BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early-Stage Research for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The summary for the BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early-Stage Research for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed) grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the National Institutes of Health, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early-Stage Research for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed): A central goal of the BRAIN Initiative is to understand how electrical and chemical signals code information in neural circuits and give rise to sensations, thoughts, emotions and actions. While currently available technologies can provide some understanding, they may not be sufficient to accomplish this goal. For example, non-invasive technologies are low resolution and/or provide indirect measures such as blood flow, which are imprecise; invasive technologies can provide information at the level of single neurons producing the fundamental biophysical signals, but they can only be applied to tens or hundreds of neurons, out of a total number in the human brain estimated at 85 billion. Other BRAIN FOAs seek to develop novel technology (RFA-NS-17-003) or to optimize existing technology ready for in-vivo proof-of-concept testing and collection of preliminary data (RFA-NS-17-004) for recording or manipulating neural activity on a scale that is beyond what is currently possible. This FOA seeks applications for unique and innovative technologies that are in an even earlier stage of development than that sought in other FOAs, including new and untested ideas that are in the initial stages of conceptualization. In addition to experimental approaches, the support provided under this FOA might enable calculations, simulations, computational models, or other mathematical techniques for demonstrating that the signal sources and/or measurement technologies are theoretically capable of meeting the demands of large-scale recording or manipulation of circuit activity in humans or in animal models. The support might also be used for building and testing phantoms, prototypes, in-vitro or other bench-top models in order to validate underlying theoretical assumptions in preparation for future FOAs aimed at testing in animal models.

Federal Grant Title:	BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early-Stage Research for Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Federal Agency Name:	National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
Grant Categories:	Health, Income Security and Social Services
Type of Opportunity:	Discretionary
Funding Opportunity Number:	RFA-EY-25-001
Type of Funding:	Grant
CFDA Numbers:	93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867
CFDA Descriptions:	Information not provided
Current Application Deadline:	June 15th, 2026
Original Application Deadline:	June 15th, 2026
Posted Date:	December 9th, 2024
Creation Date:	December 9th, 2024
Archive Date:	July 21st, 2026
Total Program Funding:	$200,000
Maximum Federal Grant Award:	$200,000
Minimum Federal Grant Award:
Expected Number of Awards:
Cost Sharing or Matching:	No
Last Updated:	December 9th, 2024

Applicants Eligible for this Grant: State governments - County governments - City or township governments - Special district governments - Independent school districts - Public and State controlled institutions of higher education - Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) - Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities - Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) - Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education - Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education - Private institutions of higher education - For-profit organizations other than small businesses - Small businesses - Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification.)
Additional Information on Eligibility: Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession.
Link to Full Grant Announcement: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-EY-25-001.html
Grant Announcement Contact: NIH Grants Information
[email protected]
See Section VII. Agency Contacts within the full opportunity announcement for all other inquires.
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