OPPORTUNITY FUNDING ALERT

Student Funding Opportunities

Biobehavioral Research
National Institute of Medical Health - Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (BRAINS)
Breast Cancer
Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs - Breast Cancer Research Program
Diabetes / Geriatric Endocrinology
Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine/American Diabetes Association - Young Investigator Innovation Award in Geriatric Endocrinology
Dissertation Improvement Grants
NSF - Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in the Directorate for Biological Sciences
Eating Disorders Research
Klarman Family Foundation - Eating Disorders Research
Education Policy & Practie Research
American Education Research Association - Small Grants and Training
Food & Agricultural Sciences
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture - Higher Education Challenge Grants
Gerontology
The 2010 Glenn/AFAR Breakthroughs in Gerontology Awards
Graduate Research Fellowships
NSF - Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Department of Energy - Computational Science Graduate Fellowship
Neurobiology Prize
Eppendorf & Science $25,000 Prize for Biology
Nuclear Energy
U.S. Department of Energy - Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)
Nursing
March of Dimes - Graduate Nursing Scholarships
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Nurse Faculty Scholars
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Evaluating Innovations in Nursing Education
Student Support
Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education - Student Support Services Program
Tobacco Research
James & Esther King Biomedical Research Program - Technology Transfer/Commercialization Partnership (TTCP)
Various
John Merck Fund - Grants Program
Of Interest
Council for International Exchange of Scholars - Invite a Fulbright Scholar to Speak to Your Faculty

Biobehavioral Research

National Institute of Mental Health - Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (BRAINS)
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) invites R01 applications for Biobehavioral Research Awards for Innovative New Scientists (BRAINS) to promising young scientists who plan to make a long-term career commitment to research in the specific mission areas of the NIMH (RFA-MY-10). Up to 10 awards will be provided from $5 million in FY10. Eligibility is unrestricted domestically. Deadlines: Letters of intent - Nov. 9, 2009; full proposals - Dec. 9, 2009. Go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-10-060.html

Breast Cancer

Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs - Breast Cancer Research Program
The Era of Hope Scholar Award (No. W81XWH-09-BCRP-EOHS2) supports individuals who have high potential for innovation in breast cancer research early in their careers. Nominees for this award should be exceptionally talented, early-career scientists who have demonstrated that they are the "best and brightest" in their field(s) through extraordinary creativity, vision, and productivity. They also should exhibit strong potential for leadership in the breast cancer research community and be able to articulate a vision for the eradication of breast cancer. These individuals should challenge current dogma and demonstrate an ability to look beyond tradition and convention.

The Era of Hope Scholar Award application must focus on the Principal Investigator's (PI) record of creative and original accomplishments, potential for leadership in the breast cancer research community, and vision for eradicating breast cancer. These aspects of the application will receive greater emphasis in the review process than the proposed research project, although the proposed research project also will be considered.

Experience in breast cancer research is not required; however, the application should focus on breast cancer research, and the PI must commit at least 50% of his/her full-time professional effort during the award period to breast cancer research. Deadlines: Letter of Intent - Nov. 18, 2009; Confidential Letters of Recommendation - Dec. 2, 2009; Proposal: Dec. 2, 2009. Go to: http://cdmrp.army.mil/funding/pdf/09bcrpreftable2.pdf

Diabetes / Geriatric Endocrinology

Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine/American Diabetes Association - Young Investigator Innovation Award in Geriatric Endocrinology Applications Invited for American Diabetes Association - Association of Specialty Professors in partnership with the American Diabetes Association, the Association of Specialty Professors offers the ADA-ASP Young Investigator Innovation Award in Geriatric Endocrinology. The two-year, $150,000 award funds the early stages of career development for an endocrinologist interested in geriatric medicine, with a focus on diabetes. The award supports entry-level faculty working to integrate geriatrics with novel basic, clinical, or health services diabetes research. In addition, ASP offers travel grants for recipients to attend two American Geriatrics Society annual scientific meetings and one ADA meeting, as well as funds for the recipient to visit either a geriatrician or an endocrinologist with a professional research background similar to the recipient's research focus and present on his or her research at the host's institution.

At a minimum, award candidates must have a faculty appointment equal to an assistant professorship by July 1, 2010; be a U.S. citizen or have applied for permanent U.S. resident status; have completed a fellowship in endocrinology leading to certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine; be within the first three years of his or her first faculty appointment; commit 75 percent of his/her professional effort to research activities; develop and implement a basic, clinical, translational, or health services research project focused on a geriatric aspect of diabetes and metabolism; and generate and implement a career development plan with mentors from endocrinology and geriatric medicine. The award is part of ASP's T. Franklin Williams Scholars Program, a career development award for internal medicine specialists focusing on geriatric medicine. Deadline: Jan. 15, 2010. Go to: http://www.im.org/CareerDevelopment/GrantsandScholarships/TFWS/....

