Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 063
The Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN) funding opportunity (PAR-24-063) is an NIH cooperative agreement designed to help small businesses move small molecule neuroscience drug programs from early discovery into first-in-human testing. It is a reissue of an earlier announcement (PAR-18-541) and focuses on practical, milestone-driven support that pushes projects toward the clinic rather than basic research. The overall aim is to speed the creation of new therapeutics for disorders of the nervous system by combining a companys disease and target expertise with NIHs development infrastructure.
A key feature of this program is the division of labor and resources. Awardees are expected to run the disease- or target-specific parts of the work in their own labs, such as developing and running specialized assays, using disease models, and applying proprietary research tools that are central to demonstrating biological relevance. At the same time, projects can be strengthened through collaboration with NIH-supported consultants and by tapping into NIH contract research organizations (CROs). Those CROs can provide specialized capabilities that are often expensive or hard for small companies to build internally, including medicinal chemistry support, pharmacokinetics and ADME work, toxicology, formulation development, chemical synthesis (including GMP manufacturing), and Phase I clinical testing. In other words, the small business drives the scientific rationale and disease-facing proof, while NIH-supported partners can help cover major development functions needed to reach an IND and early clinical data.
The BPN pathway is structured so projects can enter at different stages depending on how mature the program is. Companies with early chemical starting points can enter at the Discovery stage, where the goal is to optimize hit compounds through medicinal chemistry and generate a well-characterized lead suitable for advancement. From there, successful projects may transition into the Development stage, where the program focuses on selecting and advancing a single development candidate through IND-enabling toxicology and into Phase I clinical testing. Companies that already have a more advanced candidate can enter directly at the Development stage and move on a shorter timeline toward IND-enabling studies and first-in-human work. Across both entry points, the model is milestone-based: progress is expected to be demonstrated through concrete development deliverables rather than open-ended exploration.
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U44), which generally means NIH expects to have substantial programmatic involvement compared with a standard grant. In practice, that usually translates to active coordination around development plans, milestones, and the integration of NIH-provided resources like consultants and CRO support. The listing also notes "Clinical Trial Optional," signaling that Phase I clinical testing may be included when appropriate, but is not mandatory for every project depending on stage and readiness.
From an intellectual property standpoint, the program is structured to be attractive to small businesses trying to build value around a drug asset. The awardee institution retains its own IP rights, and importantly, it also gains assignment of IP rights from BPN contractors for drug candidates developed through the program. That arrangement is meant to keep the company in control of patent strategy, prosecution decisions, and downstream licensing negotiations, which can be critical for raising investment or partnering with larger pharma.
Eligibility is limited to small businesses, and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply, although foreign components as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement may be allowed in some cases. The opportunity is run by the National Institutes of Health and is categorized as discretionary funding using a cooperative agreement instrument. The original closing date shown is 2026-08-18, and the opportunity is tied to multiple NIH CFDA numbers associated with neuroscience and related biomedical research programs.Apply for PAR 24 063
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development for Disorders of the Nervous System (U44 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.213, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.853, 93.865, 93.866, 93.867.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN) funding opportunity (PAR-24-063)?
PAR-24-063 is an NIH cooperative agreement that supports small businesses developing small molecule therapeutics for disorders of the nervous system. The program is designed to move projects from early discovery toward first-in-human testing through a practical, milestone-driven development pathway.
What is the main goal of this program?
The goal is to speed the creation of new neurotherapeutics by combining a companys disease and target expertise with NIH development infrastructure, helping projects advance toward IND-enabling work and, when appropriate, Phase I clinical testing.
Is this opportunity focused on basic research or drug development?
This opportunity is focused on development activities that push projects toward the clinic, rather than open-ended basic research. It emphasizes concrete milestones and development deliverables.
What type of funding mechanism is used?
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U44). This generally indicates substantial NIH programmatic involvement in coordinating development plans and milestones and integrating NIH-supported resources such as consultants and CRO services.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to small businesses. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.
Are non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations allowed to apply?
No. Non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply under this opportunity.
Are foreign components allowed at all?
Foreign components (as defined under the NIH Grants Policy Statement) may be allowed in some cases, even though foreign institutions and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply.
What kinds of projects does BPN support?
The program supports small molecule neuroscience drug programs aimed at disorders of the nervous system, with the intention of advancing them from early discovery into first-in-human testing.
What does "milestone-driven" mean in this program?
Milestone-driven means progress is expected to be demonstrated through specific, concrete development deliverables. The program is structured to prioritize advancement toward clinical readiness rather than exploratory work without defined development endpoints.
At what stage can a company enter the BPN program?
Projects can enter at different stages depending on maturity. Companies may enter at the Discovery stage if they have early chemical starting points, or they may enter directly at the Development stage if they already have a more advanced candidate.
What happens in the Discovery stage?
In the Discovery stage, the goal is to optimize hit compounds through medicinal chemistry and generate a well-characterized lead suitable for advancement.
What happens in the Development stage?
In the Development stage, the program focuses on selecting and advancing a single development candidate through IND-enabling toxicology and into Phase I clinical testing. Companies with an advanced candidate may enter here directly and proceed on a shorter timeline.
Can a project move from Discovery to Development within BPN?
Yes. Successful projects may transition from the Discovery stage into the Development stage as they achieve the required milestones and deliverables.
