Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 25 016
The NIH BRAIN Initiative funding opportunity "Promoting Equity Through BRAIN Technology Partnerships" (RFA-NS-25-016) is an R34 grant mechanism designed to broaden who gets to use and benefit from BRAIN Initiative technologies. The core idea is practical and capacity-building: validated tools developed through the BRAIN Initiative can have much larger scientific impact if they are disseminated beyond the relatively small set of well-resourced institutions that typically dominate NIH funding. This opportunity targets that gap by supporting structured partnerships that help investigators at resource-limited institutions (RLIs) bring BRAIN tools into their own labs, learn how to use them well, and start generating BRAIN-relevant research momentum locally.
The program is built around a partnership model. A principal investigator based at an RLI applies for the award and formally pairs with a "BRAIN technologist," meaning an investigator or team with demonstrated expertise in a BRAIN Initiative tool or platform that has already been validated. The partnership is not intended to be one-directional technical help; the announcement emphasizes two-way knowledge transfer. In practice, that means the technologist provides hands-on training and guidance to enable adoption of the technology in the recipient lab, while also learning from the RLI investigator about different scientific questions, constraints, populations, or institutional contexts that may shape how the technology is deployed and improved. The overarching goal is to increase sustained participation of RLI investigators in BRAIN Initiative-relevant research by lowering barriers to entry and by embedding advanced neurotechnology capabilities in places that have historically had fewer opportunities to access them.
Because this is an R34 with "Clinical Trials Not Allowed," the supported activities are meant to focus on planning, training, implementation, and early-stage integration work rather than conducting clinical trials. Applicants should read that as a signal that the expected scope is about building readiness and enabling research capacity around BRAIN technologies, not running interventional human studies. The emphasis on dissemination and integration suggests that strong applications will likely include concrete training plans, workflows for technology installation or deployment, approaches to troubleshooting and quality control, and a realistic strategy for making the capability durable at the RLI after the award ends (for example, through staff training, shared protocols, maintenance plans, and integration into the lab's ongoing research program).
Eligibility is broad in the general NIH sense and includes many organizational types: state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled colleges and universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional categories of applicants aligned with equity and capacity-building priorities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions. While the list is inclusive, the program's intent is clearly centered on resource-limited settings and institutions that historically have not been major NIH funding recipients, so competitive applications should connect the institution's context to the program's equity and dissemination goals rather than treating eligibility as the only consideration.
On the international side, the rules are specific: non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations. However, "foreign components" as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant can include certain foreign collaborations or elements when justified and appropriately structured under NIH policy, even though a foreign organization cannot be the applicant.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant offered by the National Institutes of Health under multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867), reflecting the cross-cutting nature of NIH neuroscience and related programs. The original closing date listed is 2026-06-17, and the opportunity was created on 2024-11-21. The posting does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the provided text, so applicants would need to consult the full RFA and NIH budget guidance for the R34 mechanism to understand practical budget ranges and project period expectations.
In plain terms, this opportunity is about making sure cutting-edge neurotechnology does not stay concentrated in a small number of well-funded labs. NIH is putting money behind partnerships that transfer validated BRAIN tools into under-resourced research environments, with an explicit equity lens and an expectation that training and adoption will lead to longer-term participation in BRAIN-relevant science.Apply for RFA NS 25 016
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Promoting Equity Through BRAIN Technology Partnerships (R34 - Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" 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 2024-11-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-17. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Promoting Equity Through BRAIN Technology Partnerships" and it is identified as RFA-NS-25-016 under the NIH BRAIN Initiative.
2) What grant mechanism is being used?
This funding opportunity uses the NIH R34 grant mechanism.
3) What is the main goal of this program?
The main goal is to broaden who gets to use and benefit from validated BRAIN Initiative technologies by supporting partnerships that help investigators at resource-limited institutions (RLIs) adopt these tools, learn to use them effectively, and build local momentum for BRAIN-relevant research.
4) What problem is this program trying to solve?
The program targets the gap where advanced BRAIN tools often remain concentrated in a relatively small group of well-resourced institutions. NIH aims to expand dissemination so these validated tools can have larger scientific impact across more institutions and communities.
5) Who is expected to apply as the Principal Investigator (PI)?
The application is expected to be led by a principal investigator based at a resource-limited institution (RLI), who applies for the award and forms a formal partnership with an experienced BRAIN technologist.
