Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 16 160
Apply for RFA MH 16 160
- The National Institutes of Health in the education environment health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Lifespan Human Connectome Project Baby Connectome (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.113 Environmental Health 93.121 Oral Diseases and Disorders Research 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 93.361 Nursing Research 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 Apr 3, 2015 and posted on Apr 3, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 3, 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 $4,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,700,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities State governments County governments Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Special district governments Independent school districts 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) For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses.
- 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Lifespan Human Connectome Project Baby Connectome (U01) funding opportunity (RFA-MH-16-160) was an NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research initiative aimed at extending the well-known Human Connectome Project (HCP) into early childhood. The broader Lifespan Human Connectome Project (L-HCP) was designed to map how brain connectivity changes across development and aging, and this specific announcement focused on the earliest period of life: birth through 5 years old. The central idea was to adapt and extend the experimental and imaging protocols originally developed under the HCP so researchers could capture structural and functional brain connectivity during typical infant and early childhood development, a period marked by rapid neurodevelopmental change.
In practical terms, the FOA sought applications that could use HCP-style approaches to characterize how neural connections form and reorganize in the first five years. That includes developing or refining methods appropriate for very young children, where challenges like motion, sleep states, tolerance for scanning procedures, and age-appropriate behavioral or developmental measures can heavily influence data quality. The emphasis was on understanding typical developmental trajectories, creating a reference framework that could later support research into neurodevelopmental disorders by clarifying what "normal" connectivity looks like at different early-life stages.
This award used the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning NIH expected substantial programmatic involvement compared to a standard investigator-initiated grant. Cooperative agreements are generally used when the funding agency anticipates active collaboration, coordination, and shared decision-making to meet large-scale program goals. The announcement anticipated making a single award, with an estimated total funding amount of $4,000,000 and an award ceiling of $2,700,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
The opportunity fit within the NIH Blueprint model, which pools efforts across 15 NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices to accelerate neuroscience discovery and reduce the burden of nervous system disorders. The FOA also explicitly pointed to related Lifespan HCP efforts that targeted other age ranges, including separate solicitations for the 5-21 year old period and for middle-aged and elderly adults to study normal aging. In other words, the Baby Connectome component was intended to be one coordinated piece of a larger, lifespan-spanning set of connectome maps using compatible, standardized protocols.
Eligibility was broad and included many types of organizations: public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), local and state governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, independent school districts, and special district governments. The FOA also listed additional eligible applicants such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). The sponsoring agency was the National Institutes of Health, and the opportunity was posted on April 3, 2015, with an original and final application due date of September 3, 2015, and an archive date of October 4, 2015.
Overall, the Baby Connectome FOA was about building early-life connectome data and methods that align with the established HCP framework, enabling high-quality, comparable measures of brain connectivity during the most dynamic window of human brain development. The intended outcome was not just a single study, but a foundational resource and set of protocols that could plug into the broader Lifespan Human Connectome Project and support future neuroscience research at scale.
FAQs: Lifespan Human Connectome Project Baby Connectome (U01) (RFA-MH-16-160)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the Lifespan Human Connectome Project (L-HCP) Baby Connectome (U01) funding opportunity announcement (FOA), RFA-MH-16-160. It was part of the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research initiative and focused on extending the Human Connectome Project (HCP) into the earliest years of life.
What is the main goal of the Baby Connectome FOA?
The main goal was to adapt and extend HCP experimental and imaging protocols so researchers could measure structural and functional brain connectivity during typical development from birth through 5 years old, a time of especially rapid neurodevelopmental change.
What age range does the Baby Connectome component cover?
The Baby Connectome component focused on early childhood from birth through 5 years old.
How does this relate to the broader Lifespan Human Connectome Project (L-HCP)?
The Baby Connectome FOA was intended to be one coordinated piece of the broader L-HCP, which aimed to map how brain connectivity changes across development and aging. The broader effort included related solicitations targeting other age ranges, such as ages 5-21 and middle-aged and elderly adults.
What kinds of research approaches were expected?
The FOA emphasized using HCP-style approaches to characterize how neural connections form and reorganize during the first five years of life, including the development or refinement of methods that are appropriate for infants and young children.
Why does the FOA emphasize adapting methods for infants and young children?
Because studying brain connectivity in very young children raises practical challenges that can strongly affect data quality, including motion, sleep states, tolerance for scanning procedures, and the need for age-appropriate behavioral or developmental measures.
Was the focus on typical development or disorders?
The emphasis was on typical developmental trajectories. The intent was to build a reference framework describing what "normal" connectivity looks like at different early-life stages, which could later support research into neurodevelopmental disorders by providing clearer baselines.
What is the award mechanism for this FOA?
The FOA used the U01 cooperative agreement mechanism.
What does a U01 cooperative agreement imply about NIH involvement?
A U01 cooperative agreement generally means NIH anticipated substantial programmatic involvement compared to a standard investigator-initiated grant, including active collaboration, coordination, and shared decision-making to meet large-scale program goals.
How many awards were anticipated?
The FOA anticipated making a single award.
How much funding was available under this announcement?
The announcement listed an estimated total funding amount of $4,000,000.
Was there an award ceiling?
Yes. The award ceiling was $2,700,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA stated there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who sponsored this funding opportunity?
The sponsoring agency was the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as part of the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research model.
What is the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research?
The NIH Blueprint is a collaborative model that pools efforts across 15 NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices to accelerate neuroscience discovery and reduce the burden of nervous system disorders.
What types of organizations were eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) organizations), for-profit organizations (including small businesses), local and state governments, tribal governments and tribal organizations, independent school districts, and special district governments.
Were minority-serving institutions and community/faith-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA listed additional eligible applicants such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), and faith-based and community-based organizations.
Were regional organizations and U.S. territories eligible?
Yes. The FOA included regional organizations and U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicants.
Were foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA stated that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) were eligible.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on April 3, 2015.
What were the application due dates?
The FOA listed September 3, 2015 as both the original and final application due date.
When was the FOA archived?
The archive date was October 4, 2015.
What was the intended outcome of the Baby Connectome effort?
The intended outcome was to create early-life connectome data and methods aligned with the established HCP framework, producing high-quality, comparable measures of brain connectivity during early development and creating a foundational resource and set of protocols that could integrate with the broader Lifespan Human Connectome Project.
Why was alignment with the original Human Connectome Project (HCP) important?
Alignment was important so that the early-life data and protocols would be compatible with standardized HCP-style methods, supporting comparability and coordination across the lifespan-focused connectome mapping efforts.
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