This funding opportunity supports transformative, mechanistic research aimed at understanding how the human brain functions. Applications should seek to reveal how the dynamic activity of individual neurons and ensembles of neurons within spatially organized brain networks gives rise to internal experiences, such as sensations, perceptions, emotions, thoughts, and memories, as well as to observable motor and social behaviors.
To achieve fundamental mechanistic insights into human brain function, proposed studies are expected to leverage opportunities made possible by invasive surgical procedures in humans, such as intracranial recording or stimulation. These investigations may be enhanced by incorporating complementary experimental models or systems that provide access to knowledge, techniques, or resources not otherwise available in human neuroscience research. Such integration is encouraged to strengthen the mechanistic understanding of human brain function and to connect discoveries across species and biological scales. This program builds on cutting-edge advances enabled by the BRAIN Initiative and the broader neuroscience community.
Projects supported through this opportunity are expected to produce transformative outcomes by the end of the funding period. Approaches should be rigorous, mechanistic, and innovative by (1) maximizing opportunities to conduct innovative in vivo human neuroscience research made available by direct access to the human brain from invasive surgical procedures, (2) employing approaches guided by specified theoretical constructs and/or quantitative, mechanistic models.
Funded investigators will join a consortium working group, coordinated by the NIH, to identify consensus standards of practice, including neuroethical considerations, to collect and provide data for ancillary studies, and to aggregate and standardize data for dissemination among the wider scientific community.
BRAIN Initiative: Research Opportunities Using Invasive Neural Recording and Stimulating Technologies in the Human Brain (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · Opportunity number RFA-NS-28-010
Details summarized from the official notice as of Oct 16, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.
Independent platform. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Data from public federal sources.
Key facts
| Opportunity number | RFA-NS-28-010 |
|---|---|
| Agency | National Institutes of Health Department of Health and Human Services |
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 93.242, 93.867, 93.173, 93.286, 93.865, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.372, 93.213, 93.866 |
| Posted | Sep 30, 2026 |
| Deadline | Feb 8, 2029 |
| Expected number of awards | 5 |
| Estimated total program funding | $8,000,000 |
| Cost sharing or matching required | No |
| Funding type | Cooperative agreement |
| Category | Health |
| Last updated here | Oct 16, 2026 |
Summary from the notice
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- City or township governments
- Public and Indian housing authorities
- Other Native American tribal organizations
- Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than colleges)
- Private colleges and universities
- State governments
- Small businesses
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- County governments
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than colleges)
- Independent school districts
- Public and state colleges and universities
- Federally recognized tribal governments
- Special district governments
Who should take a closer look
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits
- Colleges and universities
- State governments
- Local governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Larger for-profit companies
Not listed as eligible
- Individuals
Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.
Eligibility details from the notice
Refer to Section III. Eligibility Information in the NOFO for additional information on eligibility.Foreign Organizations/International CollaborationsNon-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.NIH will no longer issue awards (i.e., new, renewal, or non-competing continuation) to domestic or foreign entities that involve foreign subawards/subcontracts. All NIH-funded research involving foreign subawards/subcontracts must be submitted in response to a NOFO that is specifically designated for funded international collaborations. See NIH Grants Policy Statement 16.8 Collaborative International Research Awards.Applications involving foreign subawards/subcontracts submitted in response to this NOFO will be deemed noncompliant and will not be considered for funding. This policy applies to all monetary international collaborations resulting in foreign subawards/subcontracts, however, it does not preclude unfunded international collaborations or foreign components, funding for foreign consultants, or procurement of unique equipment or supplies from foreign vendors.
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
- SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
- A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
- A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.
Similar open opportunities
CCRP Initiative: NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Basic Research on Chemical Threats that Affect the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-077
Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-155
Community Engagement Evaluation and Data Coordination (CEED) Hub to Advance Data and Practice Transformation for Optimizing Oral Health for All (U01, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-DE-27-001
Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-CA-27-021
Advanced Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-CA-27-020