Career Development Award

Eligibility

• This award is for junior investigators interested in an academic career in clinical, basic, or translational neurological research.
• Recipient must be a neurologist and an AAN member interested in an academic career in neurological research who completed residency between 5-10 years prior to the start date of the Career Development Award (July 1, 2026). If you have completed both residency and a PhD, your eligibility is based on when you completed residency. If you completed a fellowship of any kind after residency, your eligibility is still based on the date you finished residency.
• Applicants at accredited US and international institutions are eligible.

Summary

The award provides support of $150,000 per year for three years for a total of $450,000. Recipients of individual K or R awards are not eligible to apply for the Career Development Award (CDA). Applicants are allowed to apply for the AAN CDA and other federally funded career development awards (including NIH K awards and VA CDAs) or other career development awards supported by foundations of a similar scope simultaneously. To be eligible to apply for this award, the applicant’s other grant source(s) cannot exceed $150,000 annually.

The American Academy of Neurology is firmly committed to embracing the diversity among our members, applicants, and reviewers and affirms the importance of equity and inclusiveness within the AAN research program.

Please only submit one application. Applicants for the Career Development Award cannot be considered for any other AAN Research Program grants.

Overhead

Indirect costs are not supported for this award. 

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

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.