Ann Theodore Foundation Learning Opportunities in Medicine and Sarcoidosis (ATF-LOMAS)

Eligibility

For this program, “early career” investigators are defined as being within the first five years of an independent faculty appointment who have not yet obtained an R01, P01, or P50 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or a similar award (e.g., typically multiyear grants that provide substantial support for independent research programs, >$250,000 per year in direct costs). 

1. Each applicant organization must be a nonprofit academic or research institution, including domestic and non-US nonprofit organizations and domestic and non-US public/private academic universities or institutions of higher learning (including colleges, universities, medical schools, and other related academic research institutions). Certain qualified governmental agencies with active biomedical research programs may also apply.
2. All proposed research projects must be led by a principal investigator (PI) who holds a doctorate (e.g., PhD, MD, or related research doctorate). The PI must be an independent investigator.
3. Institutions may submit more than one proposal, but a unique PI must lead each proposal.
4. Each applicant must be within the first five years of their first independent faculty appointment and must not have obtained an R01 from the National Institutes of Health or a similar award.

Summary

Recognizing that support for new talent in the sarcoidosis research and clinical field is key to accelerating breakthroughs, the Ann Theodore Foundation is launching a new initiative, called the Ann Theodore Foundation Learning Opportunities in Medicine and Sarcoidosis (ATF-LOMAS) initiative, to provide funding support for early career researchers interested in sarcoidosis research. The Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) will administer the initiative. 

Sarcoidosis is a disease hallmarked by clusters of immune cells, known as granulomas, that can form in various organs. The lungs are the most frequently affected, but virtually any organ can be impacted. For some people, the condition resolves on its own, but for others, it can be chronic and debilitating. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing, fatigue, and heart arrhythmia, and if the granulomas persist, they can cause severe organ damage and death. The sarcoidosis field needs a strong, stable workforce pipeline to ensure that future generations of researchers will sustain and build upon progress made thus far.

ATF-LOMAS will award up to five two-year research grants led by doctorate-level investigators at qualifying research-based institutions worldwide. Projects will be eligible for up to $100,000 USD in funding, inclusive of direct and indirect costs, totaling $200,000 USD over two years. The maximum allowable indirect rate is 15 percent. Mentorship will be a key component of the program, so applicants must indicate the expertise and professional background that they seek in a mentor; additionally, applicants are welcome to provide specific names of potential mentors.

Overhead

The maximum allowable indirect rate is 15 percent. 

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.

Application Requirements

All completed applications shall be submitted through a SurveyMonkey Apply grant portal at https://milken.smapply.io/prog/atf-lomas/.

It is recommended that each applicant consider the portal’s requirements when preparing the application. Applications shall be single-spaced and formatted in Calibri 11-point font with one-inch margins, except where provided templates apply. The review team shall strictly enforce formatting and length. Submissions that exceed the page limit or do not follow the requirements below shall not be considered for review.

1. Proposal outlining the intended project shall be no more than nine (9) pages in length and will be organized as follows:
   1. Scientific approach. An outline of which research methodology the PI intends to use in pursuit of the project, which also defines and justifies key project outcome measures. Four (4) pages maximum, inclusive of references and figures in the applicants’ preferred format. Preliminary data are not required.
      1. All proposals must be focused on the biology, biochemistry, epidemiology, or immunobiology of sarcoidosis. Studies that are only tangentially related to sarcoidosis will not be considered.
      2. A brief protocol synopsis and timeline milestones must accompany proposals. As noted below, approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) for human studies or from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for animal studies will be required before initial payment is made for any project that the ATF-LOMAS, in its sole discretion, selects for funding. If new approvals are required during the course of the funding period, those approvals should be submitted to the ATF-LOMAS as soon as possible.
      3. Studies that entail human participants or patient samples should specify a plan for recruitment or acquisition, respectively, that will be inclusive of diverse backgrounds as much as possible, including race, gender, ethnicity, and geography.
      4. Any intellectual property considerations that the proposed research may entail should be noted.
      5. If alternative plans exist that would be implemented in the event that local conditions prevent research from proceeding as planned, please include a brief description of these arrangements.
      6. A statement detailing the innovative aspects of the scientific approach and question must be included.
   2. Detailed career plan. The plan should describe the specific steps, contingencies, and mentor engagement that the applicant will use to reach the next career stage and/or obtain follow-on funding for sarcoidosis research. Maximum of two (2) pages. The career plan should include:
      1. grants for which the applicant intends to apply during the two-year grant period
      2. meetings and/or conferences the applicant plans to attend during the grant period
      3. time allocation between research and other responsibilities
      4. how the applicant will become a mentor for the next generation of scientists
      5. discussion of strategies the applicant will use to advance their career within and beyond their institution
   3. Budget. A detailed budget in USD with a narrative summary and justification for each item, including how the PI intends to spend their time on the project. Two (2) pages in length using the provided template and one (1) page in length providing narrative justification of budget items. Projects can be budgeted for two years. Projects led by individual researchers can be budgeted for up to $200,000 ($100,000 per year) in total costs, with a maximum indirect rate of 15 percent. Acceptable expenditures for direct costs include:
      1. salary for the PI, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, staff scientists, and other personnel (fringe benefits are also covered)
      2. protected research time
      3. equipment and software
      4. laboratory supplies, such as reagents and tools
      5. patient recruitment
      6. sarcoidosis event-related travel
      7. open-access publication costs (all publications resulting from ATF-LOMAS-funded research must be made available through open access)
      8. up to 15 percent of the total budget allocated to indirect costs (indirect expenses will be proportional to the $100,000 budget and, therefore, will not exceed $15,000; it is not necessary to provide specific details regarding indirect cost expenditures)

