NICHD INCLUDE Project — Down Syndrome Research

INCLUDE Project — Exploratory/Developmental Awards

Supports early-stage exploratory Down syndrome studies through investigator grants advancing transformative research in the United States.

The INCLUDE Project Exploratory/Developmental Awards (R21) fund early-stage, high-risk research on Down syndrome and its co-occurring conditions across the lifespan under the NIH-wide INCLUDE initiative — Investigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE. Led by NICHD with participation from multiple NIH Institutes and Centers, INCLUDE is NIH's largest investment in Down syndrome research, anchored by a $20 million Down Syndrome Cohort Development Program for longitudinal data from birth to adulthood. The active NOFO is RFA-OD-27-003, which expires on June 16, 2028, and accepts applications on a rolling basis.

R21 awards are sized and scoped for novel conceptual work or methodological development not yet ready for a full R01 — making them the entry-level mechanism for investigators building a Down syndrome research program. Applications must address Down syndrome or conditions that co-occur with trisomy 21, including neurological, cardiovascular, immune, and other systemic conditions. Award amounts and page limits are specified in the NOFO document; the R21 mechanism is generally shorter and lower in direct costs than R01. Eligible applicants include US-based universities, research organizations, non-profits, and small businesses.

Prospective applicants should identify which NIH ICs listed in RFA-OD-27-003 are most relevant to their proposed science and contact the appropriate program officer before submission. The INCLUDE Project coordinates across NIH offices, so cross-IC alignment can affect programmatic interest scoring. With the NOFO open through June 2028, investigators have a multi-year window to develop and submit proposals, but early program officer engagement on scientific fit with INCLUDE's strategic priorities is advisable.