Forecast for BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS): Specialized Projects for Scalable Technologies (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), under the Department of Health and Human Services, is forecasting the reissuance of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) RFA-NS-22-049, titled “BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales (BRAIN CONNECTS): Specialized Projects for Scalable Technologies (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed).” This initiative is part of the BRAIN Initiative, which seeks to advance neurotechnologies and brain mapping strategies. The notice serves as a precursor to the formal NOFO, scheduled for publication in June 2025, to give applicants time to develop collaborations and prepare thorough applications. The primary goal of this funding opportunity is to support projects that develop scalable methods for mapping neural connectivity across whole brains. The research should focus on various stages of the mapping process, including tissue processing, imaging, data alignment and annotation, error correction, and integration into a broader neuroscience data framework. The opportunity builds on a previously issued NOFO and is designed to complement ongoing efforts funded through companion announcements aimed at mapping neuronal and synaptic connections in humans, non-human primates, and mice. This grant will be issued as a cooperative agreement (U01) and is part of the NIH’s broader BRAIN CONNECTS Network. Funded projects are expected to contribute to a coordinated research effort aimed at developing the capacity to generate comprehensive wiring diagrams of the brain across multiple scales. While human, non-human primate, and mouse models are the program’s focal species, the use of other species is allowed for validation purposes if scientifically justified. Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include a wide range of entities such as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses), small businesses, tribal organizations, public housing authorities, independent school districts, and state, county, and Native American tribal governments. NIH Intramural researchers are also eligible to apply. Applications for this funding are anticipated to be due by September 1, 2025, with awards expected to be announced by June 1, 2026, and project start dates coinciding with that date. The funding opportunity is not open for clinical trials and does not require cost sharing or matching funds. Although specific funding ceilings and totals have not yet been disclosed, this forecasted opportunity highlights the NIH’s ongoing investment in cutting-edge neuroscience research. For more information, interested applicants are encouraged to consult the NIH RePORTER system to review prior awards and align their proposals to fill existing research gaps. Inquiries can be directed to Dr. Kari Johnson or Dr. Edmund Talley at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke via the contact email BRAIN-CONNECTS-Inquiries@nih.gov or by phone at 301-496-1917.