Dissertation Improvement Grants

NSF- Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in the Directorate for Biological Sciences
The National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology awards Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants (NSF 08-564) in selected areas of the biological sciences. These grants provide partial support of doctoral dissertation research to improve the overall quality of research. Allowed are costs for doctoral candidates to participate in scientific meetings, to conduct research in specialized facilities or field settings, and to expand an existing body of dissertation research. There will be an estimated 100-120 awards made. Deadline: Nov. 20, 2009. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08564/nsf08564.htm

Eating Disorders Research

Klarman Family Foundation - Eating Disorders Research
The Program's short-term goal is to expand the number of outstanding scientists whose research explores the basic biology of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and/or binge eating disorder. The long-term goal is to accelerate progress in developing effective treatments for these disorders. Examples of funding areas include but are not limited to molecular genetic analysis of relevant neural circuit assembly and function; animal models created by genetically altering neural circuits; testing of new chemical entities that might be used in animal models as exploratory treatments; and brain imaging approaches that identify neurochemical pathways in patients with these disorders. Investigators conducting research in the neuro-circuitry of fear conditioning or reward behavior may also apply but must justify the relevance of their research projects to the basic biology of eating disorders. Clinical psychotherapeutic studies, medication trials and research in the medical complications of these disorders are outside the scope of this program. Awards: two-year project of $400,000; one-year pilot studies of up to $150,000. Deadline: Dec. 8, 2009. Go to: http://www.hria.org/tmfgrants/klarman/

Education Policy & Practie Research

American Education Research Association - Small Grants and Training
With funding from the National Science Foundation, the American Educational Research Association (AERA http://www.aera.net/) is pleased to announce the continuation of the AERA Grants Program, which provides small grants and training for researchers who conduct studies of education policy and practice using quantitative methods and including the analysis of data from the large-scale data sets sponsored by National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and NSF. Deadline: Jan. 6, 2010. Go to: http://www.aera.net/grantsprogram/index.html

Food & Agricultural Sciences

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture - Higher Education Challenge Grants The purpose of the $5.2 million Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program (USDA-NIFA-CGP-002644) http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/GetGrantFromFedgrants... is to strengthen and enhance the Nation's higher education teaching and training programs in the food and agricultural sciences, and to ensure the production of sufficient numbers and quality of graduates to meet the national needs for scientific and professional expertise. While research and extension activities may be included in a funded HEC project, the primary focus must be to improve teaching within a degree-granting program. Applications submitted to this grants program must state how the funded project will address how to increase the number of graduates with a baccalaureate (or higher) degree in the food and agricultural sciences; and, how to help students achieve their career goals and to help meet workplace needs by increasing the quality of postsecondary instruction within these disciplines. Awards will be range from $150,000 to $500,000. Required 1:1 cost-sharing. Deadline: Feb. 5, 2010. Go to: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/educationchallengehigheredhep.cfm.

Gerontology

The 2010 Glenn/AFAR Breakthroughs in Gerontology Awards
Sponsored by The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research, in collaboration with the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), the "Breakthroughs in Gerontology" (BIG) initiative provides timely support to a small number of pilot research programs that may be of relatively high risk but which offer significant promise of yielding transforming discoveries in the fundamental biology of aging. The hope is that one or more of the funded research projects will lead to major new insights into the molecular factors that coordinate aging in multiple cells and tissues, and the ways in which the aging process is differentially timed in long-lived species. Two two-year awards will be made in 2010, at the level of $200,000 total ($100,000 per year), of which up to eight percent may be used for institutional overhead.

Projects that focus on genetic controls of aging and longevity, on delay of aging by pharmacological agents or dietary means, or which elucidate the mechanisms by which alterations in hormones, anti-oxidant defenses, or repair processes promote longevity are all within the intended scope of this competition. Projects that focus on specific diseases or assessment of health care strategies will receive lower priority, unless the research plan makes clear and direct connections to fundamental issues in the biology of aging. Studies of invertebrates, mice, human clinical materials or cell lines are eligible for funding. Although preliminary data are always helpful for evaluating the feasibility of the experiments proposed, the emphasis in review will be on creativity and the likelihood that the findings will lead to improved understanding that merits follow-up studies. Deadline: Dec. 15, 2009. Go to: http://afar.org/GlennBIG.html

