The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to encourage applications seeking to develop the next generation of brain stimulation devices for treating mental health disorders. Applications are sought that will either 1) develop novel brain stimulation devices or 2) significantly enhance, by means of hardware/software improvements, the effectiveness of brain stimulation devices that are currently U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved or cleared. Novel devices should move beyond existing electrical/magnetic stimulation and develop new stimulation techniques capable of increased spatiotemporal precision as well as multi-focal, closed-loop approaches. Applications seeking to develop new capabilities should focus on significant enhancement of the spatial resolution, depth of delivery, and/or precision of the device. Incremental changes to existing devices (e.g., software updates)are not within the scope of this announcement. Applications should be submitted by multi-disciplinary teams with a variety of expertise including systems neuroscience, engineering, clinical, and regulatory affairs.
Neuromodulation/Neurostimulation Device Development for Mental Health Applications (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · Opportunity number PAR-25-286
Details summarized from the official notice as of Oct 15, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.
Independent platform. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Data from public federal sources.
Key facts
| Opportunity number | PAR-25-286 |
|---|---|
| Agency | National Institutes of Health Department of Health and Human Services |
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 93.242 |
| Posted | Nov 21, 2024 |
| Deadline | Jan 7, 2028 |
| Cost sharing or matching required | No |
| Funding type | Grant |
| Category | Health |
| Last updated here | Oct 15, 2026 |
Summary from the notice
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- County governments
- Public and state colleges and universities
- Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)
- Small businesses
- Other Native American tribal organizations
- Independent school districts
- Federally recognized tribal governments
- State governments
- Special district governments
- City or township governments
- Public and Indian housing authorities
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than colleges)
- Private colleges and universities
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than colleges)
Who should take a closer look
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits
- Colleges and universities
- State governments
- Local governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Larger for-profit companies
Not listed as eligible
- Individuals
Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.
Eligibility details from the notice
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.
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
- SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
- A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
- A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.
Similar open opportunities
CCRP Initiative: NIH Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) Basic Research on Chemical Threats that Affect the Nervous System (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-077
Limited Competition: Small Grant Program for the NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · PAR-25-155
Community Engagement Evaluation and Data Coordination (CEED) Hub to Advance Data and Practice Transformation for Optimizing Oral Health for All (U01, Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-DE-27-001
Sustained Support for Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-CA-27-021
Advanced Development of Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research and Management (U24 Clinical Trial Optional)
National Institutes of Health · RFA-CA-27-020