Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 13 015
Apply for RFA NS 13 015
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pilot Projects on Sports Related Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (R03)" 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 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants 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.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 20, 2013 and posted on Mar 12, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 14, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses Independent school districts County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) City or township governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Special district governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The Pilot Projects on Sports Related Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (R03) funding opportunity (RFA-NS-13-015) was a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant program designed to jump-start early, exploratory research focused specifically on sports-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). As an R03 mechanism, it was geared toward small, short-term pilot studies that could generate preliminary data, test feasibility, refine methods, or establish proof-of-concept findings that could later support larger-scale projects. In practical terms, the program was meant to encourage researchers and organizations to explore promising ideas quickly and at a modest budget level, rather than requiring fully mature, large clinical trials or long multi-year investigations at the outset.
Financially, the opportunity listed an estimated total program funding amount of $1,000,000, with an award ceiling of $100,000 per award. No cost sharing or matching requirement applied, which lowered the barrier for participation because applicants were not required to provide additional non-federal funds to “match” the grant. The funding instrument type was a grant, and the activity area was health, reflecting NIH's mission to support biomedical and behavioral research that can improve public health outcomes. The program was posted on March 12, 2013, created on May 20, 2013, and had a closing date of May 14, 2013, with an archive date of June 14, 2013, meaning it was a time-limited solicitation that is no longer open.
The scope of the solicitation emphasized sports-related neurological and spinal trauma, an area of increasing public concern due to concussions, repetitive head impacts, and catastrophic spinal injuries in youth, amateur, and professional athletics. Although the brief description does not list specific scientific topics, the intent of an NIH pilot-project R03 in this area typically includes work such as developing or validating tools to detect injury, studying biological mechanisms of injury and recovery, identifying risk factors, testing novel rehabilitation strategies, improving clinical management approaches, or creating technologies that can measure impacts or neurological function. Because it is framed as “pilot projects,” the expected deliverables are usually early results that inform whether a larger study is warranted, along with clearer protocols, measurements, and recruitment or implementation strategies.
Eligibility was broad and included a wide range of domestic and international organizations. Eligible applicants included state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized); independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); and for-profit entities, including small businesses and other for-profit organizations. The announcement also explicitly opened eligibility to additional categories 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), along with faith-based and community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. Importantly, non-U.S. entities were eligible: foreign organizations and foreign institutions could apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were eligible, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy were allowed. This international openness suggests NIH wanted to attract strong ideas and expertise regardless of geography, as long as projects aligned with NIH rules and the goals of the solicitation.
The funding announcement was associated with multiple CFDA numbers, reflecting NIH's cross-cutting interests that intersect with brain and spinal cord injury research. These included 93.853 (neurosciences and neurological disorders), along with other relevant research areas such as mental health (93.242), child health and human development (93.865), aging research (93.866), drug abuse and addiction programs (93.279), deafness and communication disorders (93.173), and technology innovations to improve human health (93.286). Taken together, those codes signal that sports-related brain and spinal cord injuries are not limited to one discipline: they touch neurology, rehabilitation, mental and behavioral health, communication outcomes, lifespan factors (youth athletes through older adults), and the development of tools and technologies that could improve diagnosis, monitoring, and recovery.
For applicants or organizations looking for the original details, NIH provided an announcement link hosted on the NIH grants site (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NS-13-015.html). The contact information included the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster email for technical issues accessing or linking to the announcement (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV), indicating that the listed contact was primarily for electronic access problems rather than scientific or programmatic questions.
FAQs: Pilot Projects on Sports Related Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (R03) - RFA-NS-13-015
What is this funding opportunity?
This was the NIH discretionary grant opportunity "Pilot Projects on Sports Related Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (R03)" (RFA-NS-13-015). It was designed to jump-start early, exploratory research focused specifically on sports-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI).
What does the R03 mechanism mean for applicants?
The R03 mechanism is intended for small, short-term pilot studies. In this opportunity, the expectation was that projects would generate preliminary data, test feasibility, refine methods, or establish proof-of-concept findings that could later support larger-scale research.
What research areas or topics did this opportunity focus on?
The scope emphasized sports-related neurological and spinal trauma, including concerns around concussions, repetitive head impacts, and catastrophic spinal injuries in youth, amateur, and professional athletics. While the summary does not list specific required topics, pilot work in this space commonly includes developing or validating detection tools, studying mechanisms of injury and recovery, identifying risk factors, testing rehabilitation strategies, improving clinical management approaches, or creating technologies to measure impacts or neurological function.
What kinds of project outcomes were typically expected from a pilot project like this?
Because it was framed as "pilot projects," expected outcomes generally involved early results to determine whether a larger study is warranted, along with clearer protocols, measurements, and recruitment or implementation strategies suitable for scaling.
How much total funding was estimated for the program?
The opportunity listed an estimated total program funding amount of $1,000,000.
What was the maximum award amount per grant?
The award ceiling was $100,000 per award.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated that no cost sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning applicants were not required to provide non-federal matching funds.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument type was a grant.
What was the activity area associated with this opportunity?