Graduate Research Fellowships

NSF - Graduate Research Fellowship Program
The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Education & Human resources, Division of Graduate Education, aims to ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States and to reinforce its diversity by offering approximately 1,654 graduate fellowships in this competition (NSF 09-603) pending availability of funds. The Graduate Research Fellowship provides three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based master's or doctoral degrees and is intended for students who are in the early stages of their graduate study. The Graduate Research Fellowship Program invests in graduate education for a cadre of diverse individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of the National Science Foundation. Deadlines: Nov. 2, 2009 - interdisciplinary fields of study; Nov. 4, 2009 - mathematical sciences, computer & information sciences and engineering; Nov. 5, 2009 - social sciences, psychology, geosciences; Nov. 6, 2009 - life sciences; Nov. 10, 2009 - chemistry, physicians and astronomy; Nov. 12, 2009 - engineering. Go to: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09603/nsf09603.htm

Dept. of Energy - Computational Science Graduate Fellowship
The Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF) program provides outstanding benefits and opportunities to students pursuing a PhD in scientific or engineering disciplines with an emphasis in high-performance computing. Funded by the Department of Energy's Office of Science and National Nuclear Security Administration, the DOE CSGF trains scientists to meet the nation's workforce needs and helps to create a nationwide interdisciplinary community. The fellowship provides support and guidance to some of the nation's best scientific graduate students, and these graduates now work in DOE laboratories, private industry and educational institutions. Over 250 students at more than 50 U.S. universities have trained as Fellows, and the demand is only growing.

Full tuition and required fees will be paid during the appointment period; a yearly stipend of $32,400; a $1,000 academic allowance is paid annually to the fellow to be used for duplication expenses, conferences, copies of conference proceedings, travel, or other expenses incurred while doing research or activities directly related to the professional development of the fellow. Upon request, matching funds of up to $2,475 will be made available to provide computer support. Specifically, these matching funds are available to help purchase a computer workstation or an upgrade to an existing workstation that will be used by the fellow during his/her tenure in graduate school. The total cost of this workstation must be $4,950 or less. Deadline: Jan. 14, 2009. Go to: http://www2.krellinst.org/csgf/index.shtml

Neurobiology Prize

Eppendorf & Science $25,000 Prize for Neurobiology
An entrant for the 2010 Award must be a neurobiologist with an advanced degree and not older than 35 years. The research described in the entrant's essay must be based on the methods of molecular and cell biology. The entrant must have performed or directed the work described in the essay. The research must have been performed during the previous three years.

Procedures for entry. The entrant must submit the following items: 1. An essay, written by the entrant, that describes his or her research and places it in perspective with respect to current research in the field of neurobiology. The essay must not exceed 1,000 words and should be submitted in English. 2. The applicant must have done or directed all of the work and it must have been performed in the past three years. 3. A one-page letter of recommendation from his or her postdoctoral adviser, supervisor, or other senior colleague who is familiar with the entrant's work. 4. A curriculum vitae that includes: full citations of papers that the entrant has published on the research described in the essay, academic and professional awards and honors that the entrant has received, relevant professional experience. 5. Copies of two of the entrant's papers that are most relevant to the essay. 6. A completed entry form http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/prizes/eppendorf/howto.dtl#entry. Deadline: Jun. 15, 2010. Go to: http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/prizes/eppendorf/howto.dtl

Nuclear Energy

U.S. Department of Energy - Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced an FY 2010 funding opportunity (RFA # NEUP-001-10) for U.S. universities in cutting-edge nuclear energy research and development (R&D). DOE plans to fund up to $49.7 million in research. DOE's Nuclear Energy University Program is focused on supporting innovative, cutting-edge research with the following goals: integrate research at universities, national laboratories, and industry to "revitalize" nuclear education and support DOE's Nuclear Energy program; attract bright students to the nuclear professions and support talent in nuclear engineering and nuclear science fields; improve university infrastructure for conducting R&D and educating students; and, support the Nuclear Energy program's goal of transferring knowledge from an aging nuclear workforce to the next generation of workers.

The maximum total amount to be awarded is $1.5 million per project for three to four years. Pre-applications are due to the Nuclear Energy University Program by November 10, 2009. The lead applicant must be a U.S. college or university, but collaborations with industry and national laboratories are permitted. A maximum of 20 percent of an award can go to industry or national laboratories. Investigators invited to submit a full proposal must do so by mid-December (date to be announced). In announcing this funding opportunity, Secretary of Energy Steve Chu emphasized the importance of a strong partnership with the nation's research institutions. He highlighted nuclear energy as the largest source of carbon-free energy that must play a role in addressing climate change and developing a clean energy economy. The full solicitation for FY 2010 funding can be found at: http://www.nuclear.energy.gov/pdfFiles/NEUP2010.pdf. Additional details of the funding opportunity to follow. DOE also refers potential applicants to the proceedings of a workshop held on Aug.13-14, 2009 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to help inform their proposals. Go to: https://inlportal.inl.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=600&mode=2. To access DOE's Nuclear Energy University Program website, please see: http://www.nuclear.energy.gov/universityPrograms/neUniversity2a.html.

