Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) Clinical Trials
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for researchers conducting clinical trials on Alzheimer's disease interventions through the ACTC network. Applicants must be institutions or investigators affiliated with or partnering with ACTC sites. Priority goes to trials testing novel therapeutics, biomarkers, or cognitive interventions. Research must align with NIH priorities and meet regulatory requirements for human subjects research. International collaborations are welcome if U.S. institutions lead and oversee the work.
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Key dates
- Jun 27, 2025 Applications open
- Oct 5, 2025 Application deadline
- Jul 1, 2026 Award announced
- Jul 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to invite applications to develop and implement multi-site Phase Ib to III clinical trials of promising pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that may prevent, delay, or treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRD) using the Alzheimer’s disease Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC) trial coordination and management infrastructure. Working with the ACTC is a collaborative venture between the applicant, NIA, and the ACTC network. NIA and the ACTC leadership will provide guidance to potential applicants. The work of this NOFO will enable the testing of interventions that target deleterious cognitive and neuropsychiatric changes associated with age-related cognitive decline and AD/ADRD across the spectrum from pre-symptomatic to more severe stages of disease. 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 intends to 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 NOFO.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- County Government
- Hospital
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (scientific aims, methods, significance)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Biographical Sketches (key personnel)
- Letters of Support (ACTC sites, recruiting institutions)
- Human Subjects Protection plan (IRB documentation)
- Research Strategy (specific aims, background, methods)
Program contact
- 👤 Laurie Ryan, Ph.D. National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- 📧 ryanl@mail.nih.gov
- 📞 301-496-9350
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.866 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$463,372,200
-
$172,327,224
-
$115,145,694
-
$99,649,073
-
$93,275,174
-
$82,572,681
-
$81,344,612
-
$78,657,309
-
$75,825,492
-
$75,398,895
Top States by Funding
- CA 10 awards $633.7M
- MI 2 awards $511.9M
- MO 8 awards $453.5M
- IN 4 awards $303.9M
- PA 6 awards $298.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.866). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $3,746,886,731 | |
| 2025 | $3,777,464,644 | |
| 2026 est. | $261,814,471 |
FAQ
Who can apply for ACTC clinical trial funding?
Researchers at institutions affiliated with ACTC sites are eligible. This includes universities, medical centers, and research organizations with active clinical trial infrastructure.
What types of studies are funded?
ACTC supports clinical trials testing new Alzheimer's treatments, diagnostic biomarkers, and cognitive interventions. Observational studies and basic research typically do not qualify.
What is the typical funding range?
Awards vary based on trial scope and duration. Federal research grants typically range from $100K to $2M+ annually depending on trial complexity and patient enrollment needs.
How competitive is this opportunity?
Very competitive. Expect rigorous peer review of scientific merit, feasibility, and alignment with ACTC priorities and NIH funding strategy.
When is the next deadline?
The application opens June 27, 2025. Check NIH Grants.gov for specific submission deadlines, as they vary by funding mechanism.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Partner with established ACTC sites early. Applications strengthen when clinical sites commit to enrollment targets and have track records recruiting Alzheimer's patients.
- Emphasize patient diversity and inclusion. NIH prioritizes trials with representative demographic enrollment across age, race, ethnicity, and sex.
- Detail your biomarker strategy if applicable. Modern Alzheimer's trials increasingly require amyloid or tau biomarker endpoints. Make your scientific rationale explicit.
- Build realistic timelines and budgets. Overestimating enrollment speed or underestimating regulatory delays are common reasons for rejection or scope cuts.
- Align with NIH strategic priorities. Review the NIA and NINDS strategic plans to show how your trial addresses identified research gaps in cognitive aging or neurodegeneration.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Underestimating patient recruitment timelines. Clinical trial enrollment consistently lags projections, leading to underpowered or delayed studies.
Weak statistical power justification. Reviewers reject applications lacking clear sample size calculations tied to primary outcome assumptions.
Insufficient diversity recruitment plans. Failing to detail strategies for enrolling underrepresented populations in Alzheimer's research raises equity concerns.
Similar grants
- CLOSED Early- and Late-Stage Clinical Trials for the Spectrum of Alzheimer’s Disease/Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias and Age-Related Cognitive Decline — National Institutes of Health
- CLOSED Research Project Cooperative Agreements in Aging and/or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (ADRD) Research — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Expanding the Therapeutic Pipeline for Treating and Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Preclinical Validation and Drug Discovery for Novel Candidate Targets (U01 Clinical Trial Not — National Institutes of Health
- CLOSED Dementia Care and Caregiver Support Intervention Research – Stage I Only — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Alzheimer’s Drug-Development Program (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) — National Institutes of Health