ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity RFA-AG-26-022

Novel Approaches to Advance Precision Aging and Cognitive Health

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

Novel Approaches to Advance Precision Aging and Cognitive Health 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 6, 2026; 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 93.866 (Aging Research).

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

Key facts

Nov 24, 2025Forecast posted
Aug 6, 2026 (est.)Full notice expected
Oct 6, 2026 (est.)Application deadline
Jul 6, 2027 (est.)Est. award datenext date

Posted: Nov 24, 2025
Est. close date: Oct 6, 2026
Est. award date: Jul 6, 2027
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 93.866, not this notice): Awards vary in range depending on the particular activity codes. Individual fellowships range from $23,376 to $57,504 and average about $46,000. Research grants have much larger ranges - from $75,000 to several million dollars. Average costs of research grants are around $400,000. All costs are shown on a single year basis. Awards may be for up to five years.

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).

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 on Aging (NIA) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications that develop or incorporate novel, cutting-edge study designs/methods/analytic approaches through the use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and adaptive designs to allow the discovery of health/function profiles at the level of the individual and that could lead to the implementation of personalized prevention plans/interventions for cognitive/brain health in older adults. The initiative would allow for both basic research in animal models, as well as the development of profiles for humans, which would span levels of analysis from cellular to societal.

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. Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of aging research 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 August 6, 2026. 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 earlyMolly Wagster, Ph.D. · wagsterm@nia.nih.gov Open ↗
Submit before October 6, 2026Submit a few days early and keep your Grants.gov confirmation and validation emails.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

93.866Aging ResearchProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 93.866

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$3.75B

FY25

$3.78B

FY26

$262M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.866. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Who was funded under ALN 93.866

Historical data · not a prediction

Since October 1, 2023, 13,014 grant awards had funding actions under Aging Research, with 10,988 sub-awards passed on to other organizations. These are program-wide awards, not awards from this specific notice.

REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN$384M
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, THE$363M
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA$363M
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, THE$360M
THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK$349M

Recipients, states, recent awards and sub-awards →Source: USAspending.gov.

Agency contact (as published)

Molly Wagster, Ph.D.
wagsterm@nia.nih.gov
301-496-9350

Quick answers

Is “Novel Approaches to Advance Precision Aging and Cognitive Health” 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 August 6, 2026. Forecast details and dates can change.

Who is eligible to apply for “Novel Approaches to Advance Precision Aging and Cognitive Health”?

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 “Novel Approaches to Advance Precision Aging and Cognitive Health”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity RFA-AG-26-022), 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.

ForecastedResearchALN 93.866