Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 15 005
Apply for RFA NS 15 005
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative Integrated Approaches to Understanding Circuit Function in the Nervous System (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173 Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders 93.213 Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 93.273 Alcohol Research Programs 93.279 Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs 93.286 Discovery and Applied Research for Technological Innovations to Improve Human Health 93.853 Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research 93.866 Aging Research 93.867 Vision Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 5, 2014 and posted on Nov 5, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 10, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $7,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments City or township governments Special district governments.
- 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 Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative Integrated Approaches to Understanding Circuit Function in the Nervous System (U01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-NS-15-005) supports exploratory, team-based research aimed at understanding how neural circuits work at scale. The central goal is to push beyond single-lab or single-method studies by bringing together experimental neuroscience, advanced data analysis, and theory/modeling into integrated projects that can explain how dynamic patterns of activity across circuits give rise to a defined behavioral function or neural system outcome. The emphasis is on studying neural systems across multiple brain regions, using emerging technologies for large-scale recording and for manipulating circuit activity, and doing so in a way that directly connects brain activity to behavior.
Projects are expected to go deep on circuit detail while also staying grounded in real function. That means applicants should incorporate rich information about cell types and how they contribute to circuit operations, along with circuit connectivity and functional interactions, rather than treating the brain as a uniform network. At the same time, the FOA encourages studies that pair these neural measurements with sophisticated behavioral analysis, specifically including complex and ethologically relevant behaviors (behaviors that resemble what an organism naturally does in realistic contexts, rather than only simplified laboratory tasks). The intent is to drive research designs where the behavioral readouts are robust and meaningful enough to match the richness of modern circuit-level measurement and control.
A key feature of this opportunity is its explicit push for interdisciplinary collaboration. Applications are expected to assemble teams that cross traditional boundaries, for example linking experimentalists who develop or apply large-scale recording/manipulation approaches with computational researchers who build analytic pipelines and theoretical frameworks. Importantly, this is not framed as a simple "add-on" modeling component; the FOA calls for projects in which theory and data analysis inform experimental design and interpretation from the start. In practice, competitive applications would likely demonstrate a tight feedback loop among data collection, quantitative analysis, and hypothesis-driven modeling, with each component shaping the others.
The award mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial programmatic involvement from NIH staff compared with standard investigator-initiated grants. The program is positioned as exploratory: funded studies are meant to build new experimental capabilities and develop quantitative and theoretical foundations that prepare teams for a later, future competition focused on larger-scale awards. In other words, the FOA is designed to accelerate readiness for the next phase of large, integrated circuit neuroscience efforts by supporting earlier-stage, capability-building and framework-building projects now.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity. NIH anticipated about 7 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $7.5 million. The opportunity was posted on November 5, 2014, with an application closing date of February 10, 2015, and an archive date of March 13, 2015. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement listed.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of U.S. organization types such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including but not limited to 501(c)(3) organizations), small businesses, for-profit entities (including those other than small businesses), and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as tribal governments and housing authorities. The FOA also allows non-U.S. participation: non-domestic (foreign) organizations and foreign institutions are eligible to apply, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are allowed. It also explicitly includes categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations, among others.
The opportunity connects to multiple NIH program areas as reflected in the CFDA listings, spanning neuroscience and neurological disorders as well as mental health, substance use, aging, vision, child health and development, complementary and integrative health, and communication disorders. The main point of that breadth is that the FOA is conceptually anchored in circuit neuroscience and the BRAIN Initiative, but the behavioral and clinical relevance can align with many different NIH missions as long as the proposal squarely addresses integrated, large-scale circuit function with strong experimental, analytic, and theoretical integration.
For full details, NIH provided an additional information link to the funding announcement at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NS-15-005.html.
FAQs: BRAIN Initiative Integrated Approaches to Understanding Circuit Function in the Nervous System (U01) - RFA-NS-15-005
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this NIH grant?
The opportunity is titled "BRAIN Initiative Integrated Approaches to Understanding Circuit Function in the Nervous System (U01)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-NS-15-005.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
This opportunity supports exploratory, team-based research to understand how neural circuits function at scale. It is designed to move beyond single-lab or single-method projects by integrating experimental neuroscience, advanced data analysis, and theory/modeling to explain how dynamic patterns of circuit activity produce a defined behavioral function or neural system outcome.
