NINDS Research Education Opportunities (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 21 256

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 256

The NINDS Research Education Opportunities (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) funding announcement (PAR-21-256) is a discretionary NIH grant opportunity designed to support research education activities that fall within the mission areas of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). It uses the NIH Research Education Program (R25) mechanism, which is specifically meant to build, strengthen, and expand educational programs that prepare a skilled workforce for the nation s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. In practical terms, the program is about developing or enhancing structured educational experiences that complement existing research training pathways, helping ensure that learners gain the knowledge, exposure, mentoring, and professional development needed to enter and succeed in research careers relevant to NINDS priorities.

A central theme of this opportunity is workforce development through education rather than through direct support of independent research projects. Applicants are expected to propose organized educational activities that meaningfully improve research readiness, research literacy, or research career progression. These activities can include things like curricula, courses, workshops, boot camps, seminar series, mentoring and advising structures, skills training (for example, rigorous experimental design, quantitative methods, neuroinformatics, reproducibility practices, or responsible conduct of research), structured research exposure experiences, and other educational interventions that enhance the pipeline into neuroscience and neurological research. The emphasis is on programs that add value beyond what is already available through standard degree requirements or typical institutional training, and that address gaps in preparation for research careers aligned with NINDS mission areas.

As stated in the title, clinical trials are not allowed under this announcement. That generally means the funded activities cannot include conducting a clinical trial as part of the proposed work. The focus should remain on education and training related to research, rather than testing interventions in humans in a way that meets the NIH definition of a clinical trial. Programs can still teach clinical research concepts, trial methodology, ethics, regulatory issues, and related skills as educational content, but they should not propose running a clinical trial as an outcome of the award.

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations that can run robust education programs. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including both those with and without 501(c)(3) status, as described in the announcement). The opportunity explicitly highlights that a range of minority-serving and tribally affiliated institutions are also eligible, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). This emphasis aligns with workforce and pipeline goals, including strengthening participation and preparation across diverse institutions and communities.

At the same time, the announcement places clear limits on non-U.S. participation at the applicant level. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, foreign components are allowed as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, which typically means an otherwise eligible U.S. applicant may include certain project elements or collaborations that involve a foreign component, as long as it is justified, compliant, and consistent with NIH policy.

Administratively, this is an NIH grant opportunity under CFDA (now Assistance Listing) number 93.853 and is administered by the National Institutes of Health. The opportunity was created on 2021-07-29, with an original closing date listed as 2023-07-13. The source information provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would generally need to consult the full funding announcement text and related NIH guidance for budget expectations, allowable costs, project periods, review criteria, and any institute-specific priorities or limits. Overall, the program is best understood as support for high-impact, well-structured research education initiatives that strengthen the neuroscience and neurological disorders research workforce, without conducting clinical trials.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NINDS Research Education Opportunities (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" 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 2021-07-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-07-13. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others.

Apply for PAR 21 256

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