Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development of Disorders of the Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for academic medical centers, research institutions, and nonprofit research organizations seeking to develop small molecule therapeutics for nervous system disorders. The program supports early-stage drug discovery and translational research through a two-phased approach (UG3 followed by UH3), with optional clinical trial components. Applicants must have appropriate institutional infrastructure, regulatory experience, and institutional support. The grant is available to domestic institutions and PHS-eligible organizations. Geographic scope is U.S.-based institutions and research centers. Supported activities include preclinical drug discovery, medicinal chemistry optimization, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies, and early proof-of-concept in animal models or early human studies (if pursuing the clinical trial option).
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Program description
The Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN) invites applications from neuroscience investigators seeking support to advance their small molecule drug discovery and development projects into the clinic. Participants in the BPN are responsible for conducting all studies that involve disease- or target-specific assays, models, and other research tools and receive funding for all activities to be conducted in their own laboratories. In addition, applicants will collaborate with NIH-funded consultants and can augment their project with NIH contract research organizations (CROs) that specialize in medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, formulations development, chemical synthesis including under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and Phase I clinical testing. Projects can enter either at the Discovery stage, to optimize promising hit compounds through medicinal chemistry to the Development stage, to advance a single development candidate through Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling toxicology studies and phase I clinical testing. Alternatively, projects can enter at the Development stage and progress in a shorter period to IND enabling toxicology studies and phase I clinical testing. BPN awardee Institutions retain their assignment of IP rights and gain assignment of IP rights from the BPN contractors (and thereby control the patent prosecution and licensing negotiations) for drug candidates developed in this program.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 R&R (federal application form)
- Project narrative (typically 15 pages) with specific aims, preliminary data, and development strategy
- Budget and budget justification
- Biographical sketches of key personnel
- Facilities and equipment section
- Letters of institutional support
- Preliminary data and publications (appendix)
- Regulatory strategy document (if clinical trial component)
- Intellectual property and patent status documentation
- Data management and sharing plan
Program contact
- 👤 National Institutes of Health
- 📧 grantsinfo@nih.gov
- 📞 301-402-2541
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.121 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$443,702,768
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$32,310,944
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$31,252,186
-
$29,535,192
-
$23,987,187
-
$23,513,241
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$18,362,716
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$16,829,492
-
$15,991,067
-
$14,460,130
Top States by Funding
- WA 2 awards $451.6M
- CA 14 awards $145.2M
- MI 4 awards $75.8M
- PA 4 awards $68.3M
- MA 5 awards $39.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.121). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $319,987,302 | |
| 2025 | $332,151,837 | |
| 2026 est. | $337,316,521 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for the BPN UG3/UH3 program?
Academic institutions, research hospitals, nonprofit research organizations, and other PHS-eligible entities can apply. Must have institutional capacity for drug development and regulatory expertise.
What is the UG3/UH3 phased approach?
UG3 is the exploratory phase (typically 1-2 years) for proof-of-concept development. Successful UG3 awardees transition to UH3 (typically 3-4 years) for expanded development and IND-enabling studies.
Can I include a clinical trial component?
Yes, the program is "clinical trial optional." If pursuing clinical trials, additional regulatory documentation and clinical expertise will be required, making the application more complex.
How competitive is this grant?
Very competitive. Typical funding priority score cutoffs are in the 10-20 percentile range. Strong preliminary data, clear drug development strategy, and demonstrated institutional commitment are essential.
What is the typical funding range?
UG3 awards typically range from $400K-$800K/year. UH3 awards typically range from $600K-$1.2M/year, depending on scope and whether clinical trials are included.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Develop robust preliminary data: NIH expects clear evidence that your molecule has potential therapeutic benefit. In vitro and early in vivo data are critical for the UG3 phase.
- Partner with drug development expertise: Include co-investigators or collaborators with experience in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and regulatory pathways (FDA interactions, IND applications).
- Address the translational gap explicitly: Clearly articulate how your preclinical findings will move toward clinical relevance and identify specific milestones and "go/no-go" decision points.
- Include regulatory and manufacturing considerations: Discuss intellectual property, patentability, manufacturing scalability, and regulatory strategy (IND pathway planning for UH3 transition).
- Strengthen institutional commitment: Obtain letters of support from your institution demonstrating access to necessary facilities (chemistry labs, animal models, regulatory affairs office) and commitment to the project.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often lack sufficient preliminary data or overstate the significance of early-stage findings. Another frequent issue is underestimating regulatory complexity—applicants sometimes miss critical FDA considerations or lack credible plans for IND application. Finally, weak team composition (absent medicinal chemistry or regulatory expertise) or unclear drug development strategy can make applications noncompetitive.
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