Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA NS 24 020
The NINDS Sustainable Transformation of Institutional Research Rigor (STIRR) Program (RC2 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is a National Institutes of Health funding opportunity designed to help academic and research institutions build durable, institution-level programs that strengthen research rigor and transparency in neuroscience. The core idea is cultural and practical change: NINDS wants institutions to move beyond one-off trainings or informal guidance and instead establish repeatable, sustainable systems that improve how neuroscience studies are designed, conducted, analyzed, and reported. The program emphasizes that rigorous study design and transparent reporting are essential not only for producing trustworthy findings in neuroscience, but also for enabling other scientists and the broader biomedical community to evaluate, reproduce, and build on prior work.
This NOFO specifically supports the implementation of innovative strategies at the departmental level, across multiple departments, or within an equivalent intra-institutional unit. In practice, this means awards are meant to underwrite concrete programmatic efforts that can change day-to-day research behaviors and expectations within an institution, such as structured approaches to experimental design, standards for documentation and reporting, practices that reduce bias, and norms that make transparency the default. The emphasis on "implementation" signals a focus on putting workable approaches into operation within real institutional environments, rather than only studying rigor issues in the abstract.
The funding mechanism is an NIH RC2 grant (a Cooperative Agreement for research and development in many NIH contexts, though the specific terms are governed by the NOFO), and the opportunity is explicitly marked "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." That generally means applications should not propose prospective clinical trials involving human participants where outcomes are evaluated to test an intervention. The program is instead aimed at institutional practices and research quality infrastructure relevant to neuroscience research, which may include policy, training, workflow, incentives, quality systems, and other operational or educational components that improve rigor and transparency without constituting a clinical trial.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based organizations. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The NOFO also calls out additional eligible applicant types such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), faith-based or community-based organizations, Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it draws clear boundaries around foreign participation: non-U.S. entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain types of foreign involvement under NIH rules even though the applicant organization itself must be domestic.
Administratively, the opportunity is issued by the National Institutes of Health under the health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.853. The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-NS-24-020, and the original closing date is listed as 2025-10-17. The NOFO description does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards in the source text provided, so prospective applicants would need to consult the full announcement for budget limits, project period expectations, cooperative agreement terms (if applicable), review criteria, and any required program components or milestones.
Overall, STIRR is aimed at helping institutions create lasting, scalable approaches that improve the credibility and usability of neuroscience research outputs by embedding rigor and transparency into the institutional fabric where research happens, rather than relying solely on individual investigators to carry that burden on their own.Apply for RFA NS 24 020
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NINDS Sustainable Transformation of Institutional Research Rigor (STIRR) Program (RC2 - 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 2023-05-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-10-17. (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.
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FAQs: NINDS Sustainable Transformation of Institutional Research Rigor (STIRR) Program (RC2 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
What is the STIRR Program (RFA-NS-24-020)?
The NINDS Sustainable Transformation of Institutional Research Rigor (STIRR) Program is an NIH funding opportunity intended to help academic and research institutions build durable, institution-level programs that strengthen research rigor and transparency in neuroscience. The focus is on long-lasting cultural and practical change through repeatable, sustainable systems, not one-off trainings or informal guidance.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The goal is to embed rigor and transparency into the institutional environment where neuroscience research happens so that studies are designed, conducted, analyzed, and reported in ways that produce trustworthy findings and make results easier to evaluate, reproduce, and build on.
What kinds of activities does STIRR support?
Based on the description provided, STIRR supports implementation of innovative, practical strategies that can change day-to-day research behaviors and expectations within an institution. Examples mentioned include structured approaches to experimental design, standards for documentation and reporting, practices that reduce bias, and norms that make transparency the default.
Is STIRR focused on research about rigor, or on implementing rigor systems?
The emphasis is on implementation. The opportunity is described as supporting the rollout of workable approaches inside real institutional environments, rather than only studying rigor issues in the abstract.
At what organizational level can the program be implemented?
The NOFO supports implementation strategies at the departmental level, across multiple departments, or within an equivalent intra-institutional unit.
What makes this program different from standard training or guidance?
STIRR is intended to move institutions beyond isolated trainings or informal advice by building repeatable and sustainable systems that influence routine research practices, expectations, and norms across a unit, department, or multiple departments.
What funding mechanism is used for STIRR?
The mechanism is an NIH RC2 award. The description notes this is a cooperative agreement mechanism used for research and development in many NIH contexts, with the specific terms governed by the NOFO.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The opportunity is explicitly marked "Clinical Trial Not Allowed." Applications should not propose prospective clinical trials involving human participants where outcomes are evaluated to test an intervention.
If clinical trials are not allowed, what is the work expected to focus on?
The program is aimed at institutional practices and research-quality infrastructure related to neuroscience. The description highlights policy, training, workflow, incentives, quality systems, and other operational or educational components that improve rigor and transparency without constituting a clinical trial.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many U.S.-based organizations. The listed eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
Are minority-serving and community-based institutions included in the eligible applicant types?
Yes. The NOFO specifically calls out additional eligible applicant types, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, and faith-based or community-based organizations, among others.
Are U.S. territories eligible?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are included among the additional eligible applicant types mentioned.
Are foreign organizations eligible to apply?
No. Non-U.S. entities and non-U.S. institutions are not eligible to apply, based on the boundaries described in the opportunity summary provided.
Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. component?
Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, the description states that "foreign components" (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are allowed, meaning a U.S. applicant may include certain types of foreign involvement under NIH rules even though the applicant organization must be domestic.
Which NIH institute is sponsoring this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health, and it is specifically associated with NINDS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) as the program described focuses on neuroscience research rigor and transparency.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for STIRR?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-NS-24-020.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.853.
What is the closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is 2025-10-17.
Does the provided information state an award ceiling or number of awards?
No. The provided description does not include an award ceiling or the expected number of awards. Applicants would need to consult the full announcement for budget limits, project period expectations, cooperative agreement terms (if applicable), review criteria, and required program components or milestones.
Why does NINDS emphasize rigor and transparency in neuroscience?
The opportunity description states that rigorous study design and transparent reporting are essential for producing trustworthy findings and enabling other scientists and the broader biomedical community to evaluate, reproduce, and build on prior work.
What is the overarching approach STIRR is trying to promote?
STIRR is aimed at making rigor and transparency part of the institutional fabric through scalable, lasting approaches that influence how research is conducted and reported, rather than placing the full burden on individual investigators.
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