Does the program require a clinical trial?
No. The listing notes "Clinical Trial Optional." Phase I clinical testing may be included when appropriate, but it is not mandatory for every project and may depend on the projects stage and readiness.
What responsibilities remain with the small business awardee?
Awardees are expected to run disease- or target-specific parts of the work in their own labs. Examples include developing and running specialized assays, using disease models, and applying proprietary research tools that are central to demonstrating biological relevance.
What additional resources can NIH provide to support development?
Projects can be strengthened through NIH-supported consultants and NIH contract research organizations (CROs) that provide specialized capabilities often difficult for small companies to build internally.
What kinds of services can NIH-supported CROs provide?
NIH-supported CROs can provide medicinal chemistry support, pharmacokinetics and ADME work, toxicology, formulation development, chemical synthesis (including GMP manufacturing), and Phase I clinical testing.
How does the division of labor work between the company and NIH-supported partners?
The small business drives the scientific rationale and disease-facing proof (such as assays and disease models), while NIH-supported consultants and CROs can help cover major development functions needed to reach an IND and generate early clinical data.
Why is the cooperative agreement structure important for applicants to understand?
Because a U44 cooperative agreement typically involves substantial NIH programmatic involvement, applicants should expect active coordination around development plans, milestones, and the integration of NIH-provided resources such as consultants and CRO support.
How does this opportunity address intellectual property (IP) for awardees?
The awardee institution retains its own IP rights. In addition, the awardee gains assignment of IP rights from BPN contractors for drug candidates developed through the program, which is intended to help the company maintain control over patent strategy and downstream partnering or licensing.
What is the practical value of receiving assignment of IP rights from BPN contractors?
This arrangement is intended to keep the company in control of patent strategy, prosecution decisions, and downstream licensing negotiations, which can be important for raising investment or partnering with larger pharmaceutical companies.
Is PAR-24-063 a new program or an updated version of an earlier opportunity?
It is a reissue of an earlier announcement, PAR-18-541.
Who runs this opportunity?
The opportunity is run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is categorized as discretionary funding using a cooperative agreement instrument.
What is the original closing date shown for this opportunity?
The original closing date shown is 2026-08-18.
Is this opportunity associated with specific NIH program classifications?
Yes. The opportunity is tied to multiple NIH CFDA numbers associated with neuroscience and related biomedical research programs.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services
Next opportunity: Short-Term Research Education Program to Enhance Diversity in Health-Related Research (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Previous opportunity: Mechanistic Research on Neuromodulation for Substance Use Disorders Treatment (R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required)
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for PAR 24 063
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (PAR 24 063) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN): Small Molecule Drug Discovery and Development of Disorders of the Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 24 043 Funding Number: PAR 24 043 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Competing Revisions to Existing NIH Single Project Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PA 23 317 Funding Number: PA 23 317 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Career Enhancement Award to Advance Research on Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention (K18 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed} Apply for PAR 24 070 Funding Number: PAR 24 070 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Career Enhancement Award to Advance Research on Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention (K18 Independent Clinical Trial Required) Apply for PAR 24 073 Funding Number: PAR 24 073 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Brain-Behavior Quantification and Synchronization Transformative and Integrative Models of Behavior at the Organismal Level (R34 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA DA 24 042 Funding Number: RFA DA 24 042 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Mobile Health: Technology and Outcomes in Low and Middle Income Countries (R21/R33 - Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 23 318 Funding Number: PAR 23 318 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Clinical Sites for the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (UG1 Clinical Trial Required) Apply for RFA OD 24 008 Funding Number: RFA OD 24 008 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (U24 Clinical Trial RequiredInfrastructure) Apply for RFA OD 24 009 Funding Number: RFA OD 24 009 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Research on the Ethical Implications of Advancements in Neurotechnology and Brain Science (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA MH 25 170 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 170 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Production and distribution facilities for brain cell type-specific access reagents (U24 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 25 105 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 105 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Scaled reagent resources for brain cell type-specific access across vertebrate species (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA MH 25 100 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 100 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Consortium for Palliative Care Research Across the Lifespan (U54 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA AG 25 002 Funding Number: RFA AG 25 002 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Predoctoral Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (BSSR) - Institutional Research Training Program [T32] Apply for RFA OD 24 012 Funding Number: RFA OD 24 012 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Preclinical Proof of Concept for Novel Recording and Modulation Technologies in the Human CNS (R18 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) Apply for RFA NS 24 031 Funding Number: RFA NS 24 031 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| BRAIN Initiative: Clinical Studies to Advance Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 24 017 Funding Number: RFA NS 24 017 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 24 160 Funding Number: PAR 24 160 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| New Approaches for Measuring Brain Changes Across Longer Timespans (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for PAR 24 161 Funding Number: PAR 24 161 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Data Archives for the BRAIN Initiative (R24 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA MH 25 110 Funding Number: RFA MH 25 110 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| BRAIN Initiative: Next-Generation Devices for Recording and Modulation in the Human Central Nervous System (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA NS 24 016 Funding Number: RFA NS 24 016 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Interaction between ARVs and Hormones in HIV and Coinfections (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) Apply for RFA AI 24 018 Funding Number: RFA AI 24 018 Agency: National Institutes of Health Category: Education, Health, Income Security and Social Services Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "PAR 24 063", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.