What kinds of scientific questions is NIH trying to advance through this FOA?
The FOA emphasizes explaining how coordinated, time-varying activity across neural circuits gives rise to a defined behavioral function or neural system outcome, with a focus on linking brain activity directly to behavior and examining neural systems across multiple brain regions.
What does "integrated approaches" mean in the context of this FOA?
It means projects should intentionally combine (1) large-scale experimental recording and/or manipulation of circuit activity, (2) advanced quantitative data analysis, and (3) theory/modeling in a way where these components shape each other from the beginning. The FOA is not looking for a modeling or analytics component added at the end; it calls for a tight feedback loop among data collection, analysis, and hypothesis-driven modeling.
Is this meant for a single PI lab or for teams?
The FOA explicitly pushes for interdisciplinary, team-based research that crosses traditional boundaries, such as experimentalists working closely with computational researchers developing analytic pipelines and theoretical frameworks.
What types of neuroscience approaches are emphasized?
The FOA emphasizes emerging technologies for large-scale recording and for manipulating circuit activity, particularly in designs that connect measured or controlled brain activity to behavior and that examine neural systems across multiple brain regions.
How important is behavior to the proposed research?
Behavior is central. The FOA encourages pairing neural measurements with sophisticated behavioral analysis, including complex and ethologically relevant behaviors (behaviors that resemble what an organism naturally does in realistic contexts rather than only simplified lab tasks). The intent is for behavioral readouts to be robust and meaningful enough to match the richness of modern circuit measurement and control.
Does the FOA expect projects to include cell-type information and circuit detail?
Yes. Projects are expected to go deep on circuit detail while remaining grounded in real function. The FOA highlights incorporating rich information about cell types and how they contribute to circuit operations, along with circuit connectivity and functional interactions, rather than treating the brain as a uniform network.
Does this FOA focus on single brain regions or multiple brain regions?
The emphasis is on studying neural systems across multiple brain regions and understanding circuit function at scale.
What award mechanism is used for this opportunity?
The mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a U01 cooperative agreement?
A U01 cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial programmatic involvement from NIH staff compared with standard investigator-initiated grants. Based on the FOA description, applicants should be prepared for more active NIH involvement consistent with a cooperative agreement mechanism.
Is this opportunity considered exploratory or intended for mature, large-scale projects?
It is positioned as exploratory. The FOA describes funded studies as building new experimental capabilities and developing quantitative and theoretical foundations to prepare teams for a later competition aimed at larger-scale awards.
How many awards did NIH anticipate making, and what was the estimated total funding level?
NIH anticipated about 7 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $7.5 million.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity indicates there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What are the key dates for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was posted on November 5, 2014. The application closing date was February 10, 2015. The archive date was March 13, 2015.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
Based on the provided dates, the closing date was February 10, 2015 and the archive date was March 13, 2015, so it is not currently open.
What kinds of organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S. organization types, including public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including but not limited to 501(c)(3) organizations); small businesses; for-profit entities (including those other than small businesses); and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts), as well as tribal governments and housing authorities.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. Non-domestic (foreign) organizations and foreign institutions are eligible to apply. In addition, non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are allowed.
Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations included in eligibility?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, AANAPISIs, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, and faith-based or community-based organizations, among others.
What NIH mission areas or program areas does this FOA connect to?
The opportunity connects to multiple NIH program areas reflected in CFDA listings, spanning neuroscience and neurological disorders as well as mental health, substance use, aging, vision, child health and development, complementary and integrative health, and communication disorders. The unifying theme is integrated, large-scale circuit function research aligned with the BRAIN Initiative, with behavioral and clinical relevance that can fit multiple NIH missions as long as the core integrated circuit-function focus is maintained.
Does a proposal need to be clinically focused to fit this FOA?
The description emphasizes circuit neuroscience and the BRAIN Initiative, while noting that behavioral and clinical relevance may align with many NIH missions. The key requirement, based on the provided information, is that the proposal squarely addresses integrated, large-scale circuit function with strong experimental, analytic, and theoretical integration.
Where can applicants find the official NIH announcement for full details?
NIH provided an additional information link to the funding announcement at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NS-15-005.html.
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