Limited Competition: Biomedical Research Environment & Sponsored Programs Administration Development (BRE-SPAD) Program
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for resource-limited institutions seeking to strengthen their capacity for rigorous and reproducible biomedical research. Applicants must propose development plans in one or more areas: biomedical research environment, sponsored programs administration, or post-award pilot research programs. This is a limited competition; eligible organizations will be directly invited to apply. The program targets institutions with fewer research resources to expand the faculty and trainees conducting NIH-funded research.
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Key dates
- May 26, 2026 Applications open
- Jan 27, 2028 Application deadline in 559 days
- Dec 1, 2028 Award announced
- Dec 1, 2028 Project start
Program description
The Biomedical Research Environment & Sponsored Programs Administration Development (BRE-SPAD) Program supports resource-limited institutions to develop and strengthen their capacity to conduct rigorous and reproducible biomedical research.
Eligible organizations are expected to propose plans based on identified needs in one or more of the following areas: biomedical research environment, sponsored programs administration and a post-award pilot research project program. By supporting research capacity building at resource-limited institutions, the BRE-SPAD program will expand and strengthen the pool of faculty and trainees conducting rigorous biomedical research, and the organizational settings where NIH-funded research is performed.
This is a Forecast for a Limited Competition that will invite applications from eligible organizations to apply. Please see the Eligibility Section for additional information. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the applications will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious applications will be considered for funding.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Grant Application Form)
- Project Narrative (describing capacity-building plans and identified needs)
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Institutional Support Letter (demonstrating commitment)
Program contact
- 👤 NIGMS BRE-SPAD Program Contacts
- 📧 NIGMSBRE-SPAD@nigms.nih.gov
- 📞 Please contact via email.
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.859 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$59,464,779
-
$57,271,194
-
$56,019,458
-
$54,912,096
-
$53,329,877
-
$52,858,544
-
$52,347,059
-
$52,026,661
-
$50,897,104
-
$49,349,731
Top States by Funding
- ME 4 awards $143.3M
- MS 4 awards $135.1M
- NY 5 awards $131.6M
- CA 5 awards $129.3M
- RI 4 awards $126.3M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.859). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $3,085,929,426 | |
| 2025 | $3,092,472,727 | |
| 2026 est. | $3,093,422,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for BRE-SPAD funding?
Resource-limited institutions are eligible. This is a limited competition, so only invited organizations may apply.
What areas can my organization focus on?
You can propose development plans in biomedical research environment, sponsored programs administration, post-award pilot research programs, or a combination of these areas.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline is January 27, 2028. This is a fixed deadline; no rolling acceptance.
Will my application be peer-reviewed?
Yes. NIH uses standard peer-review processes. Only meritorious applications will be considered for funding.
What is the typical award amount?
Award amounts are not specified in the program guidelines. Contact the NIH program officer for details on funding ranges.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Focus your proposal on capacity building in research environment, sponsored programs administration, or pilot research funding—not all three.
- Clearly identify your institution's resource limitations and specific needs to strengthen your case.
- Demonstrate institutional commitment by describing leadership engagement and sustainability plans.
- Use data from your institution to show current gaps in research infrastructure or administrative systems.
- Align your development plan with NIH priorities for rigorous, reproducible biomedical research.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals that lack specific institutional needs assessment or rely on generic capacity-building language often fail. Applications proposing overly broad plans spanning all three focus areas without clear priorities dilute competitiveness. Poor descriptions of how pilot funding or administrative improvements will lead to sustained research growth undermine proposals.
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