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 · Opportunity RFA-NS-25-022
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
The purpose of this announcement is to encourage investigators to pursue a small clinical trial to obtain critical information necessary to advance recording and/or stimulating devices to treat central nervous system disorders and better understand the human brain (e.g., Early Feasibility Study). Clinical studies supported may consist of acute or short-term procedures that are deemed Non-Significant Risk (NSR) by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), or Significant Risk (SR) studies that require an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the FDA, such as chronic implants. The clinical trial should provide data to answer key questions about the function or final design of a device. This final device design may require most, if not all, of the non-clinical testing on the path to more advanced clinical trials and market approval. The clinical trial is expected to provide information that cannot be practically obtained through additional non-clinical assessments (e.g., bench top or animal studies) due to the novelty of the device or its intended use. Activities supported by this Funding Opportunity include a small clinical trial to answer key questions about the function or final design of a device.As part of the BRAIN Initiative, NIH has initiated a Public-Private Partnership Program (BRAIN PPP) that includes agreements (Memoranda of Understanding, MOU) with a number of device manufacturers willing to make such devices available, including devices and capabilities not yet market approved but appropriate for clinical research. In general it is expected that the devices' existing safety and utility data will be sufficient to enable new IRB NSR or FDA IDE approval without need for significant additional non-clinical data. For more information on the BRAIN PPP, see http://braininitiative.nih.gov/BRAIN_PPP/index.htm
Award history — this exact opportunity
NIH RePORTER lists 1 funded award under RFA-NS-25-022 across 1 organization.
Total award obligations, not per-year amounts.
Recent awardees include: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.
Source: NIH RePORTER, matched on the exact opportunity number. NIH publishes success rates by institute and activity code — source.
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.
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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 |
| 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 | |
| BRAIN Initiative: Preclinical Proof of Concept for Novel Recording and Modulation Technologies in the Human CNS (R18 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | National Institutes of Health | January 28, 2027 | $750k | Nonprofits |