Collaboratory on Research Definitions for Cognitive Reserve and Resilience to Alzheimer's Disease (R24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AG 18 024

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 18 024

The NIH grant opportunity "Collaboratory on Research Definitions for Cognitive Reserve and Resilience to Alzheimer's Disease (R24 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (RFA-AG-18-024; CFDA 93.866) is focused on building shared infrastructure that helps the research community agree on clear, practical ways to define and measure cognitive reserve and resilience in the context of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), as well as age-related cognitive decline. Rather than funding a traditional research project or a clinical trial, the aim is to support a coordinated collaboratory that can move the field toward common operational definitions, consistent terminology, and validated, widely usable research approaches. The bigger goal is to make studies across labs and cohorts easier to compare and combine, which is essential for accelerating progress on how brain and cognitive health can be maintained and how ADRD might be treated or prevented.

A central feature of this FOA is the emphasis on convening and coordination. The supported infrastructure is meant to create and sustain a collaborative research network that brings together relevant stakeholders and experts to work through persistent scientific and methodological disagreements around what "cognitive reserve" and "resilience" mean, how they differ, and how they should be measured in real-world studies. The announcement highlights activities such as meetings and conferences to build consensus, small-scale pilot efforts to test or refine measurement approaches and frameworks, and dissemination work to promote adoption of the resulting definitions and methods. In practice, this kind of award is designed to support the "glue" of a field-wide effort: structured collaboration, iterative testing of ideas, and broad communication of recommended standards so they become the default in future ADRD and cognitive aging research.

Because the mechanism is an R24 infrastructure-type grant and explicitly indicates "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," applicants are expected to focus on resources, coordination, and methodological development rather than interventional human studies that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial. Any pilots envisioned under the collaboratory would typically be limited in scope and oriented toward feasibility, measurement development, harmonization, or validation strategies rather than testing an intervention's effect on health outcomes. The FOA frames these activities as necessary building blocks for better science later: if the field can converge on uniform nomenclature and strong, validated approaches, subsequent observational studies and trials can be designed with clearer targets and more comparable endpoints.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic U.S. organizations: state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled universities; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out additional eligible applicant types, 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), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, non-U.S. entities are not eligible to apply as applicant organizations, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply; however, foreign components as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement may be allowed, which generally means a U.S.-based applicant may include certain well-justified international elements consistent with NIH policy.

In terms of funding details, the opportunity was offered by the National Institutes of Health with an original closing date of February 22, 2018. The listed award ceiling is $500,000, and the announcement indicates expected awards but does not provide a number in the provided source text. Overall, the grant is best understood as a field-building investment: creating the coordinated environment needed to sharpen definitions and standardize methods around cognitive reserve and resilience, so future ADRD and cognitive aging research can be more rigorous, comparable, and impactful.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaboratory on Research Definitions for Cognitive Reserve and Resilience to Alzheimer's Disease (R24 - 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): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-02-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• 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 RFA AG 18 024

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