Limited Competition: Post-Stroke Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID) in the United States (U19 - Clinical Trial not Allowed)

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, in collaboration with the National Institute on Aging, has announced a forthcoming funding opportunity under the U19 cooperative agreement mechanism. This program is titled Limited Competition: Post-Stroke Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID) in the United States. The initiative reflects the federal government’s recognition of the substantial public health burden of post-stroke cognitive decline, which affects approximately one in three individuals who suffer a clinical stroke and is estimated to lead to dementia in 30 percent of such cases. The notice is currently in a forecast stage, meaning that applications are not yet being accepted but applicants are encouraged to prepare collaborations and research concepts in advance of the formal solicitation. The goal of this funding opportunity is to support research on the vascular mechanisms by which stroke contributes to cognitive impairment and dementia in the United States. The emphasis will be on subsets of stroke events that appear to have strong causal links with long-term cognitive outcomes. The program is designed to deepen scientific understanding of clinical factors that synergize with stroke to produce dementia outcomes. In addition, the solicitation encourages multi-disciplinary collaborations across genetics, neuroimaging, biomarkers, biostatistics, and longitudinal studies to build a more comprehensive understanding of this condition. Funding will be provided in the form of a cooperative agreement. This mechanism indicates that the federal government, through NIH, will have substantial involvement in the conduct of the supported activities. The estimated total program funding is $10 million, with one award anticipated. Although no specific award ceiling or floor has been published, the cooperative agreement structure suggests significant support for a large-scale collaborative project rather than numerous smaller awards. The program will not support clinical trials, and applicants are expected to design projects accordingly. Eligibility is limited. Only institutions that previously received awards under RFA-NS-19-012 are eligible to apply. This restriction makes the program a limited competition. Within this eligible pool, private institutions of higher education and public or state-controlled institutions of higher education are named as potential applicants. The program is therefore not open broadly to nonprofits, individuals, or government entities outside of the original awardee pool. The forecast provides a preliminary timeline for the opportunity. The notice was posted and last updated on September 9, 2025. The estimated posting date of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity is October 28, 2025, with applications expected to be due by November 28, 2025. The estimated award date is July 1, 2026, with project activities beginning September 1, 2026. The fiscal year of reference for this program is 2026. Applications will not be accepted until the official notice is published and released through Grants.gov. Applicants should note that this opportunity does not include a pre-application requirement such as a Letter of Intent. Instead, potential applicants are advised to begin building collaborations and preparing responsive research strategies during this forecast window. Interested parties should closely monitor the NIH and Grants.gov for the official posting. For additional information, prospective applicants may contact the listed program officer, Lina Garcia, MD, at 301-496-9135 or lina.garcia@nih.gov.