ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity FOR-NS-25-004

Forecast for NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative ACTION Potential Program (F99/K00 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

Forecast for NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative ACTION Potential Program (F99/K00 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) 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 March 20, 2026; forecast dates can change. 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 93.853 (Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders).

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

Key facts

May 27, 2025Forecast posted
Nov 3, 2025 (est.)Full notice expected
Mar 20, 2026 (est.)Application deadline
Dec 1, 2026 (est.)Est. award datenext date

Posted: May 27, 2025
Est. close date: Mar 20, 2026
Est. award date: Dec 1, 2026
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: Not specified
Expected awards: Not specified
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Grant
Opportunity category: Discretionary
Fiscal year: FY2027

Typical awards for this program (SAM.gov listing for ALN 93.853, not this notice): Research grants: $22,709 to $7,753,905; $585,282. National Research Service Awards: Institutional $34,076 to $692,757; $193,304. Individual: $5,495 to $90,284; $46,239. SBIR/STTR: Phase 1 not to exceed $150,000; Phase II not to exceed $1,000,000; however with appropriate justification, budget caps for Phase I and Phase II are $225,000 and $1,500,00 respectively

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

Can your organization apply?

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 Neurological Disorders and Stroke, on behalf of the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research (NIH Blueprint) and BRAIN Intitiative, intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for the ACTION (Academic Career Transition Initiative for Opportunities in Neuroscience) Potential F99/K00 award to support a defined pathway across career stages for skilled neuroscience graduate students performing neuroscience research within the missions of the NIH Blueprint and/or BRAIN Initiative. This two-phase award will facilitate completion of the doctoral dissertation and transition of talented graduate students to strong neuroscience research postdoctoral positions, and will provide career development opportunities relevant to their long-term career goal of becoming independent neuroscience researchers. 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 F99/K00 activity code. Graduate students with expertise and insights into these areas of neuroscience are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO.

How to apply

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Read the full announcement (NOFO)Eligibility, evaluation criteria, page limits and required attachments are in the full notice on Grants.gov. Open ↗
Confirm eligibility and fitCheck your organization type above; no cost sharing is required.
Register (or renew) in SAM.gov and get a UEIFree. New registrations can take several weeks; registrations must be renewed every year. Open ↗
Set up Grants.gov accessCreate a Grants.gov account and make sure someone has the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role. Open ↗
Watch for the full noticeThe agency estimates posting it around November 3, 2025. Save this grant to track changes.
Prepare narrative, budget and attachmentsFollow the notice's format exactly — page limits and required forms are common reasons applications are rejected.
Ask the agency contact any questions earlyLauren Ullrich, PhD National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) · nindsotwd@ninds.nih.gov Open ↗
Submit before March 20, 2026Submit a few days early and keep your Grants.gov confirmation and validation emails.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

93.853Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological DisordersProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 93.853

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$2.36B

FY25

$2.35B

FY26

— est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.853. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Lauren Ullrich, PhD National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
nindsotwd@ninds.nih.gov
301-451-7964

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 November 3, 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 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-NS-25-004), 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.

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