OpenFederal grantOpen to for-profit businessesPAR-25-272

New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

National Institutes of HealthCloses May 7, 2027(206 days left)

Does this fit your business?

This is an NIH exploratory research grant (R21) for multidisciplinary teams developing novel ways to measure brain activity, connectivity, genomics, or neurodevelopment across the lifespan. It funds research and R&D, not service delivery, and is explicitly a high-risk, high-reward mechanism for ideas that lack preliminary data. Small businesses and for-profits can apply, but only if they are doing genuine neuroscience or brain-measurement research; companies looking for general business capital,

Best for
Small businesses and for-profits with R&D capabilities in neuroscience or brain-measurement technology, Universities and academic research teams (public, private, HBCUs, HSIs, tribal colleges), Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and community or faith-based organizations, Government entities including state, local, and tribal governments
Not for
Businesses seeking funding for service delivery rather than research, Organizations without any connection to health, science, or technology research, Applicants needing a guaranteed award amount, since funding levels are not published
Estimated fit by industry, best first
IndustryEstimated fit
Healthcare & BiotechMatches your industry (health, clinical)
85
Strong Match
Technology & SoftwareMatches your industry (tech, innovation)
80
Strong Match
Agriculture & FarmingLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Arts & CultureLimit: Nothing in this notice points to arts & culture
54
Possible Match
Education & TrainingLimit: Nothing in this notice points to education & training
54
Possible Match
Energy & Clean TechLimit: Nothing in this notice points to energy & clean tech
54
Possible Match
Show all 15 industries
Estimated fit by industry, best first
IndustryEstimated fit
Environment & ConservationLimit: Nothing in this notice points to environment & conservation
54
Possible Match
Finance & BankingLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Food & BeverageLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Housing & Real EstateLimit: Nothing in this notice points to housing & real estate
54
Possible Match
ManufacturingLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Retail & E-CommerceLimit: Nothing in this notice points to retail & e-commerce
54
Possible Match
Social Services & NonprofitLimit: Not clearly about your industry or what you need funding for; check the…
54
Possible Match
Transportation & LogisticsLimit: Nothing in this notice points to transportation & logistics
54
Possible Match
Construction & InfrastructureLimit: Nothing in this notice points to construction & infrastructure
52
Possible Match

These are our matcher’s estimates for a typical business in each industry. A real match depends on your size, your state and what you need the money for — check your own fit.

What this funds

Money can be used for
Research, R&D
Who can apply
Small businesses, For-profit companies, Nonprofits, State and local governments, Tribal governments and organizations, Colleges and universities, Other applicants (see eligibility)

Questions about this grant

When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is May 7, 2027.
Who can apply for this grant?
A wide range of entities can apply, including small businesses, for-profit organizations, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status), city, county, and state governments, independent school districts, public housing authorities, federally and non-federally recognized tribal governments and organizations, and public and private institutions of higher education. Other eligible applicants include HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, faith-based and community-based organizations, foreign organizations, and U.S. territories.
Can a sole proprietor or single-member LLC apply?
The facts do not specifically address sole proprietors or single-member LLCs. However, small businesses are listed as eligible applicants, so a sole proprietorship or single-member LLC that qualifies as a small business may be able to apply, though you should verify with NIH directly.
Can a nonprofit apply?
Yes. Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) are both listed as eligible applicants.

Summary

NIH R21 exploratory grants for multidisciplinary teams developing novel approaches to measure brain activity, connectivity, genomics and neurodevelopment across the lifespan. Open to universities, nonprofits, governments, tribes, small businesses and other for-profits; funds research, not service delivery.

About this grant

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to encourage multidisciplinary investigators to submit applications developing exploratory, highly novel new approaches, or innovative applications of existing approaches to measure brain activity, connectivity, genomics, or other aspects across the age spectrum of neurodevelopment. The overarching goal is to extend our understanding of brain development and aging, including studies of the neurodevelopmental origins of later health and disease, by improving repeated measures across longer epochs of the lifespan to better predict outcomes at later ages. . Research can include healthy human participants of any age, specific clinical groups such those with cognitive, motor, or affective regulation challenges, and/or animal research on these domains of function. The studies can focus on longitudinal neuroanatomical or functional changes at any level, including genetics/genomics, single cells, connectomics, neural population activity patterns, and others. This funding opportunity is intended to encourage technological and conceptual innovation through this high risk, high reward funding mechanism to develop highly innovative ideas that either lack preliminary data or need additional preliminary data

Who can apply

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.

Topics and uses of funds

Topics

  • Health
  • Science
  • Technology

Program contact

National Institutes of Healthgrantsinfo@nih.gov301-402-2541

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