NINDS Institutional Center Core Grants to Support Neuroscience Research (P30) | RFA NS 17 011

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 17 011

The NINDS Institutional Center Core Grants to Support Neuroscience Research (P30), announced by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) within the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a discretionary grant opportunity designed to strengthen institutional neuroscience research capacity through shared infrastructure. The core idea is to fund a centralized set of resources, facilities, and technical expertise that multiple investigators can use, rather than having each laboratory attempt to build and maintain the same capabilities on its own. By supporting shared cores, the program aims to make high-value services more accessible, reduce duplication of expensive equipment and specialized staff, and create an environment where collaboration becomes the default rather than the exception.

A central requirement of this FOA is that the proposed center must serve at least six investigators who already hold NINDS support. These investigators can come from one organization or be distributed across multiple organizations, as long as the center is built around a meaningful shared-use model. While the minimum threshold is six NINDS-supported investigators, the program is also intended to benefit a broader neuroscience community beyond that core group. In practice, that means the application should make a compelling case that the center will have wider impact across neuroscience research at the host institution(s), enabling additional projects, improving productivity, and raising the overall quality and competitiveness of neuroscience research.

The types of services envisioned are those that are difficult, inefficient, or impractical for individual labs to sustain alone. This often includes highly specialized technical platforms (for example, advanced imaging, electrophysiology support, animal model resources, bioinformatics and data management, genomics or proteomics support, biostatistics, neuropathology, viral vector production, or other technically demanding methodologies). The emphasis is on the practical value of shared cores: centralized equipment, dedicated expert staff, standardized workflows, training and consultation, quality control, and scheduling and access systems that allow multiple teams to use the same capabilities in a coordinated way. The FOA highlights that successful centers should capitalize on economies of scale and the synergies that come from co-locating expertise and tools, with the expectation that this structure will promote joint problem-solving and new scientific partnerships among neuroscientists.

From a funding details perspective, the opportunity is identified as RFA-NS-17-011 and is categorized under health-related research funding (CFDA 93.853). The posted award ceiling was $300,000, with an expectation of around five awards, indicating a competitive program with a defined budget range per award. The FOA creation date was October 7, 2016, with an original closing date of February 14, 2017. While those dates reflect that specific cycle of the announcement, the description illustrates the general purpose and structure of the P30 mechanism as used by NINDS: providing institutional-level core support rather than direct project funding.

Eligibility for the opportunity was broad and included many organization types that can host or administer biomedical research programs. Eligible applicants listed include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, various levels of government entities (state, county, city or township, special districts), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations. The inclusion of a wide range of eligible entities reflects the fact that the key determinant is the ability to assemble a critical mass of NINDS-supported investigators and operate shared research infrastructure effectively, rather than fitting a narrow institutional profile.

Overall, this FOA supports the creation or enhancement of neuroscience center cores that can demonstrably improve efficiency, expand access to specialized methods, and accelerate discovery by making shared resources a stable, well-managed, and collaborative foundation for NINDS-funded investigators and the wider neuroscience research community at the participating institution(s).

• The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NINDS Institutional Center Core Grants to Support Neuroscience Research (P30)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.853.
• This funding opportunity was created on Oct 07, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 14, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: 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).

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