At a glance
This program funds early-stage clinical trials of new pharmacologic or neuromodulatory device interventions for mental disorders, with a focus on measuring target engagement and its link to symptoms or function. Only applications proposing clinical trials are accepted, and applicants must provide preliminary data showing the intervention can modulate the proposed molecular or circuit target. Eligible organizations include higher education institutions and other entities named in the NOFO, but the text does not give a limited applicant set beyond the listed eligibility rules. NIMH plans to commit a total of $27 million for fiscal year 2026 for this NOFO and related companion announcements; budgets are not limited, and the project period may be up to 3 years.
What it funds
Official description from grants.gov
NIMH requires an experimental therapeutics approach for the development and testing of therapeutic interventions, in which studies both evaluate the clinical effect of an intervention and generate information about the mechanisms underlying a disorder or an intervention response. As part of NIMHs Clinical Trial Pipeline, this NOFO encourages early stage testing of pharmacologic interventions with novel mechanisms of actions or device-based interventions. More specifically, this NOFO is intended to support early stage testing of pharmacologic or device-based interventions using a protocol design where the presumed mechanism of action of the intervention is adequately tested, to provide meaningful information where target modulation yields a dose-dependent neurophysiological/clinical/behavioral effect.
Who can apply
- City or township governments
- County governments
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized)
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education)
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (other than higher education)
- Others
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities / Indian housing authorities
- Small businesses
- Special district governments
- State governments