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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health

Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders

Federal program · program number 93.853 (the federal Assistance Listing number)

Key facts

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83 grants
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30 grants
Type of help
Project grant
Typical award
Research grants: $22,709 to $7,753,905; $585,282. National Research Service Awards: Institutional $34,076 to $692,757; $193,304. Individual: $5,495 to $90,284; $46,239. SBIR/STTR: Phase 1 not to exceed $150,000;...

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What it pays for

(1) To support extramural research funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) including: basic research that explores the fundamental structure and function of the brain and the nervous system; research to understand the causes and origins of pathological conditions of the nervous system with the goal of preventing these disorders; research on the natural course of neurological disorders; improved methods of disease prevention; new methods of diagnosis and treatment; drug development; development of neural devices; clinical trials; and research training in basic, translational and clinical neuroscience. The Institute is the largest funder of basic neuroscience in the US and supports research on topics including but not limited to: development of the nervous system, including neurogenesis and progenitor cell biology, signal transduction in development and plasticity, and programmed cell death; synapse formation, function, and plasticity; learning and memory; channels, transporters, and pumps; circuit formation and modulation; behavioral and cognitive neuroscience; sensorimotor learning, integration and executive function; neuroendocrine systems; sleep and circadian rhythms; and sensory and motor systems. In addition, the Institute supports basic, translational and clinical studies on a number of disorders of the nervous system including (but not limited to): stroke; traumatic injury to the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system; neurodegenerative disorders; movement disorders; brain tumors; convulsive disorders; infectious...

Who can apply

Research Grants: Any public, private, nonprofit, or for-profit institution is eligible to apply. For-profit institutions are not eligible for Institutional National Research Service Awards but are eligible for Individual NRSAs. All proposals are reviewed for scientific merit, for evaluation of the qualifications of the investigators, for adequacy of the research environment, and for significance of the problem. Approved proposals compete for available funds. All Career Development Program awardees, with the exception of awardees of the Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00), must be citizens or have been admitted to the United States for permanent residence. Candidates must be nominated for the program by a nonfederal public or private nonprofit institution located in the United States, its possessions or territories. To be eligible, postdoctoral NRSA trainees or fellows must have a professional or scientific degree (M.D., Ph.D., D.D.S., D.O., D.V.M., Sc.D., D. Eng., or equivalent domestic or foreign degree). SBIR grants can be awarded only to domestic small businesses (entities that are independently owned and operated for profit, are not dominant in the field in which research is proposed, and have no more than 500 employees). Primary employment (more than one-half time) of the principal investigator must be with the small business at the time of award and during the...

How applications are judged

The major elements in evaluating proposals include assessments of: (1) the scientific merit and general significance of the proposed study and its objectives; (2) the technical adequacy of the experimental design and approach; (3) the competency of the proposed investigator or group to successfully pursue the project; (4) the adequacy of the available and proposed facilities and resources; (5) the necessity of the budget components requested in relation to the proposed project; and (6) the relevance and importance to announced program objectives. The following criteria will be used in considering the scientific and technical merit of SBIR/STTR Phase I grant applications: (1) the soundness and technical merit of the proposed approach; (2) the qualifications of the proposed principal investigator, supporting staff, and consultants; (3) the technological innovation of the proposed research; (4) the potential of the proposed research for commercial application; (5) the appropriateness of the budget requested; (6) the adequacy and suitability of the facilities and research environment; and (7) where applicable, the adequacy of assurances detailing the proposed means for (a) safeguarding human or animal subjects, and/or (b) protecting against or minimizing any adverse effect on the environment. Phase II grant applications will be reviewed based upon the following criteria: (1) the degree to which the Phase I objectives were met and feasibility demonstrated; (2) the scientific...

Match

None required (federal program listing).

Who in Tennessee has won this program

23 awards to Tennessee groups since 1993 · 0 in Blount County. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee winners
Past winnerWhereAmountFiscal year
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$11.5M spent that year2025
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville$9.8M spent that year2025
State of TennesseeNashville$9.4M spent that year2025
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Inc.Memphis, Shelby County$7.7M spent that year2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$7.6M2012
St Jude Children's Research Hospital IncMemphis, Shelby County$7.1M2017
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$5.3M2016
University of TennesseeMemphis, Shelby County$5.3M2002
St Jude Children's Research Hospital IncMemphis, Shelby County$5.2M1998
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$4.7M2001
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$4.6M2016
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$4.1M1993

Source: Federal Audit Clearinghouse, USAspending.gov.

Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization

This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 83 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Blount County. Largest shown:

Tennessee pass-through grant winners
Past winnerWhereThroughAmountFiscal year
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyYale Univ$1.6M2023
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University$1.1M spent that year2025
St Jude Children's Research Hospital IncMemphis, Shelby CountyUniversity of Miami$654K2023
St Jude Children's Research Hospital IncMemphis, Shelby CountyUniversity of Miami$588K2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyThe University of Iowa$538K2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyUniversity of Iowa$516K spent that year2025
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Inc.Memphis, Shelby CountyMayo Clinic - Jacksonville Fl$513K spent that year2024
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyUniversity of Pittsburgh$512K spent that year2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyUniversity of Utah$441K2025
St Jude Children's Research Hospital IncMemphis, Shelby CountyMayo Clinic Jacksonville (A Nonprofit Corporation)$431K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleVanderbilt University Medical Center$421K spent that year2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyNew York University$388K2024

Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).

Official program listing (SAM.gov) Program website