NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA MH 19 130

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 19 130

The NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (BRAINS) is a National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) funding opportunity designed to help exceptional early-career investigators establish independent research programs in areas that closely match NIMH mission priorities. It uses the NIH R01 mechanism and is marked as “Clinical Trial Optional,” meaning applicants may propose studies that do or do not include a clinical trial, as long as the overall project fits the goals of the announcement. The central idea is to give highly productive, innovative new scientists the support they need at a formative career stage to launch ambitious work that could meaningfully shift how mental disorders are understood, detected, treated, or prevented.

The program emphasizes research that aligns with the NIMH Strategic Plan and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework. In practice, that means proposals are expected to address important gaps and priority areas identified by NIMH, and they may focus on clinical research, translational work that bridges basic discoveries to patient impact, foundational/basic biobehavioral science, or mental health services research. The common thread is innovation with clear potential for high impact, not incremental extensions of existing work. The award is framed as both a research support mechanism and a career-advancement catalyst, aiming to position the investigator for a sustained, long-term research trajectory in NIMH-relevant domains.

In terms of who can apply, eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations and includes many public-sector and nonprofit settings, along with some for-profit entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; and independent school districts. Institutions of higher education are eligible across public/state-controlled and private categories. Tribal entities and organizations are included, such as federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations. Housing authorities (including public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities) can apply. Nonprofits are eligible whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, provided they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category. For-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, and other eligible entities listed in the announcement are also included. The opportunity explicitly calls out additional eligible institution types such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the geographic and foreign involvement rules are strict. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations and foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. In addition, foreign components, as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed, which limits the ability to place substantive portions of the work outside the United States even if the applicant institution is U.S.-based. Anyone considering international collaborations would need to structure them carefully within NIH rules, since the announcement indicates foreign components are prohibited.

Administratively, this is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity in the health category, associated with CFDA number 93.242. The funding opportunity number is RFA-MH-19-130, and the sponsoring agency is the National Institutes of Health. The opportunity’s original closing date was June 20, 2019, and it was created on February 5, 2018. The listed award ceiling is $400,000, which generally signals the maximum amount expected or allowed under the announcement (applicants typically need to verify whether that ceiling refers to direct costs per year, total costs, or another budgeting basis in the full funding opportunity text). The notice also indicates “Expected Awards” but does not provide a number in the supplied text, so the projected count of funded projects would need to be confirmed in the full announcement.

Overall, BRAINS is aimed at helping a select group of outstanding early-career scientists move from strong early productivity to durable independence, by backing a bold NIMH-aligned research program. Successful applications would be expected to demonstrate both a compelling, innovative research plan with the potential for major impact on mental health and a clear fit with NIMH priority areas, especially those highlighted in the Strategic Plan and RDoC. For exact details on investigator-stage requirements, budget structure, and any special submission or review criteria, applicants are directed to consult the full funding opportunity announcement.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2018-02-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-06-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA MH 19 130

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