissemination, integration, and training in BRAIN Initiative technologies and resources for the neuroscience community.
• Participating NIH Institutes/Centers: NINDS, NEI, NIA, NIAAA, NIBIB, NICHD, NIDCD, NIDA, NIMH, NCCIH, OBSSR.

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External Links

• NIH Funder Home Page
• Forecasted Opportunity on Grants.gov
• NIH Research Application Guide (PDF)

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Contact Information

For general NIH grant inquiries, see the NIH Contact Page or call 301-496-4000.

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