Grant Details

GRANT OVERVIEW

Grant name and funding organization

BRAIN Initiative: Production and distribution facilities for brain cell type-specific access reagents

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Total funding amount and duration

Estimated total of $2,400,000 per year to fund 2 to 4 awards

Maximum project period of 5 years

Primary objective and mission statement

Support scaled reagent production and distribution facilities for brain cell type-specific access reagents

Enhance neuroscience research through innovative neurotechnologies

Key stakeholders and beneficiaries

Neuroscience researchers

Investigators funded by other Armamentarium NOFOs

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Organization Requirements

Eligible organization types include public/state controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, small businesses, local governments, state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, Indian/Native American tribal governments, and federal government agencies.

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply.

Geographic Scope

U.S. based organizations are eligible; non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.

Project Requirements

Projects must support the production and distribution of brain cell type-specific access reagents.

Facilities must interface with Armamentarium RRDD project investigators.

Financial Requirements

Application budgets are not limited but must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

Timeline Requirements

Applications are due by July 1, 2026.

Earliest start date for funded projects is October 31, 2025.

Previous Funding Considerations

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided each is scientifically distinct.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Required documentation and materials

Applications must include proposed milestones and a timeline.

Letters of support from potential facility users are encouraged.

Evaluation criteria and scoring system

Applications will be evaluated based on significance, investigator qualifications, innovation, approach, and environment.

Review process and timeline

Applications will undergo scientific peer review and will be evaluated for completeness and compliance.

Selection criteria and priorities

Overall impact score will reflect the likelihood of the project to influence the research field.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Unique aspects or requirements

Substantial federal involvement is anticipated in project activities.

Potential challenges or limitations

Non-responsive applications will be those that do not address all four main functions of a PDF.

Strategic alignment opportunities

Encouragement for businesses to participate and collaborate with academic researchers.

Competitive advantages or disadvantages

Applications must demonstrate innovative approaches to reagent production and dissemination.

KEY INSIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Critical success factors

Strong collaboration with Armamentarium RRDD projects.

Effective dissemination strategies for reagents.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Failing to include proposed milestones and timelines.

Strategic recommendations for applicants

Engage with potential users early in the application process.

Competitive positioning advice

Highlight unique capabilities and experiences in scalable reagent production.

Grant Details

neuroscience brain research biotechnology research funding cell biology genetic engineering viral vectors neural circuits reagents collaboration
BRAIN Initiative: Production and distribution facilities for brain cell type-specific access reagents (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
RFA-MH-25-105
BRAIN Initiative
None
2400000.00
None
None
USD
None
July 1, 2026, 10 p.m.
March 2026 - May 2026