Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 16 750
The grant opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Foundations of Non-Invasive Functional Human Brain Imaging and Recording - Bridging Scales and Modalities (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-MH-16-750) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant under the NIH BRAIN Initiative. Its core purpose is to push the field of non-invasive human brain imaging and recording beyond incremental improvements and toward genuinely transformative advances that change what scientists can infer about human brain function. The FOA is explicitly aligned with the BRAIN Initiative long-range strategy described in "BRAIN 2025: A Scientific Vision," and it focuses on foundational work that helps connect what current non-invasive technologies measure to the underlying biology and information content of brain activity.
At a practical level, the FOA is interested in the gap between the signals researchers collect using modern, non-invasive functional brain methods and the true neural events those signals reflect. Non-invasive techniques (for example, functional MRI and electrophysiological approaches like EEG/MEG, among others) are widely used, but they often provide indirect or mixed signals that can be difficult to map cleanly onto cellular and circuit-level activity. This announcement is aimed at research that clarifies the biological generators of these measurements, improves interpretation of the data, and strengthens the ability to bridge across spatial and temporal scales. The phrase "bridging scales and modalities" signals a priority for work that links different measurement approaches and reconciles what each modality can and cannot tell us, with the end goal of enabling more accurate, mechanistic understanding of dynamic human brain function.
A key emphasis is on "bioinformatic content" and the meaning embedded in brain imaging/recording datasets. In other words, the FOA is not just about building better sensors; it is also about establishing principled ways to decode, model, and interpret the information in non-invasive signals. That can include new analytical frameworks, computational models, cross-validation strategies, or approaches that connect non-invasive measurements to ground truth biological activity. The overarching idea is to move the field toward a stronger foundation where researchers can more confidently translate non-invasive measurements into statements about neural computation, circuit dynamics, and functional brain states.
This opportunity is offered as an R01 research project grant, which generally supports substantial, hypothesis-driven or discovery-driven research programs. The listed award ceiling is $700,000, and the original application closing date for this specific announcement was January 13, 2016, with the FOA created on September 25, 2015. The program sits within NIH funding areas associated with multiple CFDA numbers, including 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of the BRAIN Initiative across institutes and scientific domains.
Eligibility is broad and designed to include a wide range of organizations capable of contributing to neurotechnology and neuroimaging foundations. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also eligible, as are other categories. The FOA further highlights additional eligible applicant 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). It also explicitly includes eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), underscoring NIH's interest in attracting the strongest ideas and capabilities across sectors and geographies.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted investment in the scientific and analytical foundations needed to make non-invasive human brain imaging and recording more biologically grounded and more informative. By improving how signals are generated, interpreted, and integrated across methods and scales, the program aims to enable new kinds of discoveries about how the human brain operates in real time, ultimately supporting breakthroughs in understanding the brain's dynamic activity rather than simply producing larger datasets or marginally improved measurements.Apply for RFA MH 16 750
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Foundations of Non-Invasive Functional Human Brain Imaging and Recording - Bridging Scales and Modalities (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2015-09-25.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-01-13. (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 $700,000.00 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the official title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "BRAIN Initiative: Foundations of Non-Invasive Functional Human Brain Imaging and Recording - Bridging Scales and Modalities (R01)."
What is the funding opportunity number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-MH-16-750.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant offered under the NIH BRAIN Initiative.
What grant mechanism does this FOA use?
This opportunity is offered as an R01 research project grant.
What is the core purpose of this FOA?
The core purpose is to push non-invasive human brain imaging and recording beyond incremental improvements and toward transformative advances that change what scientists can infer about human brain function.
How is this FOA connected to the NIH BRAIN Initiative strategy?
The FOA is explicitly aligned with the BRAIN Initiative long-range strategy described in "BRAIN 2025: A Scientific Vision."
What scientific gap is this program trying to address?
It targets the gap between signals collected using modern non-invasive functional brain methods and the underlying neural events those signals reflect, with an emphasis on clarifying biological generators and improving interpretation.
What does "non-invasive functional human brain imaging and recording" refer to in this FOA?
It refers to methods used to measure human brain function without invasive procedures, including examples such as functional MRI and electrophysiological approaches like EEG/MEG (among others).
What does "bridging scales and modalities" mean in the context of this opportunity?
It signals a priority for research that links different measurement approaches and reconciles what each modality can and cannot tell us, helping bridge spatial and temporal scales to support more accurate, mechanistic understanding of dynamic human brain function.
Is this FOA mainly about building better sensors or hardware?
Not exclusively. While it is concerned with improving what non-invasive methods can reveal, it also emphasizes foundations for interpreting data, including principled decoding, modeling, and connecting measurements to underlying biology.
What does the FOA mean by focusing on the "biological generators" of measurements?
It means research that clarifies what biological and neural processes generate the signals observed in non-invasive recordings, so that measurements can be mapped more cleanly to cellular and circuit-level activity.
What does the FOA mean by "bioinformatic content"?
It refers to the meaning and information embedded in brain imaging/recording datasets, including the development of principled ways to decode, model, and interpret non-invasive signals.
What kinds of research approaches does the FOA emphasize for improving interpretability?
The FOA highlights approaches such as new analytical frameworks, computational models, cross-validation strategies, and methods that connect non-invasive measurements to ground truth biological activity.
What is the end goal of improving interpretation and integration across methods?
The end goal is enabling more accurate, mechanistic statements about neural computation, circuit dynamics, and functional brain states based on non-invasive measures, improving understanding of dynamic human brain function.
Does the FOA prioritize incremental improvements to existing methods?
No. It is explicitly aimed at going beyond incremental improvements and supporting genuinely transformative advances.
What is the listed award ceiling for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $700,000.
When was this FOA created?
The FOA was created on September 25, 2015.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date for this specific announcement was January 13, 2016.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers: 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867.
Why are there multiple CFDA numbers tied to this FOA?
The FOA is described as cross-cutting across NIH institutes and scientific domains under the BRAIN Initiative, which is reflected in the multiple CFDA listings.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types capable of contributing to neurotechnology and neuroimaging foundations.
Are government entities eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city/township governments, and special district governments.
Are educational institutions eligible to apply?
Yes. Independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education are eligible.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments are eligible.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status are eligible.
Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are eligible.
Are public housing authorities eligible to apply?
Yes. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are listed as eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions explicitly included?
Yes. The FOA highlights eligibility for 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).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes faith-based or community-based organizations among eligible applicants.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. Eligible applicants explicitly include federal agencies.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA includes U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicant types.
Are non-U.S. organizations (foreign organizations) eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), underscoring interest in strong ideas and capabilities across geographies.
What types of outcomes is NIH trying to enable through this FOA?
The FOA aims to strengthen the scientific and analytical foundations of non-invasive brain imaging and recording so researchers can better connect signals to biology, integrate across modalities and scales, and support breakthroughs in understanding dynamic human brain activity rather than only generating larger datasets or marginally improved measurements.
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