BRAIN Initiative: Reagent Resources for Brain Cell Type-Specific Access to Broaden Distribution of Enabling Technologies for Neuroscience (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · Opportunity RFA-MH-26-120
Who can apply
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and State institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other)
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3), other than higher education
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3)
- Private institutions of higher education
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Others
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 Organizations) 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 allowed.
About this opportunity
This Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) from the NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative is intended to support establishment of facilities at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) and Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible institutions for scaled production and distribution of brain cell type-specific access and manipulation reagents. Reagents will be initially developed in pilot resource projects for brain cell type-specific access and manipulation across vertebrate species from the BRAIN Initiative Armamentarium project. Awardees under this NOFO will work with the other Armamentarium awardees to manufacture and distribute the resources for use throughout the neuroscience community. It is envisioned that the awardees will work both with the Armamentarium community as well as with the neuroscience research community to optimize the use of new reagents. The types of reagents to be produced and distributed could include but are not limited to viral vectors, nucleic acid constructs, and nanoparticles designed for selective access to and manipulation of brain cell types. Such reagents will enable neuroscientists to probe circuit function with high precision in experimental animals and ex vivo human tissue and cells. Facilities are needed to contribute to the production and distribution of BRAIN Initiative Armamentarium project reagents broadly to neuroscience users.
Portfolio context — this listing covers more than this opportunity
This opportunity is funded under Assistance Listing 93.173 (“Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders”), a broad federal program that made about 263 new awards per year over the last five fiscal years (median award $430k). Those figures describe that whole portfolio — not this specific solicitation, so we don't show them as if they were this opportunity's track record.
Applicant counts per solicitation are not published by any federal agency — no one can honestly sell you that number. NIH publishes success rates by institute and activity code — source.
Don't want to hunt for grants like this one? Get free deadline alerts for your state and focus areas.
Consultant or grant writer? See the client-ready Opportunity Brief for this grant — actual award sizes vs. the advertised ceiling, who wins, printable "prepared for your client" version.
Similar grants still open
| Opportunity | Agency | Deadline | Award ceiling | Eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) | National Institutes of Health | September 28, 2026 19d left | — | Nonprofits |
| BRAIN Initiative: Clinical Studies to Advance Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) | National Institutes of Health | September 28, 2026 19d left | — | Nonprofits |
| Competing Revisions to Existing NIH Single Project Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Clinical Trial Optional) | National Institutes of Health | November 24, 2026 | — | Nonprofits |
| Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required) | National Institutes of Health | January 7, 2027 | $375k |