Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 18 008
The BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs (eTeamBCP) (U01) funding opportunity (RFA-NS-18-008) is a National Institutes of Health cooperative agreement designed to push forward large-scale, circuit-level neuroscience by bringing tightly coordinated teams together. The central idea is to accelerate understanding of how distributed neural circuits across multiple brain regions work in real time to produce behavior and perception, and to do it by combining cutting-edge experiments with serious theory and advanced data analysis. Because this is a U01 cooperative agreement, the project is expected to involve substantial coordination with NIH program staff compared with a standard research grant, with an emphasis on milestones, team integration, and building capabilities that can scale.
This FOA specifically targets exploratory, team-based studies that use new and emerging methods for large-scale recording and manipulation of neural activity. In practice, that means proposals should not just measure neural signals, but should be able to intervene in circuit dynamics (for example, perturbing activity patterns) while systematically controlling stimuli and/or behavior, then linking those manipulations to measurable changes in behavior and/or perception. The opportunity is aimed at studies that can connect dynamic patterns of activity to function, rather than providing only static descriptions of anatomy or isolated neural responses. A strong application under this FOA would be organized around a clear behavioral or neural system question and would show how circuit activity evolving over time contributes causally to that system.
A key theme is depth and richness of circuit characterization. The FOA emphasizes incorporating detailed information about cell types, circuit function, and connectivity, and pairing that with sophisticated analysis of complex behavior that is ethologically relevant. In other words, the behavioral side should not be an afterthought or a simplified assay disconnected from naturalistic function; it should be measured and analyzed with enough fidelity to match the complexity of the neural data. Likewise, the neural side should go beyond broad signals by leveraging approaches that meaningfully resolve circuit components (including cell-type distinctions where possible) and how those components interact across brain areas.
The team structure is not optional window dressing; it is one of the main deliverables. NIH is looking for investigators who deliberately cross disciplinary boundaries and build projects where theory, modeling, and data science are integrated with experimental design from the beginning, not bolted on at the end. Competitive teams are expected to link analytic and theoretical frameworks directly to what gets measured, how experiments are perturbed, and how conclusions about circuit mechanisms will be drawn. The emphasis on integration reflects the reality that large-scale circuit neuroscience produces complex, high-dimensional datasets that require advanced computational strategies, and that strong mechanistic inference often depends on formal models and carefully planned perturbation tests.
These awards are framed as exploratory with an explicit pipeline goal: to develop experimental capabilities and quantitative/theoretical frameworks that position teams for a later, larger-scale competition for multi-component Team-Research Circuit Programs (U19) awards. That means the work should be ambitious and forward-looking, but also grounded in a realistic plan to demonstrate feasibility, establish integrated workflows, and produce a coherent approach that could be expanded into a broader program. The FOA is essentially supporting the early-stage team formation, method integration, and proof-of-concept circuit analyses needed before moving to a more comprehensive, multi-project structure.
Administratively, the opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through NIH. It was created on September 27, 2017, with an original closing date of December 15, 2017, and an anticipated number of awards of about five. The listing includes multiple CFDA numbers (93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.313, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867), reflecting NIH’s multi-institute participation typical of BRAIN Initiative efforts. The award ceiling is listed as 0, which generally indicates that applicants should look to the FOA text for budget expectations and limits rather than relying on a fixed cap in the summary data.
Eligibility is broad and includes many common research-performing organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status, excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as allowed in the FOA’s additional eligibility language. The breadth of eligibility aligns with the program’s focus on building interdisciplinary teams that may span academia, nonprofits, and industry-capable groups with relevant technology and analytic expertise.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as a BRAIN Initiative mechanism meant to catalyze integrated, team-driven circuit neuroscience that is simultaneously experimental, computational, and theoretical. The projects it seeks are those that can record and perturb neural activity at scale across brain regions, tie dynamic circuit patterns to meaningful behavior under controlled conditions, and generate rigorous frameworks and capabilities that can later be expanded into larger, multi-component circuit programs.Apply for RFA NS 18 008
- The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs - eTeamBCP (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.313, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 27, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 15, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the eTeamBCP (U01) funding opportunity?
The BRAIN Initiative: Exploratory Team-Research BRAIN Circuit Programs (eTeamBCP) (U01) is an NIH cooperative agreement opportunity (RFA-NS-18-008) focused on accelerating large-scale, circuit-level neuroscience through tightly coordinated, interdisciplinary research teams. It emphasizes understanding how distributed neural circuits spanning multiple brain regions operate in real time to produce behavior and perception, using integrated experimentation, theory, and advanced data analysis.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What does it mean that this is a U01 cooperative agreement?
A U01 is a cooperative agreement, which means the project is expected to involve substantial coordination with NIH program staff compared with a standard research grant. The opportunity description highlights an emphasis on milestones, team integration, and building capabilities that can scale.
What is the main scientific goal of this FOA?
The FOA aims to push forward large-scale, circuit-level neuroscience by supporting exploratory, team-based studies that connect dynamic patterns of neural activity across multiple brain regions to behavior and perception. A central goal is to make causal links between circuit dynamics and function by combining large-scale recording with the ability to manipulate (perturb) neural activity while controlling stimuli and/or behavior.