Nursing

March of Dimes - Graduate Nursing Scholarships
To recognize and promote excellence in nursing care of mothers and babies, the March of Dimes offers several $5,000 scholarships annually to registered nurses enrolled in graduate programs of maternal-child nursing. Applications for 2010 scholarships are due on January 15, 2010. Go to: http://www.marchofdimes.com/nursing/index.bm2?cid=00000003&spid=ne_s3_1&tpid=ne_s3_1_3.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Nurse Faculty Scholars
The goal of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars program is to develop the next generation of national leaders in academic nursing through career development awards for outstanding junior nursing faculty. The program aims to strengthen the academic productivity and overall excellence of nursing schools by providing mentorship, leadership training and salary and research support to young faculty. Up to 12 awards of up to $350,000 each over three years will be available in this round of funding. Deadlines: Dec. 12, 2009 and Dec. 15, 2009 - Informational applicant Web conferences. Registration is required. Feb. 2, 2010 - Proposal. Go to: http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=20908

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - Evaluating Innovations in Nursing Education
Evaluating Innovations in Nursing Education (EIN) will support evaluations of interventions that expand teaching capacity or promote faculty recruitment and retention in nursing schools. The program aims to increase the number of nursing school graduates by evaluating strategies that address the nurse faculty shortage. An important activity of the program will be disseminating successful strategies so they can be replicated in other nursing education settings. A total of $4.2 million will be available over the next three years. Up to 10 awards of up to $300,000 each will be available in this round of funding. Deadline: Nov. 24, 2009. Go to: http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=20742

Student Support

Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education - Student Support Services Program
The purpose of the SSS Program (ED-GRANTS-102209-001) is to increase the number of disadvantaged low-income college students, first generation college students, and college students with disabilities in the United States who successfully complete a program of study at the postsecondary level. Grants range: $220,000-$360,000. The Federal TRIO Programs include $268,905,822 for new awards for this program. Cost Share required. Deadline: Dec. 7, 2009. Go to: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=49961

Tobacco Research

James & Esther King Biomedical Research Program - Technology Transfer/Commercialization Partnership (TTCP)
The intent of the TTCP grant mechanism is to: encourage the collaboration of investigators at eligible institutions and small businesses; stimulate technology transfer activities for promising research discoveries that could lead to innovations in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or cure of tobacco-related diseases; and strengthen a project's economic feasibility and commercialization prospects. The maximum award for TTCP grants is $100,000 over a 12-month period. Detailed: Jan. 29. 2011. Go to http://forms.floridabiomed.com/jek_call/King%20Spec%20TTCP%20Call%2009-10.pdf and for detailed application instructions, go to: http://forms.floridabiomed.com/jek_call/King%20Spec%20TTCP%20Add1%202009-10.pdf

Various

John Merck Fund - Grants Program
The John Merck Fund makes grants in six program areas: Developmental Disabilities, Environment, Reproductive Health, Human Rights, Job Opportunities, and Civic Engagement/Defense of the Public Interest. Grants are generally limited to the United States. The Human Rights program provides grants to organizations in Latin America; and the Environment program, exceptionally, to organizations in Canada. Please see the Fund's individual Program Areas for more details. The John Merck Fund actively seeks out projects and programs that may merit support, and then requests grant applications on behalf of those it finds most promising. It does not encourage the submission of unsolicited proposals. However, organizations interested in obtaining support for work they do in one of JMF's program areas are welcome to send a brief email or letter of inquiry http://www.jmfund.org/contact.html - an email with a letter of inquiry attached is preferable. Outstanding individuals working on promising projects in organizations that may have difficulty attracting funds; pilot projects with potential for widespread application; advocacy, including litigation, capable of setting or protecting important precedents; smaller organizations, start-ups included; one-year grant requests (though multi-year grants of up to three years occasionally are made); matching-grant opportunities, particularly to help broaden support for fledgling initiatives.

Once JMF requests a grant application, the prospective grantee is asked to fill out a Grant Application Form, in which they specify a funding amount and concisely describe the project or program for which the grant is being sought. The prospective grantee also explains how the grant would fit into the project or program's overall budget, listing all other major funding sources. Deadline: Various. Go to: http://www.jmfund.org/grant.html

Of Interest

Council for International Exchange of Scholars - Invite a Fulbright Scholar to Speak to Your Faculty
Fulbright provides travel awards to enable Fulbright Visiting Scholars, who are currently in the U.S., to accept short guest lecturing invitations at colleges and universities. The Program enables Visiting Scholars to share their specific research interests, speak on the history and culture of their countries, exchange ideas with U.S. students, faculty, and community organizations, become better acquainted with U.S. higher education, and create linkages between their home and host institutions. Go to: http://www.cies.org/sir/olp

Send comments to Camille Coley, Executive Assistant Vice President or Penny Ashwanden, Content Editor.

Prior Opportunity Alerts

October 2009