Initiative: Data Archives for the BRAIN Initiative
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations developing data archives and repositories to support BRAIN Initiative research. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, research institutions, universities, and colleges. Federal agencies and tribal organizations may also qualify. The program supports infrastructure projects that enable researchers to access, manage, and share neuroscience data at a national level.
Activities funded include building data storage systems, creating metadata standards, improving data accessibility tools, and supporting data curation efforts. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to maintain long-term operations and comply with NIH data sharing requirements. Priority goes to projects addressing significant gaps in neuroscience data infrastructure.
Key dates
- Mar 11, 2026 Applications open
- Jun 1, 2027 Application deadline in 365 days
- Apr 1, 2028 Award announced
- Apr 1, 2028 Project start
This grant is for organizations developing data archives and repositories to support BRAIN Initiative research. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, research institutions, universities, and colleges. Federal agencies and tribal organizations may also qualify. The program supports infrastructure projects that enable researchers to access, manage, and share neuroscience data at a national level.
Activities funded include building data storage systems, creating metadata standards, improving data accessibility tools, and supporting data curation efforts. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to maintain long-term operations and comply with NIH data sharing requirements. Priority goes to projects addressing significant gaps in neuroscience data infrastructure.
Program description
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), with other NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs), intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications to develop web-accessible data archives to capture, store, and curate data related to the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative activities. The data archives teams will work with the research community to incorporate software tools that enable users to analyze and visualize the data, and to use appropriate standards to describe the data. A goal of this program is to advance research by creating a data archive that meets appropriate standards and provides summary information which is broadly available and accessible to the scientific community furthering research. 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 R24 activity code. Applications to this NOFO must propose the development of archives that support rigorous data sharing, analysis, and collaboration across sub-domains while enabling future linkage into a broader data ecosystem.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Colleges (all higher ed)
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Details
This grant is for organizations developing data archives and repositories to support BRAIN Initiative research. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, research institutions, universities, and colleges. Federal agencies and tribal organizations may also qualify. The program supports infrastructure projects that enable researchers to access, manage, and share neuroscience data at a national level.
Activities funded include building data storage systems, creating metadata standards, improving data accessibility tools, and supporting data curation efforts. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to maintain long-term operations and comply with NIH data sharing requirements. Priority goes to projects addressing significant gaps in neuroscience data infrastructure.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative and specific aims
- Detailed budget and budget justification
- Data management plan
- Letters of institutional commitment and support
- Organizational capacity documentation (IT infrastructure, staffing)
- Letters of support from research collaborators
Program contact
- 👤 Division of Data Science and Technology
- 📧 BRAIN-Data-Programs@nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via e-mail.
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.242 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$75,056,208
-
$74,756,329
-
$72,845,834
-
$64,705,159
-
$63,991,707
-
$54,214,022
-
$38,895,082
-
$38,475,557
-
$34,635,977
-
$34,475,710
Top States by Funding
- CA 15 awards $408.1M
- MA 9 awards $230.3M
- NY 6 awards $184.2M
- WA 4 awards $174.9M
- CT 3 awards $138.9M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.242). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $1,722,300,004 | |
| 2025 | $1,726,864,191 | |
| 2026 est. | $99,221,272 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, nonprofit organizations, and some federal agencies. Applicants must have the capacity to operate and maintain a data archive long-term.
What activities does this grant support?
The grant supports building and maintaining data repositories, developing data standards, creating search and discovery tools, and providing technical support for researchers using the archive.
Are there specific data types this grant focuses on?
The archive must support BRAIN Initiative research data. This includes electrophysiology, imaging, behavioral, and genomic data from neuroscience studies.
How competitive is this funding?
This is highly competitive. Reviewers prioritize infrastructure that addresses unmet research needs and demonstrates strong institutional commitment to long-term sustainability.
What is the typical funding range?
Multi-year awards typically range from $200,000 to $1 million annually, depending on project scope and institutional capacity.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Demonstrate a clear institutional commitment to long-term data archive operations beyond the grant period.
- Detail your technical infrastructure, data security protocols, and compliance with NIH data standards and FAIR principles.
- Show how your archive addresses existing gaps in neuroscience data accessibility and will serve the research community.
- Include letters of support from major BRAIN Initiative research programs that will contribute data to your archive.
- Build a realistic budget that accounts for ongoing staffing, storage, technology upgrades, and user support costs.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when applicants underestimate long-term operational costs or lack institutional commitment. Weak technical specifications and unclear data management policies are common rejections. Missing evidence of researcher demand or community buy-in reduces competitiveness significantly.
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