6) What is a "BRAIN technologist" in the context of this opportunity?
A BRAIN technologist is an investigator or team with demonstrated expertise in a BRAIN Initiative tool or platform that has already been validated. Their role is to provide hands-on training and guidance to enable adoption of the technology at the RLI.
7) Does the BRAIN technologist have to be at the resource-limited institution?
The opportunity describes a partnership model where the PI is based at an RLI and pairs with a BRAIN technologist who has demonstrated expertise in the validated tool. The provided information does not require the technologist to be located at the RLI.
8) Is the partnership intended to be one-way technical assistance?
No. The announcement emphasizes two-way knowledge transfer. The technologist helps the RLI investigator adopt and operate the technology, while also learning from the RLI investigator about different scientific questions, constraints, populations, or institutional contexts that can shape how the technology is deployed and improved.
9) What kinds of activities are supported under this award?
Supported activities are described as practical and capacity-building, focusing on planning, training, implementation, and early-stage integration of validated BRAIN technologies into the RLI lab environment.
10) Are clinical trials allowed?
No. This opportunity is an R34 with "Clinical Trials Not Allowed," meaning the supported scope should not include conducting clinical trials.
11) If clinical trials are not allowed, what should applicants focus on instead?
Applicants should focus on building readiness and research capacity around BRAIN technologies, such as training, installation or deployment workflows, troubleshooting approaches, quality control practices, and planning for sustained use after the award ends.
12) What does NIH mean by "validated tools" in this opportunity?
The opportunity specifically references tools developed through the BRAIN Initiative that have already been validated, and it supports their dissemination and adoption beyond well-resourced institutions.
13) What makes a competitive project approach based on the description provided?
Based on the description, strong applications are likely to include concrete training plans, clear workflows for technology installation or deployment, realistic troubleshooting and quality control plans, and a strategy to make the capability durable at the RLI beyond the award period (for example, staff training, shared protocols, maintenance plans, and integration into ongoing research).
14) What is meant by making the capability "durable" at the RLI?
It means planning for sustained use of the technology after the award ends, such as ensuring staff are trained, protocols are shared and maintained, equipment or workflows are supported through maintenance plans, and the technology is integrated into the lab's longer-term research program.
15) What types of institutions are eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad range of organizational types, including state/county/city governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled colleges and universities, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses.
16) Does the opportunity highlight any institution types tied to equity and capacity-building goals?
Yes. The announcement explicitly highlights additional categories aligned with equity and capacity-building priorities, including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, TCCUs, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and AANAPISIs.
17) Are faith-based or community-based organizations included in the eligibility discussion?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly mentions faith-based or community-based organizations among the additional categories of applicants aligned with equity and capacity-building priorities.
18) Are U.S. territories or possessions included?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are explicitly listed among the additional categories highlighted in the announcement.
19) Are tribal governments that are not federally recognized mentioned?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes tribal governments that are not federally recognized among the additional categories of applicants it highlights.
20) Does broad eligibility mean any eligible organization is equally aligned with the program intent?
Not necessarily. While eligibility is inclusive, the stated intent is centered on resource-limited settings and institutions that historically have not been major NIH funding recipients. Competitive applications should connect the institution's context to the program's equity and dissemination goals rather than relying on eligibility alone.
21) Are non-U.S. (non-domestic) organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply.
22) Can a non-domestic component of a U.S. organization apply?
No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations.
23) Are any international elements allowed at all?
Yes. "Foreign components" (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed. This means a U.S. applicant may include certain foreign collaborations or elements if justified and structured under NIH policy, even though a foreign organization cannot be the applicant.
24) Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the NIH BRAIN Initiative.
25) What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity lists multiple CFDA numbers: 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867.
26) When is the closing date?
The original closing date listed is 2026-06-17.
27) When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2024-11-21.
28) Is there an award ceiling or expected number of awards stated here?
No. The provided information does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
29) Where should applicants look for budget ranges or project period expectations?
The provided information indicates applicants would need to consult the full RFA and NIH budget guidance for the R34 mechanism to understand practical budget ranges and project period expectations.
30) In plain terms, what is NIH trying to achieve with this program?
NIH is aiming to prevent cutting-edge neurotechnology from staying concentrated in a small number of well-funded labs by funding partnerships that transfer validated BRAIN tools into under-resourced research environments, with an explicit equity focus and an expectation of longer-term participation in BRAIN-relevant science.
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