Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 15 200
Apply for RFA MH 15 200
- The National Institutes of Health in the education health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative Planning for Next Generation Human Brain Imaging (R24)" 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 7, 2014 and posted on Nov 7, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 18, 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 $3,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Independent school districts Private institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities State governments City or township governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Special district governments Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- 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 BRAIN Initiative Planning for Next Generation Human Brain Imaging (R24) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-15-200) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to jump-start planning and early development work for entirely new or next generation human brain imaging technologies and methods. Its core purpose was to fund the kind of foundational, high-impact groundwork that helps ambitious imaging ideas become feasible, scalable, and ready for later-stage development and broader validation. In practical terms, the FOA targeted the front end of innovation: organizing teams, defining technical approaches, mapping out milestones, identifying key risks, and initiating early proof-of-concept efforts that could lead to transformative gains in how scientists image and understand the human brain.
This announcement sat within the broader NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative and focused specifically on human brain imaging. The emphasis on "planning activities and the initial stages of development" signals that NIH was looking for projects that were not simply incremental improvements to existing tools, but efforts that could reshape what is measurable in the human brain, how precisely it can be measured, and how those measurements can be translated into deeper insight about brain function and organization. While the provided text does not lay out detailed scientific requirements, the framing makes clear that awards were meant to catalyze technology and methods development that could ultimately enable major leaps in neuroscience, including improved understanding of brain circuits, activity patterns, and brain-wide dynamics in people.
Administratively, the program used the NIH R24 mechanism, which is commonly used for resource-related or planning-type projects, and it was offered as a grant. It was posted and created on November 7, 2014, with an original (and final) closing date of March 18, 2015, and it was archived on April 18, 2015. The estimated total funding level listed for the program was $3,200,000, and the award ceiling was $300,000. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching, which lowers barriers for applicants that might not have access to institutional matching funds.
Eligibility was broad and included a wide range of organization types across academia, government, nonprofit, and industry. Eligible applicants included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (including those other than universities), small businesses, and for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses). Government entities at multiple levels were also eligible, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and independent school districts. The FOA also explicitly included tribal entities and related organizations, such as federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments, along with tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs). It further listed a range of institution types associated with serving specific communities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies.
Notably, the eligibility language also permitted non-U.S. participation. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, including foreign organizations and foreign institutions, were eligible to apply; non-domestic components of U.S. organizations were eligible; and foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement were allowed. That structure reflects the reality that next generation brain imaging often depends on specialized expertise, unique engineering capabilities, or collaborative networks that may span international boundaries.
The FOA was associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning neuroscience and several health research domains, reflecting NIH-wide relevance and the cross-cutting nature of brain imaging technologies. The listed CFDAs were 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), and 93.867 (Vision Research). The presence of these codes underscores how advances in human brain imaging can have downstream impact across mental health, addiction, sensory systems, aging, neurological disease, and broader health technology innovation.
For applicants seeking the original full announcement, NIH provided an Additional Information link to the FOA on the NIH grants guide site (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-15-200.html). The contact information included the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster channels for technical access or linking issues (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV), indicating that program-specific scientific contacts were likely listed in the full FOA text while the summary record emphasized web access support.
Overall, the opportunity can be summed up as a time-limited NIH BRAIN Initiative planning and early development grant meant to help teams move bold human brain imaging concepts from idea to credible, structured development plans and initial prototypes or feasibility demonstrations, supported by moderate-sized awards and open to a very broad set of domestic and international applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BRAIN Initiative Planning for Next Generation Human Brain Imaging (R24) opportunity?
This was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program under the NIH BRAIN Initiative that supported planning and early development work for entirely new or next generation human brain imaging technologies and methods. It used the NIH R24 grant mechanism and was intended to help ambitious imaging ideas become feasible and ready for later-stage development and validation.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number was RFA-MH-15-200.
What was the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The core purpose was to fund foundational, high-impact groundwork at the front end of innovation. This included organizing teams, defining technical approaches, mapping milestones, identifying key risks, and initiating early proof-of-concept efforts that could enable transformative advances in human brain imaging.
What kinds of activities were emphasized by this FOA?
The announcement emphasized planning activities and the initial stages of development for new or next generation human brain imaging technologies and methods. The framing highlights early, enabling work rather than later-stage broad validation or incremental upgrades to existing tools.
Was this grant focused on human brain imaging specifically?
Yes. The opportunity sat within the broader NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative and focused specifically on human brain imaging.
Was NIH looking for incremental improvements or more transformative approaches?
Based on the framing, NIH was looking for efforts that could reshape what is measurable in the human brain and how precisely it can be measured, rather than projects that are simply incremental improvements to existing tools.
What grant mechanism was used?
The program used the NIH R24 mechanism, which is commonly used for resource-related or planning-type projects.
Was this a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The opportunity is described as an NIH discretionary grant program.
What was the estimated total funding available for the program?
The estimated total funding level listed for the program was $3,200,000.
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling was $300,000.
Did the opportunity require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching, which can reduce barriers for applicants that do not have institutional matching funds available.
When was the opportunity posted and created?
It was posted and created on November 7, 2014.
What was the application deadline (closing date)?
The original (and final) closing date was March 18, 2015.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on April 18, 2015, and the final closing date was March 18, 2015.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad. Eligible applicants included many organization types across academia, government, nonprofit, and industry, as well as certain tribal entities and institutions serving specific communities.
Were public and state-controlled institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education were listed as eligible applicants.
Were private institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Private institutions of higher education were listed as eligible applicants.
Were nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (including those other than universities) were listed as eligible applicants.
Were small businesses eligible?
Yes. Small businesses were listed as eligible applicants.
Were for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses) were listed as eligible applicants.
Were government entities eligible to apply?
Yes. Multiple levels of government were listed as eligible, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and independent school districts. Eligible federal agencies were also included.
Were tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility language explicitly included federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments, along with tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs).
Were institutions that serve specific communities included in eligibility?
Yes. The FOA listed Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). It also included faith-based or community-based organizations.
Were non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, including foreign organizations and foreign institutions, were eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations were eligible, and foreign components (as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement) were allowed.
What does allowing foreign components and non-U.S. applicants suggest about the program?
It reflects that next generation brain imaging can depend on specialized expertise, unique engineering capabilities, or collaborative networks that may be international.
What scientific areas or health domains did this opportunity relate to?
The opportunity was associated with multiple CFDA numbers spanning neuroscience and several health research domains, reflecting NIH-wide relevance and the cross-cutting nature of human brain imaging technologies.
Which CFDA numbers were associated with this FOA?
The listed CFDA numbers were 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867.
What do the associated CFDAs indicate about the impact of advances in human brain imaging?
The presence of multiple CFDA codes underscores that advances in human brain imaging can have downstream impact across mental health, addiction, sensory systems, aging, neurological disease, and broader health technology innovation.
Where could applicants find the original full funding announcement?
NIH provided an Additional Information link to the FOA on the NIH grants guide site at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-15-200.html.
Who was listed as a contact for technical access or linking issues?
The summary information listed NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster channels for technical access or linking issues: FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
Did the summary include scientific or program-specific contacts?
The provided information indicates that the summary record emphasized web access support and notes that program-specific scientific contacts were likely listed in the full FOA text.
How can this opportunity be summarized in plain terms?
It was a time-limited NIH BRAIN Initiative planning and early development grant intended to help teams move bold human brain imaging concepts from idea to credible development plans and initial feasibility demonstrations, supported by moderate-sized awards and open to a very broad set of domestic and international applicants.
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