Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 18 018
The BRAIN Initiative: Biology and Biophysics of Neural Stimulation (R01 - Clinical Trials Optional) funding opportunity (RFA-NS-18-018) is a National Institutes of Health discretionary grant that supports research aimed at building a clearer, more rigorous scientific foundation for how neural stimulation affects the nervous system. The core purpose is not to invent new stimulation devices or treatments, but to carefully and systematically explain what happens in the brain and nervous system when stimulation is applied, across multiple biological scales. In other words, the program is focused on the underlying biology and biophysics of neuromodulation, with the long-term BRAIN Initiative goal of enabling better, more precise ways to control specific cell types and circuits to change central nervous system function.
Projects supported under this FOA are expected to characterize, model, and validate responses to stimulation at the membrane, cellular, circuit, and adaptive-biological levels. This emphasis means applicants should be thinking about questions such as how stimulation changes membrane properties and excitability, how neurons and non-neuronal cells respond at the cellular level, how local and distributed circuits are altered, and how responses evolve over time through plasticity, homeostasis, or other adaptive processes. The FOA explicitly includes both neuronal and non-neuronal cells, reflecting the reality that glia, vascular elements, and other supporting cell types can meaningfully shape and mediate stimulation effects. The stimulation itself can involve various types and modalities; the key is that the application must be grounded in careful measurement and mechanistic interpretation rather than a device-development or therapy-development agenda.
A major boundary of the opportunity is what it does not fund. Development of new technologies and therapies is outside the scope, and disease model development is also outside the scope. The intent is to avoid using this mechanism as a path to build the next stimulator, propose a new clinical neuromodulation therapy, or create new pathological models. Instead, investigators should concentrate on fundamental response characterization and principled modeling that can be used to evaluate and understand neuromodulation approaches broadly. That said, the FOA allows work that combines multiple recording modalities, which supports a modern, integrative approach to studying stimulation effects (for example, pairing electrophysiology with imaging or other measurement approaches) as long as the work remains focused on understanding biological responses rather than creating new tools for their own sake.
Another defining feature is the required participation in a consortium. Awardees are expected to engage as part of a broader coordinated effort to develop standards and model systems used to evaluate both current and next-generation neuromodulation technologies. This consortium element signals that NIH is not only funding standalone projects, but also trying to align the field around shared benchmarks, common evaluation frameworks, and reproducible model systems so that results across labs and stimulation approaches can be compared more meaningfully.
The mechanism is an R01 research project grant with clinical trials listed as optional, meaning applications may include a clinical trial if it is appropriate and well justified, but a clinical trial is not required and many projects will be non-clinical. The funding activity category is listed under education, health, income security and social services, and the opportunity references multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867), reflecting NIH program alignment across institutes and BRAIN-related funding streams. An award ceiling is not specified in the provided source data, and the closing date shown is January 10, 2020, with a creation date of December 14, 2017.
Eligibility is broad and includes many common applicant categories such as state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also highlights additional eligible applicant types, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility reflects an intent to attract multidisciplinary contributions across academia, government, nonprofit sectors, and industry, as well as to broaden participation across institution types and geographies.
Taken together, this opportunity is best suited for teams that can bring quantitative and mechanistic rigor to neuromodulation science: carefully designed stimulation experiments, multiscale measurements, validated models linking stimulation parameters to biological responses, and a willingness to coordinate with a consortium to help establish shared standards and model systems for evaluating neuromodulation methods.Apply for RFA NS 18 018
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Biology and Biophysics of Neural Stimulation (R01 - Clinical Trials Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-12-14.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-01-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: America's Marine Highway Program
Previous opportunity: Public Humanities Projects
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA NS 18 018
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA NS 18 018) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects TargetedBCPP (R34 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 014 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $225,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Development, Optimization, and Validation of Novel Tools and Technologies for Neuroscience Research (SBIR)(R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 501 Funding Number: PAR 18 501 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development for Disorders of the Nervous System (U44) - Clinical Trial Optional Apply for PAR 18 541 Funding Number: PAR 18 541 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UG3/UH3 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 18 021 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 021 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (U44 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 18 022 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 022 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Clinical Studies to Advance Next-Generation Invasive Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UH3 - Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA NS 18 023 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 023 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development of Disorders of the Nervous System (UG3/UH3) - Clinical Trial Optional Apply for PAR 18 546 Funding Number: PAR 18 546 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 18 573 Funding Number: PA 18 573 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| PHS 2018-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PA 18 576 Funding Number: PA 18 576 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early - Stage Research for Large - Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) (Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA EY 18 001 Funding Number: RFA EY 18 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: New Technologies and Novel Approaches for Large-Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 020 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 020 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Optimization of Transformative Technologies for Large Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (U01-Clinical Trials Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 019 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 019 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Reducing Stigma to Improve HIV/AIDS Prevention, Treatment and Care in Low and Middle- Income Countries (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 732 Funding Number: PAR 18 732 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Addressing the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in the U.S. (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 745 Funding Number: PAR 18 745 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Addressing the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in the U.S. (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 18 747 Funding Number: PAR 18 747 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects- TargetedBCP (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 18 030 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 030 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Development and Validation of Novel Tools to Probe Cell-Specific and Circuit-Specific Processes in the Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 19 136 Funding Number: RFA MH 19 136 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 814 Funding Number: PAR 18 814 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Advanced Postdoctoral Career Transition Award to Promote Diversity (K99/R00 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 18 813 Funding Number: PAR 18 813 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| The Role of Epitranscriptomics in Development and Disease (R01 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for PAR 18 830 Funding Number: PAR 18 830 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $499,999 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA NS 18 018", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.