Grants / Department of Health and Human Services / National Institutes of Health

Functional Target Validation for Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias

Forecast Expected deadline November 6, 2026 Opportunity RFA-NS-26-034

• Award ceilingnot stated
• Award floornot stated
• Expected awards2
• Total funding$1.8 million
• Cost sharingNot required
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

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Who can apply

This opportunity is open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.

• 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 ApplicantsIndian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized);Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government;U.S. Territory or Possession;Faith-based or Community-based Organizations;Regional Organizations;Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not allowed

More grants for nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses, businesses.

Is this a realistic fit?

• No cost sharing or match is required.

What the grant funds

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is interested in supporting ambitious research projects that propose comprehensive functional validation of newly identified therapeutic target candidates for Alzheimer’s Disease–Related Dementias (ADRD). A major barrier to the development of effective treatments for ADRD, as well as other complex central nervous system disorders, is the lack of well-validated targets that are clearly linked to disease mechanisms. Successful translation of basic discoveries into the clinic depends on the rigor of target validation and confidence in a causal relationship between modulation of a target and its functional physiological consequences relevant to treating or preventing disease. This initiative aims to de-risk subsequent translational research and accelerate the development of novel therapeutic strategies. NINDS believes that this initiative would be most appropriately supported by a phased award mechanism (for example, R61/R33). In the initial phase, support would be provided for the development of customized technologies, models, and protocols to modulate the expression or activity of candidate targets and to assess their physiological consequences in relevant in vitro and in vivo disease models. Upon successful achievement of predefined, milestone-based technical feasibility and proof-of-concept criteria, projects would transition to the second phase focused on measuring and cross-validating the effects of target modulation across multiple experimental modalities and collaborating laboratories, in accordance with NIH rigor and reproducibility guidelines. Applications are not being solicited at this time. Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop responsive projects and establish appropriate cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Category: Health.

How to apply

1. Read the full notice and attachments on Grants.gov. The notice is the official source for deadlines and requirements.
2. Make sure your organization has an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity ID; registration can take several weeks.
3. Register on Grants.gov and submit through Workspace before the deadline and time given in the notice. Our application guide walks through each step.

Questions go to NINDS DTR ADRD, NINDSDTRADRD@mail.nih.gov, Please contact via e-mail.

Open the official notice