RFA-NS-21-020: Research Program Award (R35 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 2021.
National Institutes of Health offered grants to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. It expected to make about 30 awards worth $20.0 million in total. Applications closed on July 13, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed May 6, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Total funding$20.0 million
- Expected awards30
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeGrant
About this NIH notice
- Activity codeR35
- Clinical trialsOptional
- Funded byNINDS
- Median yearly award$862,680
- Typical project length8 years
- R35, Outstanding Investigator Award. Support for an investigator's whole research program rather than a single project (this includes MIRA awards). Other open R35 notices.
Projects funded under RFA-NS-21-020 were run by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS, 9 projects). Contact the program officer at the institute that fits your project before you apply; the notice lists them.
Application due dates, page limits and budget limits are set in the notice. Read RFA-NS-21-020 in the NIH Guide.
Other notices with this title
| Notice | Posted | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFA-NS-22-038 | April 1, 2022 | Closed July 15, 2024 | Closed |
Key dates
| Posted | May 6, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | July 13, 2021 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | August 18, 2021 |
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); 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 allowed.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Most of the program's money (76% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The purpose of the NINDS Research Program Award (RPA) is to provide longer-term support and increased freedom and flexibility to Program Directors (PDs)/Principal Investigators (PIs) to allow them to redirect their time away from the administrative burden of writing and managing multiple grant applications and towards engaging in the lab. This RPA affords investigators at most career stages the opportunity to advance their long-term research goals, rigorously explore exciting research opportunities, and mentor trainees, which support and align with the mission of NINDS. RPAs will support the overall research programs of NINDS-funded investigators for up to 8 years, at a level commensurate with a PD/PIs recent NINDS support (Part 2, Section II). This greater funding stability will provide eligible investigators increased security, allowing them to undertake research projects that require a longer timeframe or to embark upon research that breaks new ground. Research activities outside of the NINDS mission, or traditionally supported by another NIH Institute or Center, will not be considered through this program.
Funded under RFA-NS-21-020 so far
NIH funded 9 projects under RFA-NS-21-020 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 9 institutions. The median yearly award was $862,680.
| Project | Institution | Fiscal year | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molecular genetics of axon and synapse development and maintenance | University of California, San Diego | 2026 | $862,680 |
| Fusion pores in endocrine and synaptic exocytosis | University of Wisconsin-Madison | 2026 | $1.0 million |
| Ataxin-2 complex proteins in neurodegeneration. | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah | 2026 | $930,250 |
| Development, Maintenance, and Human-Specific Evolution of Cortical Circuits | Columbia University Health Sciences | 2026 | $1.2 million |
| Molecular genetics of neurodegenerative pathogenic and protective pathways: The SCA1 perspective | University of Minnesota | 2026 | $848,662 |
| Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Cell Type-Specific Vulnerability in Huntington’s Disease | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2026 | $542,850 |
| Ion Channel Pharmacology for Pain and Epilepsy | Harvard Medical School | 2026 | $1.1 million |
| Deciphering Early Stages of Polyomavirus CNS Pathogenesis and Immunity | Pennsylvania State Univ Hershey Med Ctr | 2026 | $896,585 |
Who has won Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (93.853) awarded $9.1 billion across 8,641 grant awards, an average of $1.0 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The General Hospital Corporation | Massachusetts | 203 | $288 million |
| The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco | California | 248 | $277 million |
| The Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | 230 | $276 million |
| The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | New York | 188 | $226 million |
| Regents of the University of Michigan | Michigan | 179 | $221 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-NS-21-020 still open?
No. It closed on July 13, 2021.
Who can apply for Research Program Award (R35 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 Research Program Award (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)?
Closed July 13, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
About $20.0 million in total across about 30 awards.
Who has been funded under RFA-NS-21-020?
NIH RePORTER lists 9 projects funded under RFA-NS-21-020 in fiscal 2022 to 2026, at 9 institutions. The most were at University of California, San Diego, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah.
Who has won Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The General Hospital Corporation, The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, The Johns Hopkins University. The program made 8,641 awards worth $9.1 billion in that time.
Similar open grants
- NHLBI Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)
- NHLBI Emerging Investigator Award (EIA) (R35 Clinical Trial Optional)
- Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional)
- Investigator-Focused Award (Parent R35)
- Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) (R35 - Clinical Trial Optional)
- Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)