Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 14 010

  • The National Institutes of Health in the education health income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIH Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25)" 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 93.859 Biomedical Research and Research Training 93.865 Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research 93.866 Aging Research 93.867 Vision Research.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Apr 10, 2014 and posted on Mar 26, 2014.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by May 28, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
  • Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
Apply for RFA NS 14 010

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Opportunity Summary:

The NIH Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research education grant opportunity designed to strengthen and diversify the future neuroscience workforce. Operating under the NIH Research Education Program (R25), it supports structured educational activities that align with NIH mission areas and, in this specific initiative, emphasizes expanding participation in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research careers by students from groups that are underrepresented in these fields. The overarching intent is to increase diversity in neuroscience by giving undergraduates high-quality, well-supported training experiences that improve preparation, persistence, and progression toward research-intensive career paths.

At the core of the program is support for creative, well-organized education and training approaches that are explicitly built around three main activity types. First are research experiences, which typically involve hands-on, mentored research engagement that immerses undergraduate participants in real scientific work, helping them build practical research competence and confidence. Second are courses for skills development, which focus on strengthening foundational and advanced skills that students need to succeed in research environments, such as quantitative methods, scientific communication, laboratory techniques, responsible conduct of research, and other competencies that improve readiness for graduate study and research employment. Third are mentoring activities, which emphasize intentional mentoring structures that go beyond informal advising, aiming to provide consistent guidance, professional development, and supportive networks that can reduce barriers to entry and persistence in neuroscience research careers. Applicants are encouraged to integrate these components into a coherent program that is clearly tied to measurable outcomes related to research skill development and career advancement.

This opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-NS-14-010) is categorized as a discretionary grant and falls under an education-focused funding activity area, spanning health, income security, and social services domains. It is part of a broader NIH Blueprint effort, reflecting a trans-NIH commitment to neuroscience training and workforce development. Multiple CFDA program areas are associated with the announcement, reflecting the cross-cutting relevance of neuroscience to many NIH institutes and centers, including mental health, drug abuse, alcohol research, neurological disorders, child health and development, aging, vision research, nursing research, and others. In practical terms, that breadth signals that proposed programs can connect neuroscience education to a range of health and research topics, so long as the proposed activities remain aligned with the FOA's focus on undergraduate research education experiences and diversity enhancement.

Funding for the opportunity was estimated at a total of $2,500,000, and the announcement indicated there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which can reduce financial barriers for institutions developing or expanding these kinds of training programs. The opportunity was posted on March 26, 2014, created on April 10, 2014, with an original and current closing date of May 28, 2014, and an archive date of June 28, 2014. While those dates indicate the particular announcement is historical and no longer open, the structure and intent are representative of how NIH R25 programs are used to build educational pipelines, especially for workforce diversity goals.

Eligibility is centered on U.S.-based institutions, particularly institutions of higher education. Both private and public/state-controlled colleges and universities are eligible, along with other organizations as described in the announcement. The eligibility list explicitly includes institutions that commonly serve populations underrepresented in biomedical research, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). Importantly, non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply, and foreign components are not allowed under NIH definitions in the Grants Policy Statement. This means the program is intended to build domestic training capacity and domestic pipelines into neuroscience research careers.

In terms of agency context and administration, the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health. The full announcement was made available through an NIH grants webpage (listed in the source as a link to the RFA document). For access issues or technical problems connecting to the funding announcement, the provided point of contact was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster via the email listed in the source information.

FAQs: NIH Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25)

What is this grant opportunity?

This is an NIH research education grant opportunity under the NIH Research Education Program (R25). It is called the NIH Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (R25) and is intended to strengthen and diversify the future neuroscience workforce through structured undergraduate research education activities.

What is the main goal of the program?

The overarching goal is to increase diversity in neuroscience by providing undergraduates with high-quality, well-supported training experiences that improve preparation, persistence, and progression toward research-intensive career paths in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research.

Who is the program designed to benefit?

The initiative emphasizes expanding participation in research careers by students from groups that are underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research fields, specifically at the undergraduate level.

What kind of grant mechanism is this?

It uses the NIH R25 mechanism, which supports research education programs (not traditional research project grants) that provide structured educational activities aligned with NIH mission areas.

What activity types does the program support?

The program is built around three main activity types: (1) research experiences, (2) courses for skills development, and (3) mentoring activities. Applicants are encouraged to integrate these pieces into a single coherent program tied to measurable outcomes.

What are "research experiences" in this program context?

Research experiences typically involve hands-on, mentored research engagement that immerses undergraduate participants in real scientific work, with the intent of building practical research competence and confidence.

What kinds of topics can "courses for skills development" cover?

Skills development courses can focus on competencies students need to succeed in research environments, such as quantitative methods, scientific communication, laboratory techniques, responsible conduct of research, and other foundational or advanced skills that improve readiness for graduate study and research employment.

What does the program mean by "mentoring activities"?

Mentoring activities are intended to be intentional and structured, going beyond informal advising. They are meant to provide consistent guidance, professional development, and supportive networks that help reduce barriers to entry and persistence in neuroscience research careers.

Does the program require that these components be combined?

Yes. The opportunity emphasizes integrating research experiences, skills development coursework, and mentoring into a coherent program that is clearly tied to measurable outcomes related to research skill development and career advancement.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed is RFA-NS-14-010.

What agency sponsors this opportunity?

The sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the opportunity is part of the NIH Blueprint effort, reflecting a trans-NIH commitment to neuroscience training and workforce development.

How is this opportunity categorized?

It is categorized as a discretionary grant and falls under an education-focused funding activity area, spanning domains described as health, income security, and social services.

How much funding was anticipated?

The estimated total funding for the opportunity was $2,500,000.

Is cost-sharing or matching required?

No. The announcement indicated there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on March 26, 2014, created on April 10, 2014, and had an original and current closing date of May 28, 2014. The archive date was June 28, 2014.

Is this announcement still open?

No. Based on the listed closing and archive dates, this specific announcement is historical and is no longer open for applications.

What does it mean that this is part of the "NIH Blueprint" effort?

It means the opportunity sits within a broader, cross-NIH (trans-NIH) initiative focused on neuroscience. The description signals a coordinated commitment across NIH to support neuroscience training and workforce development.

What NIH program areas are associated with this announcement?

Multiple CFDA program areas are associated with the announcement, reflecting the cross-cutting relevance of neuroscience to many NIH institutes and centers. Examples mentioned include mental health, drug abuse, alcohol research, neurological disorders, child health and development, aging, vision research, and nursing research, among others.

Does the breadth of associated NIH areas change what applicants can propose?

The breadth signals that proposed programs may connect neuroscience education to a range of health and research topics, as long as the proposed activities remain aligned with the FOA's focus on undergraduate research education experiences and diversity enhancement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is centered on U.S.-based institutions, particularly institutions of higher education. Both private and public/state-controlled colleges and universities are eligible, along with other organizations as described in the announcement.

Are Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) specifically included?

Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes several categories of institutions that commonly serve populations underrepresented in biomedical research, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).

Can non-U.S. organizations apply?

No. Non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply under this announcement.

Are foreign components allowed?

No. Foreign components are not allowed under NIH definitions in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, as stated in the opportunity summary. The program is intended to build domestic training capacity and U.S.-based pipelines into neuroscience research careers.

Where was the full announcement made available?

The full announcement was made available through an NIH grants webpage (described in the source as a link to the RFA document).

Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement?

For access issues or technical problems connecting to the funding announcement, the provided point of contact was the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster via the email listed in the source information.

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