CFDA 93.866: Aging Research
NIA's primary CFDA for research on aging, Alzheimer's disease, and Alzheimer's-related dementias (AD/ADRD). Funding has expanded substantially due to the Alzheimer's Accountability Act bypass-budget process.
What this CFDA funds
Basic biology of aging research, Alzheimer's disease and AD/ADRD studies, geriatrics and clinical care research, behavioral and social research on aging, training programs (T32, F-series, K-series), and Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRCs). Recent priorities: precision medicine for AD, dementia disparities, caregiver research, and aging biomarkers.
What winning applicants look like
AAU research universities, NIA-designated ADRC institutions, and academic medical centers with strong geriatrics + neurology departments. The bypass-budget for Alzheimer's research means NIA success rates have been higher than NIH average — particularly for AD/ADRD-focused proposals.
Common pitfalls + things to know
Distinguish between aging-as-context (an R01 about hypertension in older adults) and aging-as-mechanism (an R01 about cellular senescence). NIA prioritizes the latter for basic biology mechanisms. AD/ADRD-tagged proposals route to AD-specific review panels with separate paylines.
Related CFDAs to also explore
- CFDA 93.310 — Trans-NIH Research Support
- CFDA 93.853 — Extramural Research Programs in Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders
- CFDA 93.398 — Cancer Research
Always verify in the official source. CFDA program details, eligibility, and award ranges change with each annual NOFO cycle. Confirm at sam.gov/content/assistance-listings or the agency's program office before you build an application strategy. This page is editorial reference, not an official agency notice.