Partners in Advancing Science: From Innovative Ideas to Groundbreaking Research

You may have seen some of the headlines about groundbreaking advancements in mental health treatment, like the one about the first medication specifically developed for people with postpartum depression. Or maybe you or someone you know has experienced mental health care firsthand—such as coordinated specialty care or suicide risk screening.

Breakthroughs like these are driven by research investments. Each year, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) spends about $1.8 billion to support cutting-edge mental health research at institutions worldwide. This substantial investment is not just a figure; it represents a deep commitment to research that addresses urgent public health challenges with precision and impact.

A lot happens behind the scenes to turn this billion-dollar investment into discoveries that advance mental health care and improve millions of lives. In NIMH’s Division of Extramural Activities (DEA), we help bring scientific ideas to fruition, through our wide-ranging expertise in science, policy, and administration.

As we celebrate NIMH's 75th Anniversary, we’re excited to provide a behind-the-scenes look at how this all happens. This Director’s Message highlights DEA's three branches and how our work helps transform innovative ideas into impactful research.

Clear communications and strong community ties

Funding innovative research starts with clear communications and strong relationships with the research community. DEA’s Extramural Policy Branch works together with NIMH’s programmatic offices and divisions to develop notices of funding opportunities. We want to attract high-quality research proposals, so we’re working to ensure our announcements are clear and accessible to researchers and the public. These announcements tell the research community about the availability of funding for a specific area of research and set the stage for high-impact science.

The Extramural Policy Branch also coordinates meetings of the National Advisory Mental Health Council. The council comprises scientists and public health leaders who advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the NIMH Director on developing the institute’s research priorities, programs, and policies. Each meeting, including the one coming up next month, includes an open policy session, which is open to anyone who wants to learn more about NIMH’s activities and priorities. The meetings also include a comment period during which members of the public—including researchers, advocacy groups, and people with lived experience—have an opportunity to share their comments and perspectives.

Research quality through rigorous review

We want the best research proposals to rise to the top, and that depends on impartial, informed, and thoughtful peer review. This critical task falls to DEA’s Extramural Review Branch, which manages the initial review of grant applications and contract proposals received by NIMH. Our highly skilled scientific review officers keep pace with the research field and assemble panels of peer reviewers that reflect where the field is now and where it is going in the future. In addition, scientific review officers manage reviewer conflicts of interest and work with researchers and program staff to ensure objective and impartial peer review meetings. The goal is to provide all applicants with fair and constructive feedback on their applications, whether those applications are funded or not.

The branch also spearheads several programs to enrich and broaden the peer review process at NIMH. For example, the Public Reviewer Program invites members of the public, including people with lived experience of mental illness, to contribute to peer review. Public reviewers’ first-hand perspectives help the review committee evaluate whether applications are practical and relevant to the real world.

A second, complementary program encourages people to self-nominate to serve as NIMH peer reviewers. The program offers opportunities for scientists, particularly those in the early stages of their careers, to make significant scientific contributions to peer review. Peer reviewers are essential in ensuring NIMH invests in meaningful, rigorous science. To date, about 500 people have submitted self-nominations through this program.

Support for research success

Selecting the grants that NIMH will fund is only one part of the process. From the initial concept to the funded award, applicants and their institutions must follow many detailed steps to achieve grant success. These steps are often technical and sometimes complex, requiring expert knowledge of the system's inner workings. This is where DEA’s Grants Management Branch comes in. Throughout the entire application process, branch staff work with applicants to ensure their applications meet all the necessary criteria and comply with federal statutes, regulations, and guidelines.

Once a grant application is selected for funding, branch staff work with program staff and research institutions to finalize the many details of the award. These details include appropriate funding levels, budget and project periods, milestones, reporting requirements, and other project-specific needs. Once the details are hammered out, grants management staff develop the official Notice of Award , a legal document that allows for the obligation of federal funds.

Together, the team currently manages over 3,600 grants and cooperative agreements. This includes complex grant programs that span multiple institutes, agencies, and outside organizations, such as the Early Psychosis Intervention Network and the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Program for Schizophrenia.

Advancing the mission—by the numbers

To understand the full scope of DEA’s programs, it helps to look at the numbers. Over the last 3 fiscal years, DEA published over 240 funding-related notices, received more than 8,300 grant applications, and conducted 170 peer review meetings. The result: more than 1,800 grant awards totaling over $1.3 billion.

The following table shows the numbers for each of the last three fiscal years (FY):

Although DEA’s work may not always capture the spotlight, it is an unseen force that propels NIMH’s mission forward. Behind the scenes, DEA orchestrates the entire life cycle of every NIMH research grant, engaging with the public and collaborating across NIMH, NIH, and the global research community. These efforts are key to ensuring the transparency, integrity, and effectiveness of NIMH’s research activities.

As we look ahead, DEA is poised to support the next wave of scientific discoveries that could transform mental health care over the next 75 years—our investment in a brighter future.