NINDS Research Project Grants

NINDS R01/R21/R03 Research Project Grants — Investigator-Initiated

Funds neuroscience research in the United States through investigator-driven grants across basic, translational, and clinical areas.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) funds investigator-initiated research on brain and nervous system disorders through the standard NIH research project mechanisms — R01, R21, and R03 — as well as translational, team, and clinical research instruments. NINDS's mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease; supported conditions include stroke, epilepsy, neurodegeneration, pain, traumatic brain injury, ALS, and rare neurological disorders. As of May 2026, NINDS listed 142 open funding opportunities, including 24 R01 NOFOs, 14 R21 NOFOs, and 9 R03 NOFOs across basic, translational, and clinical research categories. The institute also participates in trans-NIH programs including the BRAIN Initiative (25 open NOFOs), the HEAL Initiative (11 NOFOs), and Blueprint (6 NOFOs).

Eligible applicants for parent R01, R21, and R03 NOFOs include US and foreign universities, hospitals, nonprofit research organizations, and for-profit entities, though the vast majority of NINDS extramural funding flows to domestic academic institutions. Standard NIH three-cycle annual receipt dates apply. A critical procedural requirement is that applicants must verify NINDS is listed as a participating institute on the specific NOFO they intend to use — NINDS does not participate in all NIH parent announcements, and submitting to a non-participating NOFO results in withdrawal before review. Similarly, the NOFO must accept the specific type of research proposed (basic, BESH, or clinical trial).

NINDS recommends applicants use the NIH Matchmaker tool (reporter.nih.gov/matchmaker) to identify program officers and related funded projects before selecting a NOFO. After identifying an appropriate opportunity, applicants should contact the assigned program officer to discuss fit. Standard R01 modular budgets cap direct costs at $250,000 per year; larger budgets require detailed justification. NINDS reviews and funds applications through the standard NIH two-stage process: peer review by an assigned study section, followed by NINDS Council review and program officer prioritization.