Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA RM 15 018
Apply for RFA RM 15 018
- The HHS-NIH11 in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Limited Competition - Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC): Comprehensive Functional Mapping of Neuroanatomy and Neurobiology of Organs (OT2)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.310,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 17, 2015 and posted on Nov 17, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 14, 2018. (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 $2,000,000.00 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
This grant opportunity, titled "Limited Competition - Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC): Comprehensive Functional Mapping of Neuroanatomy and Neurobiology of Organs (OT2)," is a discretionary NIH funding announcement under HHS (agency listed as HHS-NIH11) focused on health research. It supports projects that generate comprehensive, high-quality datasets needed to build detailed and predictive maps of how the nervous system anatomically and functionally controls major organ functions. The central idea is to move beyond partial descriptions of peripheral innervation and instead produce integrated functional and anatomical neural circuit maps that explain, in a mechanistic and predictive way, how neural pathways regulate organs and closely related structures.
The scientific scope is organized around organ-specific mapping. Each funded project is expected to focus on one specific organ and thoroughly characterize both afferent (sensory signals traveling from the organ to the nervous system) and efferent (motor/autonomic outputs traveling from the nervous system to the organ) innervation that governs organ function. The intent is not simply to catalog nerves, but to provide data that can underpin models of neural control, linking structure to function so that the resulting maps can be used to predict how stimulating or inhibiting particular pathways may change organ behavior. These comprehensive datasets are meant to enable the SPARC program's broader goals of understanding and eventually leveraging peripheral neuromodulation to relieve or treat conditions.
A key feature of the announcement is that it is a limited competition. Applications for this OT2 award are not open to the general community by default; they are only accepted from applicants who first submitted the corresponding OT1 pre-application (referenced as RFA-RM-15-003), succeeded in that earlier competition, and then received an invitation to submit a full OT2 application. In practice, this means eligibility is gated by prior participation and selection at the OT1 stage, rather than being solely determined by organizational type or general qualifications.
The funding instrument is a grant, with an award ceiling listed at $2,000,000. While the number of expected awards is not provided in the source text, the ceiling gives a sense of the potential scale of supported projects and implies that awardees are expected to conduct ambitious, data-rich mapping efforts. The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA numbers 93.310 and is classified within the health funding activity category.
In terms of applicant eligibility by organizational category, the FOA is broadly inclusive on paper, listing state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and additional eligible applicants as clarified in the FOA text. Even with this broad eligibility list, the practical limiting factor remains the invitation-only OT2 submission requirement following a successful OT1 pre-application.
Administratively, the funding opportunity number is RFA-RM-15-018. The creation date and posted date are both November 17, 2015, and the original and current closing dates are both June 14, 2018, indicating no closing-date modification in the provided record. Overall, the opportunity can be understood as a targeted NIH SPARC mechanism intended to fund organ-focused, end-to-end peripheral neuroanatomy and neurobiology mapping efforts that produce foundational datasets for predictive neural circuit maps relevant to therapeutic peripheral stimulation strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Limited Competition - Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC): Comprehensive Functional Mapping of Neuroanatomy and Neurobiology of Organs (OT2)."
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is RFA-RM-15-018.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is an HHS opportunity administered under NIH (agency listed as HHS-NIH11).
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
What program or initiative is this associated with?
This announcement is part of the NIH SPARC program (Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions).
What is the main purpose of the grant?
The goal is to support projects that generate comprehensive, high-quality datasets needed to build detailed and predictive maps of how the nervous system anatomically and functionally controls major organ functions.
What kind of scientific outputs is NIH looking for?
The focus is on integrated functional and anatomical neural circuit maps that move beyond partial descriptions of peripheral innervation and instead explain, in a mechanistic and predictive way, how neural pathways regulate organs and closely related structures.
What does "comprehensive functional mapping" mean in this context?
Based on the description provided, it means producing datasets that connect neuroanatomy to neurobiology and organ function, so the resulting maps can be used to predict how stimulating or inhibiting specific neural pathways may change organ behavior.
Are projects expected to focus on a specific organ?
Yes. Each funded project is expected to focus on one specific organ and thoroughly characterize the innervation that governs that organ's function.
What types of neural pathways must be characterized for the selected organ?
Projects are expected to characterize both afferent innervation (sensory signals traveling from the organ to the nervous system) and efferent innervation (motor/autonomic outputs traveling from the nervous system to the organ).
Is the intent mainly to catalog nerves and anatomy?
No. The intent is explicitly described as not simply cataloging nerves. The goal is to generate data that can underpin models of neural control by linking structure to function in a way that supports mechanistic and predictive mapping.
How do these datasets support SPARC's broader goals?
The datasets are meant to enable SPARC's broader aim of understanding and eventually leveraging peripheral neuromodulation to relieve or treat conditions by providing foundational, predictive maps of neural control of organs.
What does "limited competition" mean for this FOA?
Is an invitation required to submit an OT2 application?
Yes. The opportunity is invitation-only at the OT2 stage, following a successful OT1 pre-application and an invitation to submit the full OT2 application.
What prior funding announcement is referenced for the OT1 pre-application stage?
The OT1 pre-application is referenced as RFA-RM-15-003.
Does the broad eligibility list mean anyone can apply?
No. While the FOA lists many eligible organization types, the practical gating requirement described is that only those who were successful at the OT1 pre-application stage and received an invitation can submit an OT2 application.
What types of organizations are listed as eligible (by category)?
The FOA lists a wide range of eligible applicants, including: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and additional eligible applicants as clarified in the FOA text.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is listed as $2,000,000.
How many awards will be made?
The number of expected awards is not provided in the information given.
What CFDA number(s) are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is cataloged under CFDA 93.310.
What funding activity category does this fall under?
It is classified within the health funding activity category.
When was this opportunity created and posted?
Both the creation date and the posted date are November 17, 2015.
What is the closing date for applications?
The original closing date and the current closing date are both June 14, 2018.
Was the closing date modified?
No modification is indicated in the provided record, since both the original and current closing dates are the same (June 14, 2018).
What is the practical takeaway for potential applicants?
The key constraint is the limited competition structure: to submit an OT2 application, an applicant must have previously submitted and succeeded in the referenced OT1 pre-application process and must have received an invitation to apply for OT2.
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