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ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity PAR-28-043

Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development is a forecasted federal cooperative agreement opportunity from the National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services). The agency's forecast estimates an application due date of June 16, 2027; forecast dates can change. Applicant types listed as eligible include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts and 10 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

  1. Jul 7, 2026Forecast posted
  2. Nov 15, 2026 (est.)Full notice expectednext date
  3. Jun 16, 2027 (est.)Application deadline
  4. Mar 5, 2028 (est.)Est. award date
Posted
Jul 7, 2026
Est. close date
Jun 16, 2027
Est. award date
Mar 5, 2028
Award floor
Not specified
Award ceiling
Not specified
Est. total funding
Not specified
Expected awards
4
Cost sharing
Not required
Funding instrument
Cooperative Agreement
Opportunity category
Discretionary
Fiscal year
FY2028

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
  • City or township governments
  • Special district governments
  • Independent school districts
  • Public colleges & universities
  • Federally recognized tribal governments
  • Public & Indian housing authorities
  • Native American tribal organizations
  • 501(c)(3) nonprofits
  • Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status
  • Private colleges & universities
  • For-profit organizations (not small businesses)
  • Small businesses
  • Others (see notice)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

Other Eligible ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions).

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 NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is interested in continuing to support the BluePrint Neurotherapeutics Network for Small Molecules (BPN-SM)- a program designed to help investigators advance promising small-molecule therapeutics toward clinical testing. The BPN-SM program supports drug discovery and development activities in investigators’ own laboratories while also providing access to NIH-supported subject matter experts and contract research organizations (CROs) with capabilities in medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, formulation development, GMP synthesis, and Phase I clinical testing. By integrating NIH resources with industry-standard expertise, BPN-SM advances investigator-initiated drug discovery while enabling investigators to retain and strengthen their intellectual property while gaining hands-on experience in translational drug development.

The overarching goal of the program is to reduce the risk of scientific and therapy development sufficiently to enable external partners to take on late-stage development and ultimately bring new therapies to patients. In addition, this BPN program is specifically focused on small molecules and excludes biologics, because development, regulatory, and manufacturing considerations for each class of therapeutics differ substantially from each other. It will use a phased cooperative agreement mechanism which will enable the program to support innovative but higher-risk projects, with decisions of continued support being contingent on demonstrated feasibility of yearly milestones. A cooperative agreement framework is proposed because several key aspects of the program will involve collaborative activities between the investigators and NIH program staff, with substantial involvement beyond the normal scope of grant stewardship. The project principal investigator(s) and NIH program staff will work jointly with NIH-supported subject matter experts to coordinate and participate in all scientific and technical management aspects of the project.

Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop competitive projects and establish the cross-disciplinary collaborations necessary for success.

How to apply

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Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

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.

Who was funded under ALN 93.853

Historical data · not a prediction

Since October 1, 2023, 10,021 grant awards had funding actions under Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders, with 5,577 sub-awards passed on to other organizations. These are program-wide awards, not awards from this specific notice.

  1. THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CORPORATION$203M
  2. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE$173M
  3. THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY$167M
  4. REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN$155M
  5. THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK$141M
Recipients, states, recent awards and sub-awards →Source: USAspending.gov.

Agency contact (as published)

Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Team
BPNSMNINDS@mail.nih.gov
Please contact via e-mail

Quick answers

Is “Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development” 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 15, 2026. Forecast details and dates can change.

Who is eligible to apply for “Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development”?

The official notice names these applicant types as eligible: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public colleges & universities, Federally recognized tribal governments, Public & Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, Private colleges & universities and 3 more. Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How do I apply for “Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity PAR-28-043), 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.