ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity RFA-NS-26-012

Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN) to Support Translational Studies for Acute Cerebroprotection – Network Sites and Coordinating Center (U01- CT Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN) to Support Translational Studies for Acute Cerebroprotection – Network Sites and Coordinating Center (U01- CT Not Allowed) 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 March 18, 2026; forecast dates can change. Total estimated funding is $500K across about 1 awards. 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

Sep 2, 2025Forecast posted
Dec 17, 2025 (est.)Full notice expected
Mar 18, 2026 (est.)Application deadline
Dec 1, 2026 (est.)Est. award datenext date

Posted: Sep 2, 2025
Est. close date: Mar 18, 2026
Est. award date: Dec 1, 2026
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: $500,000
Implied average award: $500,000 calculated
Expected awards: 1
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Cooperative Agreement
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

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

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 of Neurological Disorders and Stroke intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for the Coordinating Center and Testing Sites of the Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN), a preclinical network to support translational studies for cerebroprotection in experimental models of acute ischemic stroke. 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 Cooperative Agreements (U01). Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of multi-center translational studies for acute cerebroprotection in experimental models of acute ischemic stroke are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this NOFO. SPAN 3.0 will be a collaborative network for the preclinical testing of stroke treatments comprised of up to 6 peer-reviewed data collection sites that emphasize rigor with built-in replication and a Coordinating Center (CC) that will oversee administration, coordination, and data sharing of the network.

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 December 17, 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 earlyFrancesca Bosetti · frances@mail.nih.gov Open ↗
Submit before March 18, 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)

Francesca Bosetti
frances@mail.nih.gov
301-496-1297

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 December 17, 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, 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 much funding is available through this opportunity?

Per the notice, total estimated program funding is $500,000 and the agency expects to make about 1 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 RFA-NS-26-012), 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 93.853