Please note that grants will be awarded in USD, and the Ann Theodore Foundation is not responsible for changes in conversion rates. Proposals selected for funding will be made payable to the applicant organization. Under no circumstances will funding be paid to, or earmarked for, any individual.

2. Mentor specifications must be provided via the application platform. ATF-LOMAS will match all awardees with a mentor before funded projects begin. Applicants may either preliminarily select a mentor in their application or opt to allow ATF-LOMAS to select a mentor for them based on their needs. One (1) page maximum.
   1. Applicants without a preselected mentor should share the expertise and professional background that they seek in a mentor. ATF-LOMAS will use this information to help the applicant find a suitable mentor.
      1. Applicants should include details regarding the skills, experiences, and support they would like to receive from a mentor.
   2. Applicants who opt to preselect a mentor should provide the name(s) of one or more specific preferred mentors. The individual(s) listed must not have trained the applicant previously (e.g., postdoctoral or graduate advisor), but the preferred mentor(s) may be affiliated with the same institution as the applicant.
      1. Applicants should detail the proposed mentor’s (or mentors’) expertise, experience, and why each would be a suitable mentor. This may include information on what the applicant can learn from each potential mentor and how each mentor’s strengths complement the applicant’s strengths.
   3. A letter from each proposed mentor agreeing to this potential role must be included in the application. Awardees who are matched with a mentor may terminate their mentorship arrangement in consultation with ATF-LOMAS. If the arrangement is terminated, the awardee will be matched with another mentor as soon as possible.
3. Additional documentation within the online form will include:
   1. The lead PI must provide a biosketch from the NIH template, five (5) pages or fewer. If applicants are unable to provide a biosketch, a CV will be acceptable.
   2. For the application to be considered complete, an electronic signature confirming that the grant proposal contains information that is true, complete, and accurate and that false or fraudulent statements may subject the applicant’s institution to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties is required.
   3. The applicant’s institution must provide a letter of commitment stating that the applicant’s institution will be able to support the research led by the applicant.
   4. Organizational assurances: Upon request, an applicant institution may be required to submit additional information to document its nonprofit status.
      1. Please note that each mentor will be required to submit a letter of support for their mentee after they are matched with a mentee. This letter must demonstrate that the mentor is able and willing to provide support to the level outlined in the “Mentorship Expectations” section.
4. Non-US-based applicant organizations must provide:
   1. A list of voting board members and officers and the name of the organization’s highest-ranking staff member (e.g., chief executive officer) will be required.
   2. Additional organization governing documents and other documentation via a secondary questionnaire following proposal submission will be required. The Ann Theodore Foundation will request these documents at the time of proposal review. For more information, please visit https://www.ngosource.org/how-an-ed-works.
5. US-based governmental organizations (excluding academic/research institutions that are public charities) must provide:
   1. a full copy of the enabling statute that authorized the organization’s creation
   2. a copy of the organization’s governing documents (such as articles of organization or constitution and bylaws), if applicable any correspondence from the IRS confirming the organization’s tax status, if applicable

Additional Resources

Using RMS:

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application

Support for projects involving Indigenous Research:

Support with the development of your grant application is available internally through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST). Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Support for Knowledge Engagement:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation is available internally through the Knowledge to Impact Team. Applicants can reach out by email to the KTI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information, please visit the KTI team webpage.

Support for Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@libanswers.ucalgary.com and/or visit https://libguides.ucalgary.ca/researchdatamanagement.

Support for EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice. Contact Erin.OToole@ucalgary.ca for more information.