Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 18 014
The NIH funding opportunity "BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects (TargetedBCPP)" uses the R34 mechanism to support short, focused planning and feasibility work that prepares teams for a larger, full-scale research project. The central purpose is to fund exploratory projects with a limited set of aims that can generate the technical proof points needed for a later R01 application under the companion "Targeted Brain Circuits Projects (TargetedBCP)" announcement. In other words, this R34 is meant to help applicants de-risk and validate key concepts, tools, and approaches before committing to a more comprehensive R01 effort. Clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement, so proposed activities need to stay within non-clinical-trial research boundaries.
Scientifically, the program sits within the broader NIH BRAIN Initiative and emphasizes integrated, innovative approaches to understanding how brain circuit activity relates to mental experience and behavior. The expectation is that projects will not simply collect descriptive data, but will use methodologically connected strategies that can link circuit dynamics to function in a meaningful way. The "planning project" framing signals that reviewers will be looking for clear rationale, strong experimental design, and measurable milestones that demonstrate feasibility, validity, and technical readiness. Successful projects should produce concrete outcomes such as validated methods, demonstrated signal quality, workable pipelines for data acquisition and analysis, evidence that an approach can answer the motivating circuit-level question, or other qualifying results that justify scaling to an R01.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary grant under NIH, with activity categories spanning education, health, and social services-related domains as reflected in the multiple CFDA listings (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867). The funding opportunity number is RFA-NS-18-014. The listed award ceiling is $225,000, indicating that budgets are capped at a level consistent with targeted planning and feasibility work rather than large multi-year research programs. The announcement was created on December 14, 2017, and the original closing date shown is April 5, 2021.
Eligibility is broad and includes many standard NIH-eligible institution types: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. In addition, the announcement explicitly highlights other eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal government agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This emphasis signals NIH interest in broad participation and the inclusion of diverse institutional partners in BRAIN-related planning efforts.
Overall, the TargetedBCPP R34 is best understood as a stepping-stone mechanism: it funds tightly scoped, technically focused work that can demonstrate readiness for a subsequent TargetedBCP R01. Competitive applications typically align a compelling circuits-and-behavior question with a practical, milestone-driven plan to establish feasibility and validate the core methods needed to execute a larger, hypothesis-driven or mechanistic circuit project later, while staying clearly outside the definition of a clinical trial.Apply for RFA NS 18 014
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects TargetedBCPP (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 2017-12-14.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-04-05. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $225,000.00 in funding.
- 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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| 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 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Standards to Define Experiments Related to the BRAIN Initiative (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 19 146 Funding Number: RFA MH 19 146 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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