The activity area was health, consistent with NIH's mission to support biomedical and behavioral research aimed at improving public health outcomes.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. It was a time-limited solicitation. The closing date was May 14, 2013, and the archive date was June 14, 2013, indicating it is no longer open for applications.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it created?
The opportunity was posted on March 12, 2013, and created on May 20, 2013.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included many domestic and international organizations. Eligible applicants included state, county, city/township, and special district governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations (other than federally recognized); independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); and for-profit entities, including small businesses and other for-profit organizations.
Were specific institution types like HBCUs or Hispanic-serving institutions included?
Yes. The announcement explicitly opened eligibility to categories 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). It also included faith-based and community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies.
Could non-U.S. organizations apply?
Yes. Foreign organizations and foreign institutions were eligible. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations were eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) were allowed.
What CFDA numbers were associated with this opportunity?
The funding announcement was associated with multiple CFDA numbers, including 93.853 (neurosciences and neurological disorders), and additional codes spanning areas such as mental health (93.242), child health and human development (93.865), aging research (93.866), drug abuse and addiction programs (93.279), deafness and communication disorders (93.173), and technology innovations to improve human health (93.286).
What do the multiple CFDA numbers suggest about the program's scope?
They suggest the research area was cross-cutting and could intersect with neurology, rehabilitation, mental and behavioral health, communication outcomes, lifespan factors (youth athletes through older adults), and technology development for diagnosis, monitoring, and recovery.
Where can someone find the original NIH announcement?
The original NIH announcement link provided was: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NS-13-015.html
Who was listed as the contact, and what were they responsible for?
The contact information included the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) Webmaster email (FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV). The information provided indicates this contact was for technical issues accessing or linking to the announcement, rather than scientific or programmatic questions.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health
Next opportunity: Pilot Projects on Sports Related Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (R21)
Previous opportunity: Improving Health and Reducing Premature Mortality in People with Severe Mental Illness (R01)
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for RFA NS 13 015
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA NS 13 015) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Pilot Projects on Sports Related Brain and Spinal Cord Injury (R21) Apply for RFA NS 13 014 Funding Number: RFA NS 13 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Continuing Prospective Birth Cohort Study Involving Environmental Uranium Exposure in the Navajo Nation (U01) Apply for RFA TS 13 001 Funding Number: RFA TS 13 001 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Collaborative Research on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Delayed Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury Neuropathology and Neuroimaging Correlation (U01) Apply for RFA NS 13 013 Funding Number: RFA NS 13 013 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Tuberculosis Outbreak Prevention Feasibility Project Apply for CDC RFA PS13 1314 Funding Number: CDC RFA PS13 1314 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Acute Kidney Injury in Older Adults (R03) Apply for PA 13 142 Funding Number: PA 13 142 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Acute Kidney Injury in Older Adults (R21) Apply for PA 13 143 Funding Number: PA 13 143 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Establishing a Center for Public Health Training in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies Apply for CDC RFA GH13 1370 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH13 1370 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Agreement with the Egypt Ministry of Health and Population for Global Disease Detection Activities Apply for CDC RFA GH13 1369 Funding Number: CDC RFA GH13 1369 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Well Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (WISEWOMAN) Apply for CDC RFA DP13 1302 Funding Number: CDC RFA DP13 1302 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Nationwide Program for National and State Background Checks for Direct Patient Access Employees of Long Term Care Facilities and Providers 9th Announcement Apply for CMS 1A1 13 002 Funding Number: CMS 1A1 13 002 Agency: Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services Category: Health Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Surveillance and Response to Avian and Pandemic Influenza by National Health Authorities outside the United States Apply for CDC RFA IP13 1306 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP13 1306 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $400,000 |
| State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH) Apply for HRSA 13 162 Funding Number: HRSA 13 162 Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Introducing or Expanding the Use of Seasonal Influenza Vaccines in Public Health Programs Outside of the United States Apply for CDC RFA IP13 1305 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP13 1305 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Developing Research Capacity to Assess Health Effects Associated with Volcanic Emissions and other Environmental Exposures (R01) Apply for RFA EH 13 002 Funding Number: RFA EH 13 002 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Tuberculosis Prevention, Public Health Conference Support Apply for CDC RFA PS13 1305 Funding Number: CDC RFA PS13 1305 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Public Health Conference Support Program Apply for CDC RFA EH13 1306 Funding Number: CDC RFA EH13 1306 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| NIBIB Biomedical Technology Resource Centers (P41) Apply for PAR 13 144 Funding Number: PAR 13 144 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Development of Animal Models and Related Biological Materials for Research (R21) Apply for PA 13 145 Funding Number: PA 13 145 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Health Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Promoting, Strengthening and Enhancing Disease Prevention by Collaboration with Targeted Stakeholders Apply for CDC RFA IP13 1303 Funding Number: CDC RFA IP13 1303 Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Category: Health Funding Amount: $220,000 |
| USAID/Vietnam Request for Information (RFI) on Healthy Markets Activity Apply for SOL 486 13 00022 Funding Number: SOL 486 13 00022 Agency: Thailand USAID Bangkok Category: Health Funding Amount: $15,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA NS 13 015", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.