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ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity FOR-MH-26-200

NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) is a forecasted federal grant opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services). The agency's forecast estimates an application due date of October 20, 2025; forecast dates can change. Total estimated funding is $3M across about 6 awards. Applicant types listed as eligible include state governments, county governments, independent school districts, public colleges & universities, federally recognized tribal governments and 6 more. Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 93.242 (Mental Health Research Grants).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

  1. May 28, 2025Forecast posted
  2. Sep 20, 2025 (est.)Full notice expected
  3. Oct 20, 2025 (est.)Application deadline
  4. Jul 1, 2026 (est.)Est. award date
Posted
May 28, 2025
Est. close date
Oct 20, 2025
Est. award date
Jul 1, 2026
Award floor
Not specified
Award ceiling
Not specified
Est. total funding
$3,000,000
Implied average award
$500,000 calculated
Expected awards
6
Cost sharing
Not required
Funding instrument
Grant
Opportunity category
Mandatory
Fiscal year
FY2026

Typical awards for this program (SAM.gov listing for ALN 93.242, not this notice): FY 2023 range: $1 to $17,379,729 Average Cost: $508,267

Implied average = estimated total funding ÷ expected number of awards, calculated by GrantsJunction. Actual awards vary.

Who can apply

  • State governments
  • County governments
  • Independent school districts
  • Public colleges & universities
  • Federally recognized tribal governments
  • Public & Indian housing authorities
  • Native American tribal organizations
  • 501(c)(3) nonprofits
  • Private colleges & universities
  • For-profit organizations (not small businesses)
  • Small businesses

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support the research and research career advancement of outstanding, exceptionally productive scientists who are in the early, formative stages of their careers and who plan to make a long-term career commitment to research in specific mission areas of the NIMH. This award seeks to assist these individuals in launching innovative clinical, translational, or basic research programs that hold the potential to profoundly transform the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of mental health disorders. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects. This NOFO will utilize the R01 activity code. Research projects proposed in response to this NOFO will be expected to have a defined impact on our understanding of the pathophysiology, trajectories, effective treatment, and/or prevention of mental illness.

How to apply

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Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

Reported obligations under ALN 93.242

Historical data · not a prediction
FY24$1.72B
FY25$1.73B
FY26$99.2M est.
Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.242. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Eric R. Murphy, Ph.D. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
eric.murphy@nih.gov
301-443-9230

Quick answers

Is this opportunity open for applications yet?

Not yet. It is a forecast — an agency's advance notice of an expected opportunity. The agency estimates posting the full notice around September 20, 2025. Forecast details and dates can change.

Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?

The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible: State governments, County governments, Independent school districts, Public colleges & universities, Federally recognized tribal governments, Public & Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Private colleges & universities, For-profit organizations (not small businesses) and Small businesses. Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through this opportunity?

Per the notice, total estimated program funding is $3,000,000 and the agency expects to make about 6 awards.

How do I apply for this opportunity?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity FOR-MH-26-200), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.