RFA-MH-22-185: NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of National Institutes of Health notices from 2022.
National Institutes of Health offered grants of up to $500,000 to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. Applications closed on May 23, 2025.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed May 15, 2025. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$500,000
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeR01
- Clinical trialsOptional
- Funded byNIMH
- Median yearly award$785,166
- Typical project length5 years
- R01, Research Project Grant. NIH's standard grant for a defined research project led by a named investigator, usually for up to five years. Other open R01 notices.
Projects funded under RFA-MH-22-185 were run by National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 13 projects). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
This notice replaced RFA-MH-20-525.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read RFA-MH-22-185 in the NIH Guide.
Key dates
| Posted | July 26, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | May 23, 2025 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | June 22, 2025 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
All 15 applicant types the notice lists
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Other Eligible Applicants include the following: Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs); Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government; Faith-based or Community-based Organizations; Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized); Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations); Regional Organizations; Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) ; U.S. Territory or Possession; Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Projects NIH funded under this notice had a median yearly award of $785,166; it allows up to $500,000 per award.
- Most of the program's money (69% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Reissue of RFA-MH-20-525. The NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (BRAINS) award is intended to support the research and research career advancement of outstanding, exceptionally productive scientists who are in the early, formative stages of their careers and who plan to make a long-term career commitment to research in specific mission areas of the NIMH. This award seeks to assist these individuals in launching an innovative clinical, translational, basic, or services research program that holds the potential to profoundly transform the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of mental disorders. The NIMH BRAINS program will focus on the research priorities and gap areas identified in the NIMH Strategic Plan.
Funded under RFA-MH-22-185 so far
NIH funded 13 projects under RFA-MH-22-185 in fiscal 2024 to 2026, at 10 institutions. The median yearly award was $785,166.
Who has won Mental Health Research Grants grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Mental Health Research Grants (93.242) awarded $8.8 billion across 6,785 grant awards, an average of $1.3 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yale Univ | Connecticut | 185 | $371 million |
| University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education | Pennsylvania | 200 | $297 million |
| University of California, Los Angeles | California | 176 | $234 million |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | New York | 144 | $212 million |
| The Washington University | Missouri | 149 | $211 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is RFA-MH-22-185 still open?
No. It closed on May 23, 2025.
Who can apply for NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)?
National Institutes of Health accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for NIMH Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (NIMH BRAINS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closed May 23, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $500,000 each.
Who has been funded under RFA-MH-22-185?
NIH RePORTER lists 13 projects funded under RFA-MH-22-185 in fiscal 2024 to 2026, at 10 institutions. The most were at University of California Los Angeles, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh.
Who has won Mental Health Research Grants grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Yale Univ, University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education, University of California, Los Angeles. The program made 6,785 awards worth $8.8 billion in that time.
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