BRAIN Initiative Surges 33% to $429M as Cures Act Funding Kicks In
March 3, 2026 · 2 min read
Claire Cummings
The NIH BRAIN Initiative will receive $429 million in fiscal year 2026 — a 33% increase over the prior year — following President Trump's signing of the Consolidated Appropriations Act on February 3.
The surge comes largely from a scheduled ramp-up under the 21st Century Cures Act, which allocates $195 million for 2026, more than double the $91 million in FY2025. Base funding also ticked up by $4 million, bringing the non-Cures portion to roughly $230 million. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke — the BRAIN Initiative's primary home — saw its budget rise from $2.69 billion to $2.8 billion.
Why Researchers Shouldn't Celebrate Yet
The headline numbers mask a structural problem. Neuroscience-related grant awards dropped 37% in 2025 compared to previous years, and the multiyear funding approach at 2025 levels could continue limiting new awards even as the total budget grows.
"The funding goes up a little bit, but it doesn't prevent the chaos that we saw this past year," said neuroscience researcher Mark Histed. NIH staffing losses compound the issue — Jennifer Troyer warned that "it will be hard to get the work done this year even if budgets do rebound."
Meanwhile, the National Institute of Mental Health actually declined from $2.27 billion to $2.19 billion, creating a mixed picture across neuroscience funding.
What Neuroscience Grant Seekers Should Do
More money exists, but competition for awards may be fiercer than ever given the structural backlog. The Cures Act funds must be obligated this fiscal year, which could accelerate solicitation timelines. Researchers should monitor the BRAIN Initiative funding page for new NOFOs and consider targeting open solicitations rather than waiting for new ones.
Teams preparing proposals should also factor in longer review timelines and reduced NIH staff capacity. Starting early is no longer optional — it's a competitive advantage.
In-depth analysis of federal research funding trends is available on the Granted blog.