What kinds of studies are specifically targeted?
The FOA specifically targets exploratory, team-based studies that use new and emerging methods for large-scale recording and manipulation of neural activity. The intent is not only to measure neural signals, but also to intervene in circuit dynamics and link those perturbations to measurable changes in behavior and/or perception.
Are purely observational or descriptive studies a fit?
Based on the opportunity description, applications are expected to go beyond static descriptions (for example, anatomy alone or isolated neural responses) and instead connect time-evolving circuit activity to function. The FOA emphasizes causal testing through perturbation and controlled experimental conditions tied to behavioral and/or perceptual outcomes.
Does the FOA require the ability to manipulate neural activity, not just record it?
Yes. The description emphasizes that proposals should be able to intervene in circuit dynamics (for example, perturbing activity patterns) while systematically controlling stimuli and/or behavior, and then link those manipulations to measurable changes in behavior and/or perception.
What does the FOA mean by studying circuits "across multiple brain regions"?
The opportunity is framed around understanding distributed neural circuits spanning multiple brain regions and how they work together in real time. This points to designs that measure and perturb circuit activity in a way that captures interactions across brain areas rather than focusing on a single isolated site.
How important is behavior to an application under this FOA?
Behavior is a core component. The FOA stresses linking neural activity and perturbations to measurable changes in behavior and/or perception and emphasizes sophisticated analysis of complex behavior that is ethologically relevant. The behavioral component is expected to match the richness and fidelity of the neural data, rather than serving as a simplified or disconnected assay.
What does "ethologically relevant" behavior mean in this context?
Within the provided description, "ethologically relevant" refers to behavior that is meaningfully connected to naturalistic function and is measured and analyzed with enough sophistication to match the complexity of the neural datasets being generated.
What level of circuit detail is expected?
The FOA emphasizes depth and richness of circuit characterization, including incorporating detailed information about cell types, circuit function, and connectivity. It encourages approaches that resolve circuit components and interactions across brain areas, including cell-type distinctions where possible.
How are theory, modeling, and data science expected to be used?
They are expected to be integrated from the beginning. The FOA describes competitive teams as those that deliberately cross disciplinary boundaries and embed theory, modeling, and data science into experimental design, perturbation strategies, what gets measured, and how conclusions about circuit mechanisms will be drawn.
Is team structure optional, or is it a major requirement?
Team structure is described as one of the main deliverables. The FOA emphasizes tightly coordinated teams and expects genuine integration across disciplines rather than adding computational or theoretical elements late in the project.
What is the role of milestones in this award?
The opportunity description notes an emphasis on milestones as part of the U01 cooperative agreement structure, along with team integration and scalable capability building. This implies projects should be organized in a way that supports clear progress markers and coordinated execution.
How does this U01 relate to future U19 opportunities?
These awards are framed as exploratory with an explicit pipeline goal: to develop experimental capabilities and quantitative/theoretical frameworks that position teams for later, larger-scale competition for multi-component Team-Research Circuit Programs (U19) awards. The U01 is described as supporting early-stage team formation, method integration, and proof-of-concept circuit analyses prior to expanding into a broader, multi-project structure.
What kinds of outputs is this FOA trying to catalyze?
Based on the description, the FOA seeks integrated experimental and analytic capabilities that can scale, along with coherent quantitative/theoretical frameworks and proof-of-concept circuit analyses that demonstrate feasibility and establish workflows suitable for future expansion.
When was this funding opportunity created and when did it close?
The listing states the opportunity was created on September 27, 2017, with an original closing date of December 15, 2017.
How many awards were anticipated?
The anticipated number of awards is listed as about five.
What are the CFDA numbers associated with this opportunity?
The listing includes multiple CFDA numbers: 93.173, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.286, 93.313, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, and 93.867. This reflects multi-institute participation typical of BRAIN Initiative efforts.
Is there a fixed maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the summary data. The description indicates this generally means applicants should look to the FOA text for budget expectations and limits rather than relying on a fixed cap in the summary listing.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions within those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as allowed under the FOA's additional eligibility language.
Can small businesses or for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes small businesses and for-profit organizations other than small businesses, indicating that both types of for-profit entities may be eligible as applicants under the FOA (subject to any additional eligibility language in the FOA).
Can government entities apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes state, county, city/township, and special district governments, as well as independent school districts and certain housing authorities.
Can tribal governments and tribal organizations apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations.
Why does this FOA emphasize interdisciplinary integration?
The description explains that large-scale circuit neuroscience produces complex, high-dimensional datasets that require advanced computational strategies, and that strong mechanistic inference often depends on formal models and carefully planned perturbation tests. For that reason, the FOA stresses integration of theory, modeling, and data science with experimental design from the outset.
What would a strong application look like according to the description?
A strong application would be organized around a clear behavioral or neural system question and show how circuit activity evolving over time contributes causally to that system. It would combine large-scale recording with perturbation methods, incorporate detail on cell types and connectivity, analyze ethologically relevant behavior with high fidelity, and demonstrate tight integration across experimental, computational, and theoretical components within a coordinated team.
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