2024 BrightFocus Alzheimer's Disease Research - Standard Program

Eligibility

BrightFocus Standard Awards are open to tenure and non-tenure track investigators at any career stage who are appropriately trained to lead an independent research study and are permitted by their organizations to manage grants and supervise key personnel. An individual may only hold ONE active grant in the Standard Award program at a time.  

Specific eligibility criteria include:

• Candidates must hold an MD, PhD, DVM, DO, OD or equivalent degree
• Applicant must serve as the Principal Investigator on the project and have dedicated laboratory space. The applicant should use the indicated space in Section [4] of the application to clarify any position that is not immediately recognizable as an independent research position
• While some of the grant can be used to support salary for the PI, the percent requested should be limited to the lesser of 35% of the total grant request, or 35% of the individual’s salary. Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) salaries are capped at the lesser of 25% of the total grant request, or 25% of the individual’s salary.
• Applicants may currently be working in a non-profit, governmental, academic research institution, or at a for-profit including start-up and biotech institution

Summary

The BrightFocus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that seeks to save mind and sight by funding innovative research worldwide and by promoting better health through education. BrightFocus provides research funds for U.S. domestic as well as international researchers pursuing pioneering research leading to greater understanding, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

 BrightFocus Foundation awards grants for basic, translational, and clinically oriented research on the causes of, or treatments for, age-related and degenerative diseases. Grants are awarded on the basis of the scientific merit of the proposed research and the relevance of the research to understanding aspects of the disease that lead to improved treatments, prevention strategies, and diagnoses of the program disease. The Standard Award provides significant funding for researchers who have already generated some amount of preliminary data, but are often required to demonstrate additional, significant progress before they can apply to governmental or industrial funding agencies.

BrightFocus is committed to supporting scientists from diverse backgrounds to foster creativity and innovation in addressing complex scientific challenges. The Foundation strongly encourages applications from individuals who are from groups underrepresented in the field of Alzheimer’s disease research.

Submission Process

BrightFocus Standard Award Program in Alzheimer's Disease Research involves a two-step application process: Letter of Intent, and Full application (by invitation only).

1. Letter of Intent

Applicants must set up a personal account on Proposal Central (if not already in the PC database) and complete the LOI application according to the agency guidelines.

Applicants must obtain institutional approval from the University of Calgary prior to submitting their LOI to BrightFocus. Initiate required University of Calgary internal approvals by completing a Pre-Award/Letter of Intent record in RMS (https://my.rms.ucalgary.ca/)/. Attach a copy of your completed LOI Research Plan, Biosketch, and PDF print version of your online application form. Submit for approvals from your department head and/or faculty Associate Dean (Research). Please ensure that you allow time for academic approvals PRIOR to the Research Services Office internal review deadline of 12:00pm MT, July 30, 2024.

2. Full Application

Applicants invited to submit full applications should email Samantha McEwan, Research Grants Officer (samantha.mcewan@ucalgary.ca) for additional information on the next stage of this competition.

Overhead

Not Applicable. The budget may not contain administrative overhead or indirect costs as per foundation policy.

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

Additional Resources

BrightFocus Foundation Tips on Grant Writing [Video]

LOI Template

Biosketch Template

LOI Guidelines