NINDS Advanced Institutional Research Training Program (T32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | PAR 24 126

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 126

The NINDS Advanced Institutional Research Training Program (T32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed), funding opportunity PAR-24-126, is an NIH training grant designed to help institutions run structured research training programs that align with the mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The core goal is workforce development: building a pipeline of neuroscientists who finish the program with stronger research skills, deeper scientific grounding, and the practical career preparation needed to make meaningful contributions to neuroscience. The program is meant to support organized, themed training environments rather than funding individual research projects, and it emphasizes comprehensive research training that translates into long-term scientific independence and impact.

A central expectation is that each proposed program is organized around a clearly defined scientific theme within NINDS mission areas, and that the training is intentionally built to broaden and deepen trainee expertise. The FOA encourages programs that blend three major elements: didactic instruction (formal coursework, seminars, workshops), hands-on research experiences (rigorous mentored research training), and career development (activities that prepare trainees for the next stage, such as grant writing, responsible conduct of research, networking, and professional skills). The research scope can be basic, clinical, translational, or a combination, as long as it fits NINDS priorities. Even when the theme is clinically oriented, the FOA is explicit that clinical trials are not allowed under this T32, meaning the training activities supported by this award cannot include conducting clinical trials as part of the funded work.

The FOA highlights several training components as non-negotiable priorities. Programs must build strong competency in experimental design so trainees can ask well-formed questions and plan studies that produce interpretable, reproducible results. They must also ensure trainees develop strong statistical and analytical skills, reflecting NIH-wide expectations around rigor, transparency, and reproducibility. In addition, the program stresses communication training, with the expectation that trainees practice explaining science clearly in both oral and written formats to different audiences, ranging from scientific peers to broader non-specialist communities. Across all possible scientific themes, there is a strong emphasis on quantitative literacy. Applicants are expected to provide real opportunities for trainees to learn and apply quantitative approaches directly in their research, rather than treating quantitative training as optional or purely classroom-based.

In terms of who can be trained, these institutional programs are intended to support trainees for approximately 1 to 2 years. The FOA targets advanced training stages and specifically supports one or more of the following groups: dissertation-stage predoctoral students (generally those in their third and/or fourth year of graduate school), postdoctoral fellows, and fellowship-stage clinicians. A key restriction is that NINDS does not support first- or second-year graduate students under this program announcement, so the training slots should be aimed at trainees who are already beyond the earliest phase of graduate training and are positioned to benefit from concentrated, advanced research preparation.

Eligibility to apply is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations and government entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Higher education institutions are eligible, including public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education. Tribal entities are eligible, including federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments). A wide range of nonprofits may apply, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) organizations (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education). For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also listed among eligible applicants, along with an "Other" category that can cover additional entity types depending on federal definitions and NIH policy. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as well as faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. U.S. territories or possessions are also included as eligible.

At the same time, the FOA draws clear boundaries around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply, foreign institutions are not eligible, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible. In practical terms, the applicant organization must be U.S.-based and the supported training program activities must not rely on foreign organizational components as part of the grant-supported structure.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health under the Health activity category, with CFDA number 93.853, and uses the grant funding instrument. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary. The record lists an original closing date of May 25, 2026, and a creation date of March 12, 2024. An award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided source data, which typically means applicants should consult the full FOA and NIH budget guidance for any institute-specific limits, standard T32 budget structures, and allowable cost details.

Overall, PAR-24-126 is best understood as a mechanism for institutions to build or enhance a cohesive, themed, high-quality neuroscience research training program that systematically develops advanced trainees. The emphasis is on rigorous study design, modern quantitative and analytical competence, clear scientific communication, and structured career development, with training supported over a focused 1 to 2 year window for dissertation-stage graduate students, postdocs, and clinicians in fellowship-stage research training, while explicitly excluding clinical trial conduct and any non-U.S. institutional components.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NINDS Advanced Institutional Research Training Program (T32 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 2024-03-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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.

Apply for PAR 24 126

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