Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 17 022
The BRAIN Initiative: Research Career Enhancement Award for Investigators to Build Skills in a Cross-Disciplinary Area (K18) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity designed to help already-independent researchers expand their expertise into a substantially different field that will strengthen their ability to contribute to the goals of the NIH BRAIN Initiative. Rather than supporting early-stage trainees, this program targets independent investigators at any faculty rank or career level who want structured, mentored time to gain new skills and perspectives that meaningfully broaden their research capabilities. The core idea is to accelerate high-impact brain research by making it easier for established scientists to cross boundaries between disciplines and bring new methods, concepts, and ethical frameworks into BRAIN-relevant projects.
A central emphasis of the K18 is cross-training. The FOA specifically encourages two-way movement across fields: (1) neuroscientists or neuroethicists who want intensive training in a quantitative or physical discipline such as physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, or mathematics, and (2) investigators originally trained in quantitative or physical sciences who want in-depth training in a high-priority area of neuroscience. In practical terms, the award is meant to support a mentored career enhancement experience where the applicant works closely with one or more mentors to build real, usable competence in the new discipline, not just surface familiarity. This is positioned as a way to create researchers who can integrate approaches across domains and either significantly contribute to, or lead, projects addressing central BRAIN Initiative questions.
The research component under this K18 is not framed as a standalone, purely exploratory project detached from career development; instead, it is intended to be the vehicle through which the candidate develops new cross-disciplinary abilities. The project should be directly relevant to BRAIN Initiative priorities and should clearly demonstrate how the planned training and mentorship will expand the candidate's toolkit, reshape their research direction, and position them for future BRAIN-focused contributions. The program also explicitly includes neuroethics as a potential cross-training area, reflecting NIH's interest in ensuring that advances in neurotechnology and neuroscience are accompanied by rigorous ethical inquiry and responsible research practices.
Eligibility is broad at the organizational level, spanning many types of U.S.-based entities that can administer NIH grants. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special district governments), as well as independent school districts and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. The FOA also highlights eligibility for a range of mission-driven and capacity-building institution types, including 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 (AANAPISI). Faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions are also listed among eligible applicant categories. At the individual level, the key requirement is that the candidate is an independent investigator, with no restriction stated on faculty rank.
The opportunity includes several important limits and allowances related to foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, the FOA allows foreign components as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, meaning certain collaborations or elements of the project that involve foreign participation may be permissible if they meet NIH policy requirements and are appropriately justified.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant program issued by NIH under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-17-022, categorized under education, health, and social services-related funding activity areas. The original posting information indicates a creation date of October 3, 2016, with an original closing date of April 14, 2017, and an expected number of awards of seven. The FOA references multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867), reflecting NIH program accounting categories associated with the participating institutes and BRAIN-related funding streams. Overall, the K18 is best understood as a targeted mechanism to quickly build cross-disciplinary capacity among established investigators so they can more effectively pursue innovative, BRAIN-relevant research that benefits from integrating neuroscience, neuroethics, and quantitative or physical science approaches.Apply for RFA DA 17 022
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Research Career Enhancement Award for Investigators to Build Skills in a Cross-Disciplinary Area (K18)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2016-10-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-04-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- 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.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) - Specialized Center on Human and Non-Human Primate Brain Cell Atlases (U01) Apply for RFA MH 17 210 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 210 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) - Specialized Center on Mouse Brain Cell Atlas (U01) Apply for RFA MH 17 230 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 230 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) Brain Cell Data Center (U24) Apply for RFA MH 17 215 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 215 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) Comprehensive Center on Mouse Brain Cell Atlas (U19) Apply for RFA MH 17 225 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 225 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Proof of Concept Development of Early Stage Next Generation Human Brain Imaging (R01) Apply for RFA EB 17 001 Funding Number: RFA EB 17 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01) Apply for RFA MH 17 260 Funding Number: RFA MH 17 260 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Development of Next Generation Human Brain Imaging Tools and Technologies (U01) Apply for RFA EB 17 002 Funding Number: RFA EB 17 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Research Opportunities Using Invasive Neural Recording and Stimulating Technologies in the Human Brain (U01) Apply for RFA NS 17 019 Funding Number: RFA NS 17 019 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - TeamBCP (U19) Apply for RFA NS 17 018 Funding Number: RFA NS 17 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Targeted BRAIN Circuits Projects - TargetedBCP (R01) Apply for RFA NS 17 014 Funding Number: RFA NS 17 014 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revision Applications for U.S-South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research (R01) Apply for RFA AI 16 082 Funding Number: RFA AI 16 082 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Revision Applications for U.S.-South Africa Program for Collaborative Biomedical Research (U01) Apply for RFA AI 16 083 Funding Number: RFA AI 16 083 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIH-DoD-VA Pain Management Collaboratory - Pragmatic Clinical Trials Demonstration Projects (UG3/UH3) Apply for RFA AT 17 001 Funding Number: RFA AT 17 001 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Research To Address Sleep Disorders in the Context of Medical Rehabilitation (R01) Apply for PAR 17 163 Funding Number: PAR 17 163 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $499,999 |
| Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development for Disorders of the Nervous System (UG3/UH3) Apply for PAR 17 205 Funding Number: PAR 17 205 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development for Disorders of the Nervous System (U44) Apply for PAR 17 201 Funding Number: PAR 17 201 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: New Concepts and Early - Stage Research for Large - Scale Recording and Modulation in the Nervous System (R21) Apply for RFA EY 17 002 Funding Number: RFA EY 17 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01) Apply for RFA MH 18 500 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 500 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Tools to Facilitate High-Throughput Microconnectivity Analysis (R01) Apply for RFA MH 18 505 Funding Number: RFA MH 18 505 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Research Resource Grants for Technology Integration and Dissemination (U24) Apply for RFA NS 18 005 Funding Number: RFA NS 18 005 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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