Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 23 023
The BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects (TargetedBCPP) opportunity (RFA-NS-23-023) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding announcement for an R34 planning grant that supports early, feasibility-focused work in brain circuit research. It is explicitly a "Clinical Trials Not Allowed" mechanism, meaning proposals should not be designed as clinical trials. This notice of funding opportunity is a reissue of earlier versions (RFA-NS-18-014 and RFA-NS-21-014, and most recently RFA-NS-22-027) and was reissued to comply with the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy (DMSP). Importantly, the reissue does not add any new due dates; the listed closing date remains 2024-10-02.
The purpose of this R34 is to fund exploratory, limited-scope projects that generate the kinds of technically qualifying results needed to justify and enable a larger, subsequent project. In practice, this means the application should focus on establishing feasibility, demonstrating validity, producing pilot data, or resolving key technical uncertainties that would make a future full-scale study realistic and competitive. The end goal is to lay the groundwork for a potential follow-on application to the companion Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects R01 program (TargetedBCP), described in the companion NOFO RFA-NS-22-026. In other words, this is meant to be a planning and de-risking step: applicants are expected to propose tightly defined aims that clarify whether an integrated approach will work and what it can reliably measure or manipulate in neural circuits.
Scientifically, the announcement emphasizes innovative and methodologically integrated strategies to understand how brain circuit activity produces mental experience and behavior. That framing points to projects that combine complementary tools or data streams to link circuit dynamics to cognition, perception, emotion, decision-making, or other behavioral outputs. The expectation is not to complete a comprehensive circuit theory or a definitive mechanistic story within the R34 period, but to show that the approach is workable and informative enough to support a subsequent, more ambitious R01 effort under the companion announcement.
From an administrative and funding perspective, the opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant program under NIH, with funding activity spanning areas that include health and related research domains (as reflected in the multiple CFDA numbers listed: 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867). The award ceiling is $450,000, which signals a relatively constrained budget consistent with a planning grant focused on feasibility and pilot work rather than large-scale execution. While the listing does not specify the expected number of awards, the overall structure suggests NIH intends to fund projects that are well-justified, technically rigorous, and clearly positioned to transition into an R01-scale TargetedBCP application if the planning milestones succeed.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of applicants. Eligible entities include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private 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 (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The announcement also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs); eligible federal government agencies; faith-based or community-based organizations; U.S. territories or possessions; regional organizations; and even non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility reflects an intent to attract strong, innovative circuit-planning proposals from a diverse range of institutions and organizational types.
Taken together, this opportunity is best viewed as a stepping-stone BRAIN Initiative mechanism for researchers who have a promising, modern circuit-focused idea but need a focused planning phase to prove that the concept, tools, integration strategy, and measures are feasible and valid. A competitive application under this R34 would typically read like a careful feasibility plan: narrow aims, clear technical milestones, a strong rationale for the integrated methods, and a convincing explanation of how successful completion would directly enable a subsequent TargetedBCP R01 application under the companion funding announcement.Apply for RFA NS 23 023
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects TargetedBCPP (R34 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-04-26.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-10-02. (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 $450,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Planning Projects (TargetedBCPP) opportunity?
TargetedBCPP is an NIH funding opportunity announcement (RFA-NS-23-023) under the BRAIN Initiative that supports an R34 planning grant. It is designed for early, feasibility-focused work in brain circuit research, with an emphasis on proving that an integrated technical approach is workable and informative enough to justify a larger, later-stage project.
What type of grant mechanism is this?
This opportunity uses the NIH R34 mechanism, which is a planning grant format. In this context, it supports exploratory, limited-scope projects meant to establish feasibility, demonstrate validity, generate pilot data, and reduce key technical risks before pursuing a larger follow-on award.
Are clinical trials allowed under this funding opportunity?
No. The announcement is explicitly designated as "Clinical Trials Not Allowed," so applications should not be designed as clinical trials.
What is the main purpose of this R34 planning grant?
The purpose is to fund tightly scoped, feasibility-oriented projects that produce technically qualifying results needed to justify and enable a subsequent, larger project. The R34 is meant to resolve major uncertainties (technical, measurement, manipulation, integration, or validation issues) so a future full-scale study becomes realistic and competitive.
