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

The BRAIN Initiative Connectivity across Scales program is administered by the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with participation from multiple NIH institutes including the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute of Mental Health. This funding opportunity supports the broader BRAIN Initiative, a long term federal research effort launched to accelerate the development of innovative neurotechnologies. The initiative aims to generate a detailed understanding of how brain circuits function in both health and disease, ultimately enabling new approaches to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. This specific funding opportunity focuses on Specialized Projects for Scalable Technologies within the BRAIN CONNECTS program. The goal is to support transformative research that develops or improves technologies capable of mapping brain connectivity across multiple scales. Projects are expected to contribute to the creation of comprehensive atlases of brain wiring, with emphasis on human, non human primate, and mouse models. However, other species may be used if justified and if the resulting technologies can generalize across systems. The program emphasizes innovation, scalability, and the ability to integrate into broader data pipelines that include collection, reconstruction, analysis, and dissemination of neural connectivity data. Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, indicating substantial involvement from NIH staff in project coordination and oversight. The total anticipated funding for the first year is approximately ten million dollars, supporting an estimated three to six awards. While application budgets are not capped, they must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. The maximum project period is three years. There is no cost sharing requirement, and applicants are encouraged to include budget elements that support collaboration, including travel for network meetings and participation in BRAIN Initiative conferences. Eligibility is broad and inclusive, encompassing higher education institutions, nonprofits, for profit organizations including small businesses, and various levels of government including state, local, and tribal entities. Foreign organizations may also apply, although foreign subawards are not permitted under this announcement. Individuals serving as principal investigators must be affiliated with eligible organizations and possess the expertise necessary to carry out the proposed work. Required registrations include SAM, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons, and all must be completed prior to submission. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or NIH systems such as ASSIST. The application must follow NIH Research instructions and include detailed components such as Specific Aims, Research Strategy, feasibility metrics, milestones, and a Data Management and Sharing Plan. Proposals must demonstrate how the project advances scalable connectivity mapping technologies and contributes to the goals of the BRAIN CONNECTS Network. Applications are evaluated through NIH peer review based on significance, innovation, rigor, feasibility, and investigator expertise, with additional considerations for data sharing, ethical compliance, and resource management. Key deadlines are structured across multiple cycles, with submission dates including July 9 2026, February 8 2027, and October 4 2027. Applications are due by five pm local time of the applicant organization. Review cycles follow each submission, with earliest project start dates beginning in April 2027 for the first cycle. The funding opportunity expires in October 2027. While no formal pre application is required, applicants are strongly encouraged to consult NIH program staff prior to submission to ensure alignment with program goals and responsiveness criteria. Funded projects will become part of the BRAIN CONNECTS Network, requiring collaboration, data sharing, and participation in joint activities such as steering committees and working groups. Recipients must adhere to NIH policies on data sharing, reporting, and intellectual property. The program emphasizes coordinated progress across projects to enable scalable, high fidelity mapping of brain connectivity, with the ultimate aim of advancing neuroscience research and improving human health outcomes.

Focus on scalable technologies and clearly defined milestones; demonstrate feasibility for whole brain mapping; align with BRAIN CONNECTS network collaboration requirements