What kind of outcomes is NIH expecting from a TargetedBCPP (R34) award?
The expected outcomes are feasibility and validation-focused. Examples include showing that an integrated approach can be executed, that the approach produces interpretable signals or effects, that key measures are reliable, and that important technical uncertainties are resolved. The goal is not to deliver a definitive mechanistic theory, but to demonstrate that the approach can support a more ambitious next step.
How does this R34 relate to the companion R01 opportunity?
This R34 is positioned as a stepping-stone toward a potential follow-on application to the companion Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects R01 program (TargetedBCP), described in the companion NOFO RFA-NS-22-026. Successful R34 milestones should directly enable a competitive R01-scale application under that companion announcement.
What scientific focus does the announcement emphasize?
The announcement emphasizes innovative, methodologically integrated strategies to understand how brain circuit activity produces mental experience and behavior. It points toward projects that combine complementary tools or data streams to link circuit dynamics to cognition, perception, emotion, decision-making, or other behavioral outputs.
Does the R34 need to deliver a complete circuit theory or definitive mechanistic explanation?
No. The expectation is not to complete a comprehensive circuit theory or a final mechanistic story within the R34 period. The emphasis is on feasibility and whether the proposed integrated approach is workable and sufficiently informative to justify a larger R01 effort.
What does "planning and de-risking" mean in the context of this opportunity?
It means the application should be designed as a focused feasibility plan with narrow, well-justified aims and clear technical milestones. The work should clarify whether the integrated methods will function together as intended and what the approach can reliably measure or manipulate in neural circuits.
Is this funding opportunity new or a reissue?
It is a reissue of earlier versions (RFA-NS-18-014 and RFA-NS-21-014, and most recently RFA-NS-22-027). It was reissued to comply with the NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy (DMSP).
Did the reissue add new due dates?
No. The reissue does not add any new due dates. The listed closing date remains 2024-10-02.
What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The listed closing date is 2024-10-02.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) for this R34?
The award ceiling is $450,000, reflecting the limited-scope, feasibility and pilot nature of a planning grant rather than a large-scale execution project.
Is the expected number of awards provided?
No specific expected number of awards is stated in the provided information.
What agency is offering this funding?
This is an NIH funding announcement (National Institutes of Health) under the BRAIN Initiative.
How is this opportunity categorized from an administrative standpoint?
It is described as a discretionary grant program under NIH, spanning health and related research domains.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity listing includes multiple CFDA numbers: 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include various government entities, higher education institutions, tribal governments and organizations, nonprofits (with and without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and additional categories highlighted in the announcement (including certain minority-serving institutions, federal agencies, faith-based/community-based organizations, U.S. territories/possessions, regional organizations, and foreign organizations).
Are state and local government entities eligible?
Yes. Eligible entities include state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; and independent school districts.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments).
Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes. Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) are included as eligible applicants.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) among eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions and other highlighted institution types eligible?
Yes. The announcement explicitly highlights additional eligible categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly included among the eligible applicant categories.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among eligible applicant categories.
What should a competitive application generally look like for this R34?
Based on the description provided, a competitive application would typically present as a careful feasibility plan: narrow and tightly defined aims, clear technical milestones, a strong rationale for the integrated methods, and a clear explanation of how successful completion will directly enable a subsequent TargetedBCP R01 application under the companion announcement.
What is the intended role of pilot data in this R34?
Pilot data is part of the feasibility-focused intent of the award. The R34 supports generating pilot or technically qualifying results that demonstrate validity and reduce uncertainty, helping justify a later, larger-scale application.
Is this funding meant for large-scale execution of a full research program?
No. The stated intent is limited-scope exploratory work to establish feasibility and resolve key uncertainties. The budget ceiling and planning-grant framing indicate it is not intended to support large-scale execution comparable to an R01.
What is the overarching end goal of this R34 program?
The end goal is to lay the groundwork for a larger, subsequent project, with a particular emphasis on enabling a potential follow-on application to the companion TargetedBCP R01 program (RFA-NS-22-026) if the planning milestones are successful.
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